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. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas” ranking - to help you make that 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 Texas, there were 7,494 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,728 and $22,653 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 801 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,376 and $0 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas” ranking, we looked at 38 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.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
The parks & rec school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas”.
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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas”.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hardin - Simmons University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas list. Hardin - Simmons University is located in Abilene, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Hardin - Simmons University
Out of the 38 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas that were part of this year’s ranking, Sul Ross State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Sul Ross is a small school located in Alpine, Texas that handed out 14 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Sul Ross State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend East Texas Baptist University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas. East Texas Baptist University is located in Marshall, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at East Texas Baptist University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Howard Payne University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas list. Howard Payne University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Brownwood, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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.
Full Howard Payne University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Out of the 38 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas that were part of this year’s ranking, MSU Texas landed the #5 spot on the list. MSU Texas is a public institution located in Wichita Falls, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 23 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at MSU Texas
University of Mary Hardin - Baylor ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas list. Located in Belton, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Full UMHB Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Texas A&M University - Commerce came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas ranking. Texas A&M Commerce is a public institution located in Commerce, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 50 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Texas A&M University - Commerce
Tarleton State University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas ranking. Located in Stephenville, Texas, this fairly large public school awarded 49 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Full Tarleton State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Houston Baptist University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas ranking, coming in at #9. HBU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at HBU
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas ranking. The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is a medium-sized school located in Odessa, Texas that handed out 17 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UT Permian Basin
Angelo 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 Texas ranking. Located in San Angelo, Texas, this fairly large public school handed out 21 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Angelo State University
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas list. Texas A&M Corpus Christi is a public institution located in Corpus Christi, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 29 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Texas A&M Corpus Christi
With a ranking of #13, Texas Southern University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas list. Texas Southern University is a medium-sized public school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 12 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at TSU
Dallas Baptist University ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas list. DBU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dallas, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Dallas Baptist University
Baylor University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas ranking. Located in Waco, Texas, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 38 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Baylor Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
West Texas A&M University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas list. West Texas A&M University is located in Canyon, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Full West Texas A&M University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Texas State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas ranking, coming in at #17. This large school is located in San Marcos, Texas, and it awarded 56 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Texas State University
University of the Incarnate Word ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas list. University of the Incarnate Word is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Antonio, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 13 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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 did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas ranking, coming in at #19. Texas Woman’s University is a fairly large public school situated in Denton, Texas. It awarded 23 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Texas Woman’s University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
The University of Texas at San Antonio landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas ranking. UTSA is a large public school situated in San Antonio, Texas. It awarded 41 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UTSA
With a ranking of #21, Southern Methodist University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas list. SMU is a fairly large school located in Dallas, Texas that handed out 21 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full SMU Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
With a ranking of #22, University of North Texas did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas list. UNT is a large public school situated in Denton, Texas. It awarded 52 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of North Texas Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Stephen F Austin State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas ranking, coming in at #23. Stephen F Austin State University is a public institution located in Nacogdoches, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 14 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Texas A&M University - College Station landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas ranking. Texas A&M University - College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 85 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
The University of Texas at Tyler did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Texas ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Tyler, Texas, this medium-sized public school awarded 11 diplomas 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%.
Full UT Tyler Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
