2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Great Lakes Region
65
Ranked Colleges
1,704
Degrees Awarded
$40,779
Avg Salary
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies is the 15th most popular major in the country with 73,813 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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 master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,704 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,892 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 65 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.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region”.
Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Great Lakes Region
Out of the 65 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Concordia University, Chicago landed the #1 spot on the list. River Forest, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 300 students 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%.
Full Concordia University, Chicago Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Out of the 65 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Grace College and Theological Seminary landed the #2 spot on the list. Grace College and Theological Seminary is located in Winona Lake, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
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%.
Full Grace College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Adler University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region. Adler is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 15 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 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 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Adler University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Indianapolis. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region. University of Indianapolis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 35 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UIndy
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Cardinal Stritch University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
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 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Cardinal Stritch University
Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #6. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 47 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Western Illinois University
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 64 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at SIUE
Wittenberg University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Springfield, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 7 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Full Wittenberg Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
With a ranking of #9, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Athens, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 169 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Ohio University - Athens Campus
Tiffin University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #10. Tiffin University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Tiffin, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Tiffin University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Eastern Illinois University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Eastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Charleston, Illinois. It awarded 28 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Eastern Illinois University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Ohio Dominican University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ohio Dominican University is a small school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 6 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at ODU
University of Wisconsin - River Falls came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This medium-sized school is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, and it awarded 22 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 University of Wisconsin - River Falls
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #14. University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is a fairly large public school situated in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It awarded 38 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, 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 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UW - La Crosse Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Adrian College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Adrian College is located in Adrian, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Full Adrian College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
With a ranking of #16, Carthage College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Carthage is a small school located in Kenosha, Wisconsin that handed out 9 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Carthage
With a ranking of #17, Illinois State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school handed out 67 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Illinois State
Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 38 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at SIUC
University of Wisconsin - Parkside came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, this small public school awarded 11 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 UW - Parkside
Valparaiso University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #20. Valpo is located in Valparaiso, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Valpo Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Indiana State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #21. Indiana State is located in Terre Haute, Indiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Full Indiana State Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Aurora University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #22. Aurora is a medium-sized school located in Aurora, Illinois that handed out 21 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Aurora
Wayne State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Detroit, Michigan, this large public school awarded 54 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Full Wayne State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
North Central College ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region list. North Central College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Naperville, Illinois. It awarded 6 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
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 full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at North Central College
Northwestern University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #25. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 62 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Northwestern
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