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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Illinois

53 Ranked Colleges
2,442 Degrees Awarded
$26,300 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 Illinois, there were 2,442 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,264 and $24,988 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois” ranking looked at 53 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois parks & rec students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Illinois

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 Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized school located in River Forest, Illinois that handed out 429 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Concordia University, Chicago

2
Monmouth crest
Monmouth College
Monmouth, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Monmouth College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Monmouth, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 31 students in 2020-2021.

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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

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

3
Eureka College crest
Eureka College
Eureka, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eureka College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Eureka College is a small school located in Eureka, Illinois that handed out 13 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Eureka College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

4
Greenville crest
Greenville University
Greenville, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Greenville University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois. Greenville University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Greenville, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 Greenville University

5
Quincy U crest
Quincy University
Quincy, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Quincy University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Quincy, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.

Full Quincy University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

6
North Central crest
North Central College
Naperville, Illinois

North Central College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #6. North Central is located in Naperville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 55 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

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 North Central College

7
Lincoln College crest
Lincoln College
Lincoln, Illinois

Lincoln College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #7. This small school is located in Lincoln, Illinois, and it awarded 13 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

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

8
Judson crest
Judson University
Elgin, Illinois

Judson University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #8. Judson University is a small school located in Elgin, Illinois that handed out 18 ’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. 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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Judson

9
EIU crest
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Located in Charleston, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 107 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Eastern Illinois University

10

Western Illinois University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. WIU is a public institution located in Macomb, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 118 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Western Illinois University

11
Trinity Christian crest
Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights, Illinois

Trinity Christian College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. Palos Heights, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 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 full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Trinity Christian

12
Frontier Community College crest
Frontier Community College
Fairfield, Illinois

Frontier Community College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Fairfield, Illinois, this small public school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Frontier Community College

13
McKendree crest
McKendree University
Lebanon, Illinois

McKendree University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. McKendree is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lebanon, Illinois. It awarded 29 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 McKendree University

14

Trinity International University - Illinois came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. TIU Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Deerfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 ’s 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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at TIU Illinois

14
Rockford crest
Rockford University
Rockford, Illinois

Rockford University ranked #14 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Rockford is located in Rockford, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

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 Rockford

16

With a ranking of #16, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. SIUE is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 130 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

17
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois

Aurora University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Aurora is a medium-sized school located in Aurora, Illinois that handed out 90 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

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

18

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #18. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 136 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at SIUC

19
Illinois State crest
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. This large school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 223 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.

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

20
Millikin crest
Millikin University
Decatur, Illinois

With a ranking of #20, Millikin University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Decatur, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 18 students 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 full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Millikin University

21
Lincoln Trail College crest
Lincoln Trail College
Robinson, Illinois

With a ranking of #21, Lincoln Trail College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. This small school is located in Robinson, Illinois, and it awarded 6 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Lincoln Trail College

22
Adler crest
Adler University
Chicago, Illinois

Adler University ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 15 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

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

23
Elmhurst crest
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, Illinois

With a ranking of #23, Elmhurst University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Elmhurst University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Elmhurst, Illinois. It awarded 25 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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 full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Elmhurst

24
SXU crest
Saint Xavier University
Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University ranked #24 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Saint Xavier University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Saint Xavier University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

25
Olivet Nazarene crest
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, Illinois

With a ranking of #25, Olivet Nazarene University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Olivet Nazarene University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bourbonnais, Illinois. It awarded 30 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Olivet Nazarene University

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