2027 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in Maine
[Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies students.
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2027 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in Maine
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools
Leading the list is University Of Southern Maine, our #1 best value for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies in Maine. University Of Southern Maine is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Portland. Students from in state pay about $12,090 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $29,940. Students borrow a median of $25,500 to complete the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program here. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $29,478. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Southern Maine admits about 79% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies will find it at University Of Maine, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Orono, University Of Maine is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,326, while out-of-state students pay about $36,756. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $25,984. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from University Of Maine generally make around $47,975. That is a strong return on a $25,984 median debt. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Thomas College one of the best values for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. Thomas College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Waterville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $31,824. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program here. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $38,348. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Thomas College admits about 96% of applicants.
Husson University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies schools. Set in the city of Bangor, Husson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $23,304 in tuition and fees. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates carry a median of $28,769 in student loans. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $37,993. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Saint Josephs College Of Maine earned it the #5 place for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. Located in the rural area of Standish, Saint Josephs College Of Maine is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $44,420 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from Saint Josephs College Of Maine generally make around $35,341. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
University Of New England landed the #6 spot for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies value this year. University Of New England is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Biddeford. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $44,210. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $27,000. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $31,749. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 92%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
