College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s

132 Ranked Colleges
4,883 Degrees Awarded
$30,422 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor's

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s” 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 Plains States region, there were 5,811 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,332 and $25,331 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 4,883 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,046 and $29,021 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 132 colleges that offered a degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. To top this list, a school must have a successful parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Parks & Rec Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s” 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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students.

1
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

Out of the 132 schools in the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Iowa is a large public school situated in Iowa City, Iowa. It awarded 608 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Iowa

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Iowa State University is a large school located in Ames, Iowa that handed out 242 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Iowa State University

3
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Kansas. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. University of Kansas is a public institution located in Lawrence, Kansas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 214 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

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

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Minnesota State University - Mankato. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s. Minnesota State Mankato is a fairly large public school situated in Mankato, Minnesota. It awarded 136 bachelors’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%.

Full Minnesota State University - Mankato Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

5

Out of the 132 schools in the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Missouri State University - Springfield landed the #5 spot on the list. Springfield, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 132 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Missouri State Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

6
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. SLU is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 120 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

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

7

With a ranking of #7, Concordia University, Saint Paul did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Concordia University, Saint Paul is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 119 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Concordia University, Saint Paul Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

8

University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 116 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

9

With a ranking of #9, University of Northern Iowa did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. UNI is a medium-sized public school situated in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It awarded 115 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Northern Iowa

10
Lindenwood University crest
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, Missouri

Lindenwood University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Saint Charles, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 105 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

11

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. UMN Twin Cities is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 96 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 UMN Twin Cities Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

12
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

With a ranking of #12, Winona State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Winona State University is located in Winona, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 95 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 Winona State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

13
Truman State crest
Truman State University
Kirksville, Missouri

Truman State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Kirksville, Missouri, this small public school awarded 92 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Truman State

14

North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #14 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in Fargo, North Dakota, and it awarded 87 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 North Dakota State University - Main Campus

15

University of Nebraska at Kearney came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Nebraska at Kearney is located in Kearney, Nebraska and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 85 bachelors’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%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Nebraska at Kearney

16

University of Minnesota - Duluth ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a public institution located in Duluth, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 74 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 University of Minnesota - Duluth

17
UCM crest
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Central Missouri is a fairly large school located in Warrensburg, Missouri that handed out 73 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

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

18

With a ranking of #18, Saint Ambrose University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in Davenport, Iowa, and it awarded 69 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full St. Ambrose University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

19

University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #19. UNOMAHA is a fairly large public school situated in Omaha, Nebraska. It awarded 66 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%.

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

20
Missouri Western crest
Missouri Western State University
Saint Joseph, Missouri

Missouri Western State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Saint Joseph, Missouri, this small public school awarded 61 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Full Missouri Western Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

21
USD crest
University of South Dakota
Vermillion, South Dakota

With a ranking of #21, University of South Dakota did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. USD is a public institution located in Vermillion, South Dakota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 59 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

22
Grand View University crest
Grand View University
Des Moines, Iowa

Grand View University ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Des Moines, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 50 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Grand View University

23

With a ranking of #23, Maryville University of Saint Louis did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Maryville University of Saint Louis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 49 bachelors’s degrees 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%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Maryville University of Saint Louis

24

With a ranking of #24, Southwest Minnesota State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Marshall, Minnesota, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Southwest Minnesota State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

24
Bemidji State University crest
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, Minnesota

Bemidji State University ranked #24 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region for a Bachelor’s list. Bemidji State University is a small public school situated in Bemidji, Minnesota. It awarded 48 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Bemidji State University

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options