2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in North Carolina
14
Ranked Colleges
246
Degrees Awarded
$39,702
Avg Salary
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Master’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 master’s degree level specifically, there were 246 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,453 and $0 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina” ranking, we looked at 14 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.
More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
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 Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina” list to help you make the college decision.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. 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 Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina”.
Top 14 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in North Carolina
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wingate University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Wingate is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wingate, North Carolina. It awarded 34 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Wingate University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Barton College. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina. Barton College is located in Wilson, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Barton College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend North Carolina Central University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Located in Durham, North Carolina, this medium-sized public school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at North Carolina Central University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Greensboro. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. University of North Carolina at Greensboro is a public institution located in Greensboro, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 41 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of North Carolina at Greensboro
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Lenoir - Rhyne University. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina. Hickory, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
Full Lenoir - Rhyne University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Western Carolina University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #6. Western Carolina University is a fairly large school located in Cullowhee, North Carolina that handed out 22 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Western Carolina University
With a ranking of #7, Gardner - Webb University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Gardner - Webb is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. It awarded 6 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Gardner - Webb University
East Carolina University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. ECU is a public institution located in Greenville, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 32 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at East Carolina University
Appalachian State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Appalachian State University is located in Boone, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
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 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%.
Full Appalachian State Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Wake Forest University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Winston-Salem, North Carolina 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 10 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Wake Forest University
North Carolina State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Raleigh, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 30 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at North Carolina State University
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 15 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Catawba College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Catawba College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Salisbury, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 29 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Catawba College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte is a small school located in Charlotte, North Carolina that handed out 25 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at JWU Charlotte
Focus on a Specific Degree Level
North Carolina
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in North Carolina
Alabama
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Alabama
Georgia
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Georgia
Louisiana
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Louisiana
South Carolina
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in South Carolina
Virginia
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Virginia
West Virginia
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in West Virginia
Kentucky
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Kentucky
Tennessee
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Tennessee
Mississippi
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Mississippi
Florida
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Florida
Arkansas
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Arkansas
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
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