by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 73,813 people earned their degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies, making the major the 15th most popular in the United States. 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 the Southeast region, there were 19,760 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,102 and $25,352 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 299 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,328 and $20,384 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region” ranking analyzed 40 colleges that offered a degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. That schools that top this list have a program in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region” list to help you make the college 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.
The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region associate degree parks & rec students.
Out of the 40 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Chipola College landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Marianna, Florida, this small public school handed out 11 degrees to qualified associates’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Full Chipola College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Johnson University Florida. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. JUFL is located in Kissimmee, Florida and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 associates’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Johnson University Florida Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Out of the 40 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Holmes Community College landed the #3 spot on the list. Holmes Community College is located in Goodman, Mississippi and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 associates’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Holmes Community College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 94 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Out of the 40 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College landed the #5 spot on the list. A-B Tech is a public institution located in Asheville, North Carolina. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 14 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #6, Mississippi Delta Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. Mississippi Delta Community College is a small school located in Moorhead, Mississippi that handed out 6 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Mississippi Delta Community College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Coahoma Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. This small school is located in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and it awarded 5 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Coahoma Community College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Northwest Florida State College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. NWFSC is a small public school situated in Niceville, Florida. It awarded 15 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Northwest Florida State College
Webber International University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. This small school is located in Babson Park, Florida, and it awarded 2 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Webber International University
South Georgia Technical College ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. South Georgia Technical College is a small school located in Americus, Georgia that handed out 17 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full South Georgia Technical College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Sandhills Community College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. SCC is a small school located in Pinehurst, North Carolina that handed out 10 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Sandhills Community College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
East Mississippi Community College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. East Mississippi Community College is a public institution located in Scooba, Mississippi. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full East Mississippi Community College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
With a ranking of #13, College of the Albemarle did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. College of the Albemarle is a small school located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina that handed out 5 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at College of the Albemarle
With a ranking of #14, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. Located in Perkinston, Mississippi, this medium-sized public school handed out 24 degrees to qualified associates’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Southwestern Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. Southwestern Community College is a small school located in Sylva, North Carolina that handed out 4 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Southwestern Community College
With a ranking of #16, Bob Jones University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. Bob Jones University is a small school located in Greenville, South Carolina that handed out 3 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Bob Jones University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Georgia Military College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Georgia Military College is a medium-sized school located in Milledgeville, Georgia that handed out 5 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Georgia Military College
With a ranking of #18, Itawamba Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. ICC is a public institution located in Fulton, Mississippi. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Itawamba Community College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Pensacola State College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Pensacola, Florida, and it awarded 5 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Pensacola State College
With a ranking of #20, Brunswick Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. Brunswick Community College is a small school located in Bolivia, North Carolina that handed out 1 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Brunswick Community College
Fayetteville Technical Community College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. FTCC is a medium-sized public school situated in Fayetteville, North Carolina. It awarded 6 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at FTCC
Coastal Carolina Community College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #22. This small school is located in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and it awarded 2 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Catawba Valley Community College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. This small school is located in Hickory, North Carolina, and it awarded 2 associates’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at CVCC
Wake Technical Community College ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified associates’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Wake Technical Community College
Gaston College landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Gaston College is located in Dallas, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 associates’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Full Gaston College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
