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2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid

16 Ranked Colleges
1,443 Degrees Awarded
$21,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor's in Iowa For Those Getting Aid

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 72,122 people earned their degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies, making the major the 15th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,823 and had an average of $24,576 in loans still to pay off.

Across Iowa, there were 1,572 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,615 and $25,199 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,443 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,922 and $25,876 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 16 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for iowa bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Iowa (With Aid)

#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 238 students in 2019-2020.

Iowa State also took the #1 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State is $15,496 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Iowa State Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#2

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Iowa. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. Iowa is located in Iowa City, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 652 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Iowa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Iowa is $19,145 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Iowa

#3

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Northern Iowa. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. UNI is a medium-sized school located in Cedar Falls, Iowa that handed out 113 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

UNI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $15,620 for iowa bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend UNI.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UNI

#4

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, Iowa
#9 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Buena Vista University landed the #4 spot on the list. Storm Lake, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

BVU also took the #9 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend BVU is $17,544 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Buena Vista University

#5

Simpson College

Indianola, Iowa
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Simpson College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. Simpson College is located in Indianola, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, Simpson College has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Simpson College is $19,151 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Simpson College

#12 in overall quality

Graceland University - Lamoni did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. Graceland Lamoni is a small school located in Lamoni, Iowa that handed out 24 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Graceland Lamoni not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $17,650 for iowa bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid per year to attend Graceland Lamoni.

Full Graceland University - Lamoni Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#7

Grand View University

Des Moines, Iowa
#10 in overall quality

Grand View University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. Des Moines, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 66 students in 2019-2020.

Grand View University also took the #10 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Grand View University is $19,826 for iowa bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Grand View University

#8

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, Iowa
#7 in overall quality

Coe College landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Coe not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Coe College is $19,955 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Coe

#9

Loras College

Dubuque, Iowa
#6 in overall quality

Loras College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. Dubuque, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 33 students in 2019-2020.

Loras not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Loras is $20,676 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Loras Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#10

Northwestern College

Orange City, Iowa
#3 in overall quality

Northwestern College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Orange City, Iowa, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

NWC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend NWC is $22,968 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at NWC

#11

Cornell College

Mount Vernon, Iowa
#8 in overall quality

Cornell College landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking. Cornell College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Mount Vernon, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Cornell College is $26,901 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Cornell College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#12

Wartburg College

Waverly, Iowa
#15 in overall quality

Wartburg College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. Waverly, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

Wartburg also took the #15 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wartburg is $21,787 for iowa bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Wartburg College

#13

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, Iowa
#16 in overall quality

Upper Iowa University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. Upper Iowa University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fayette, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIU also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend UIU is $21,624 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Upper Iowa University

#14

Dordt University

Sioux Center, Iowa
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Dordt University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. Dordt is located in Sioux Center, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, Dordt has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $25,102 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend Dordt.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Dordt University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#15

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, Iowa
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Saint Ambrose University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. St. Ambrose University is a small school located in Davenport, Iowa that handed out 64 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Ambrose University, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Saint Ambrose University is $26,204 for iowa bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Saint Ambrose University

#16

University of Dubuque

Dubuque, Iowa
#14 in overall quality

University of Dubuque landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Dubuque is a small school located in Dubuque, Iowa that handed out 27 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UD, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Dubuque is $26,748 for iowa bachelor’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UD

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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