2027 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in South Dakota
[Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in South Dakota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked Northern State University the best value for a degree in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies in South Dakota. Set in the town of Aberdeen, Northern State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,845 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $11,947. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $24,500. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $40,424. Set against $24,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northern State University admits about 93% of applicants.
Black Hills State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Spearfish, Black Hills State University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,916, compared with $12,018 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $24,000. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from Black Hills State University generally make around $34,142. Set against $24,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
South Dakota State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,299, compared with $12,809 for out-of-state students. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates carry a median of $25,419 in student loans. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $41,036. Set against $25,419 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 98%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of South Dakota one of the best values for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. Located in the town of Vermillion, University Of South Dakota is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,432 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $12,942. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $26,322. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates of University Of South Dakota earn a median of $51,566 early in their careers. Set against $26,322 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 99%.
Dakota State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the town of Madison, Dakota State University is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $9,654 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,756 for out-of-state students. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates carry a median of $28,724 in student loans. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $51,970. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
University Of Sioux Falls came in at #6 for value in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies this year. Located in the city of Sioux Falls, University Of Sioux Falls is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $21,750. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates carry a median of $24,146 in student loans. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $34,839. Set against $24,146 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Sioux Falls admits about 83% of applicants.
Mount Marty College placed #7 among the best values for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. Located in the town of Yankton, Mount Marty College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,600. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program here. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from Mount Marty College generally make around $108,425. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Mount Marty College admits about 43% of applicants.
Augustana College South Dakota placed #8 among the best values for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. Augustana College South Dakota is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Sioux Falls. In-state tuition and fees average $40,160. Students borrow a median of $24,625 to complete the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program here. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $50,088. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 68%.
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Rankings
View All Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
