by our College Data Analytics Team
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region” ranking.
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 Southwest region, there were 10,228 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,393 and $22,734 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,120 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,204 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region” ranking analyzed 50 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.
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 for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region”.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region list. Located in Durant, Oklahoma, this medium-sized public school awarded 159 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Out of the 50 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of the Southwest landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Hobbs, New Mexico, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 25 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of the Southwest
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Hardin - Simmons University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region. Hardin - Simmons University is a small school located in Abilene, Texas that handed out 26 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Hardin - Simmons University
Out of the 50 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, East Central University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Ada, Oklahoma, this small public school awarded 38 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at East Central University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Nazarene University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region list. SNU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bethany, Oklahoma. It awarded 27 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%.
Full Southern Nazarene University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Sul Ross State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Sul Ross State University is a public institution located in Alpine, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Sul Ross Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Prescott College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region list. Prescott, Arizona 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 7 students in 2020-2021.
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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 Prescot College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
With a ranking of #8, East Texas Baptist University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region list. East Texas Baptist University is a small school located in Marshall, Texas that handed out 8 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full East Texas Baptist University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Howard Payne University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Brownwood, Texas 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 4 students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Howard Payne University
MSU Texas landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Wichita Falls, Texas, and it awarded 23 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at MSU Texas
University of Mary Hardin - Baylor ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region list. University of Mary Hardin - Baylor is a private not-for-profit institution located in Belton, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Oral Roberts 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 Southwest Region ranking. This small school is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and it awarded 12 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Oral Roberts University
With a ranking of #13, Texas A&M University - Commerce did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region list. Commerce, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 50 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Texas A&M University - Commerce
With a ranking of #14, Tarleton State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region list. Located in Stephenville, Texas, this fairly large public school handed out 49 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Tarleton State University
Houston Baptist University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Houston Baptist University is a small school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 13 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full HBU Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Odessa, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UT Permian Basin
Angelo State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #17. Angelo State University is a fairly large public school situated in San Angelo, Texas. It awarded 21 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Angelo State University
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and it awarded 29 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Texas A&M Corpus Christi Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Texas Southern University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region ranking. TSU is a medium-sized public school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 12 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at TSU
With a ranking of #20, Dallas Baptist University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region list. DBU is located in Dallas, Texas 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 DBU
Baylor University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #21. Baylor is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Waco, Texas. It awarded 38 masters’s parks and rec degrees 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 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Baylor
West Texas A&M University ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region list. Canyon, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.
Full West Texas A&M University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Texas State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Texas State University is a public institution located in San Marcos, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 56 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Texas State
With a ranking of #24, University of the Incarnate Word did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region list. University of the Incarnate Word is located in San Antonio, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UIW Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Texas Woman’s University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Texas Woman’s University is located in Denton, Texas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Full TWU Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
