by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies is the 15th most popular major in the country with 72,741 degrees awarded in 2021-2022. In , parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $31,466 and had an average of $24,117 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 11,233 parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,104 and $20,820 respectively.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California” ranking looked at 161 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. That schools that top this list have a program in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California”.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Professional Golfers Career College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Located in Temecula, California, this small private for-profit school awarded 32 degrees to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Professional Golfers Career College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend International Sports Sciences Association. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. ISSA is a small private for-profit school situated in Carpinteria, California. It awarded 101 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at ISSA
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Concordia University, Irvine. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Concordia University, Irvine is a private not-for-profit institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 370 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Concordia University, Irvine
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Whittier College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California. Whittier, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 46 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Whittier College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Saint Katherine. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Located in San Marcos, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
Full University of Saint Katherine Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Westmont College landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking. Westmont College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 36 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Westmont College
With a ranking of #7, Mt. San Antonio College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Walnut, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 489 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Mt. San Antonio College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
California Baptist University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking, coming in at #8. Riverside, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 236 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at California Baptist University
Holy Names University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking. Located in Oakland, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 19 degrees to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at HNU
California State University - Monterey Bay came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking. CSUMB is located in Seaside, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 172 ’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at CSUMB
College of the Canyons did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking, coming in at #11. This fairly large school is located in Santa Clarita, California, and it awarded 479 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
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%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at College of the Canyons
California State University - Chico came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 305 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Chico State
Cabrillo College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking. Located in Aptos, California, this medium-sized public school handed out 174 degrees to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Cabrillo College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
University of Antelope Valley did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking, coming in at #14. University of Antelope Valley is a private for-profit institution located in Lancaster, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UAV Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Humboldt State University ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Humboldt State University is a public institution located in Arcata, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 105 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Humboldt State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
San Diego Christian College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking. San Diego Christian is a small school located in Spring Valley, California that handed out 13 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at San Diego Christian College
Feather River Community College District ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Located in Quincy, California, this small public school handed out 24 diplomas to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Feather River Community College District Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
With a ranking of #18, Vanguard University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Vanguard University of Southern California is a private not-for-profit institution located in Costa Mesa, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 43 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%.
La Sierra University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. La Sierra is a private not-for-profit institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at La Sierra
William Jessup University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking, coming in at #20. William Jessup University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rocklin, California. It awarded 33 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full William Jessup University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
California State University - Fresno ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Fresno, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 291 students in 2021-2022.
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%.
Full California State University - Fresno Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
California State University - Fullerton ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California list. Cal State Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 558 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Point Loma Nazarene University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking. Point Loma Nazarene University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 80 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Point Loma Nazarene University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking, coming in at #24. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 245 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Cal State LA Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
California State University - Sacramento came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in California ranking. California State University - Sacramento is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 384 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 California State University - Sacramento Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
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