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2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region

11 Ranked Colleges
78 Degrees Awarded
$33,200 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.

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 Great Lakes region, there were 10,384 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,191 and $25,844 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 78 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $74,305 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 11 colleges that offered a degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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The parks & rec school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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.

Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region”.

Top 11 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Great Lakes Region

1
Concordia University, Chicago crest
Concordia University, Chicago
River Forest, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Concordia University, Chicago. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region. Concordia University, Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in River Forest, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 32 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

2
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Michigan State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Michigan State University is located in East Lansing, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 doctorate’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Michigan State

3
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana University - Bloomington. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at IU Bloomington

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s parks and rec degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Ohio State

5
University of Toledo crest
University of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio

Out of the 11 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Toledo landed the #5 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Toledo, Ohio, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

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

6

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s parks and rec degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

7

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 2 degrees to qualified doctorate’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Full UWM Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

8

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

9
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s parks and rec degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

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

10

University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 doctorate’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Wisconsin - Madison

11
Wayne State crest
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan

Wayne State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Detroit, Michigan, this large public school awarded 94 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

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

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