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2023 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Indiana (With Aid)

15 Ranked Colleges
1,956 Degrees Awarded
$18,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies is the 15th most popular major in the country with 73,813 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,423 and had an average of $24,388 in loans still to pay off.

Across Indiana, there were 1,956 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,288 and $25,237 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 15 colleges that offered a degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs, but they also cost less that 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid.

Top 15 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Indiana (With Aid)

1

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 643 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our indiana parks & rec students with aid list, IU Bloomington has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $14,619 for indiana parks & rec students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full IU Bloomington Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

2
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid list. Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 131 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Purdue also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $13,377 for Indiana Parks & Rec students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Purdue University - Main Campus

3
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ball State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid. Muncie, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 152 students in 2020-2021.

Ball State also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend Ball State University is $14,765 for Indiana Parks & Rec students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Ball State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and it awarded 215 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our indiana parks & rec students with aid list, IUPUI has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” ranking. The yearly cost to attend IUPUI is $12,416 for Indiana Parks & Rec students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 IUPUI

5
Indiana State crest
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid. This medium-sized school is located in Terre Haute, Indiana, and it awarded 145 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Indiana State, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indiana State University is $14,270 for Indiana Parks & Rec students with aid.

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

6

University of Southern Indiana ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Evansville, Indiana, this medium-sized public school awarded 81 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

USI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Southern Indiana is $13,481 for indiana parks & rec students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 University of Southern Indiana Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

7
Valpo crest
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, Indiana

Valparaiso University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid ranking. Valpo is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Valparaiso, Indiana. It awarded 25 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Valpo also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for Valpo is $22,899 for Indiana Parks & Rec students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 Valpo Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

8

With a ranking of #8, Grace College and Theological Seminary did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid list. Grace College and Theological Seminary is located in Winona Lake, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 37 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Grace College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” list. It costs about $20,060 for indiana parks & rec students with aid per year to attend Grace College.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

9
Manchester University crest
Manchester University
North Manchester, Indiana

With a ranking of #9, Manchester University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid list. Located in North Manchester, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our indiana parks & rec students with aid list, Manchester University has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Manchester University is $18,064 for indiana parks & rec students with aid.

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

10
UIndy crest
University of Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana

University of Indianapolis ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid list. University of Indianapolis is a medium-sized school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 137 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UIndy not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Indianapolis is $19,808 for indiana parks & rec students with aid.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Indianapolis

11
Hanover crest
Hanover College
Hanover, Indiana

Hanover College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Hanover, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 23 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Hanover also took the #7 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” ranking. It costs about $20,732 for Indiana Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend Hanover College.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

12
Marian crest
Marian University
Indianapolis, Indiana

Marian University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid ranking. Marian is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 28 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Marian also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Marian University is $19,266 for Indiana Parks & Rec students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

13
UE crest
University of Evansville
Evansville, Indiana

University of Evansville did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #13. This small school is located in Evansville, Indiana, and it awarded 33 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UE, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Evansville is $22,912 for indiana parks & rec students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Evansville Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

14
Trine crest
Trine University
Angola, Indiana

With a ranking of #14, Trine University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid list. Trine University is located in Angola, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 77 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Trine also took the #8 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Trine University is $25,028 for Indiana Parks & Rec students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

15
Franklin College of Indiana crest
Franklin College
Franklin, Indiana

Franklin College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Indiana For Those Getting Aid ranking. Franklin College of Indiana is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Franklin, Indiana. It awarded 26 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Franklin College of Indiana also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Indiana” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Franklin College of Indiana is $20,535 for indiana parks & rec students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 Franklin College of Indiana

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