by our College Data Analytics Team
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina” 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 North Carolina, there were 3,565 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,466 and $26,583 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,089 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,368 and $25,940 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina” ranking, we looked at 44 colleges that offer a degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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 a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Chowan University. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina. Murfreesboro, North Carolina 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 38 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Chowan University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brevard College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Located in Brevard, North Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 22 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Full Brevard College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Saint Augustine’s University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Raleigh, North Carolina 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 15 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at SAU
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Livingstone College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Livingstone College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Salisbury, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Livingstone College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Belmont Abbey College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Belmont Abbey College is located in Belmont, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at BAC
With a ranking of #6, Guilford College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Guilford College is located in Greensboro, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 38 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Full Guilford College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Catawba College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Catawba College is located in Salisbury, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Catawba
With a ranking of #8, Shaw University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Shaw University is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Shaw University
Lees - McRae College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. This small school is located in Banner Elk, North Carolina, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Lees - McRae College
Wingate University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. This small school is located in Wingate, North Carolina, and it awarded 84 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Wingate
With a ranking of #11, Elizabeth City State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Elizabeth City State University is a small school located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina that handed out 29 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at ECSU
Winston - Salem State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Winston - Salem State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It awarded 105 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at WSSU
With a ranking of #13, Methodist University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. This small school is located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad 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 Methodist University
With a ranking of #14, William Peace University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 18 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Full WPU Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Pfeiffer University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. This small school is located in Misenheimer, North Carolina, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Pfeiffer University
With a ranking of #16, Barton College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Located in Wilson, North Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 23 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Full Barton College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
St. Andrews University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. St. Andrews University is a small school located in Laurinburg, North Carolina that handed out 9 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at St. Andrews
Lenoir - Rhyne University ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. This small school is located in Hickory, North Carolina, and it awarded 47 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Lenoir - Rhyne University
Johnson C Smith University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 18 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at JCSU
With a ranking of #20, Greensboro College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Greensboro College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Greensboro, North Carolina. It awarded 16 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Greensboro College
University of North Carolina at Pembroke ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. This medium-sized school is located in Pembroke, North Carolina, and it awarded 117 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UNC Pembroke
High Point University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #22. High Point University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in High Point, North Carolina. It awarded 75 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 High Point University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Mars Hill University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. This small school is located in Mars Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 17 bachelors’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.
Full Mars Hill Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. This small school is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #25, North Carolina A & T State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Greensboro, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 152 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at NC A&T
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
