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2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans

497 Ranked Colleges
55,115 Degrees Awarded
$28,979 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor's

When it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 55,115 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 497 colleges that offered a degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs as well as strong veteran support.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. 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 the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. 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.

Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s”.

Top 25 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 274 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.Of the 47,907 students enrolled at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, 570 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 325 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $27,058. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at U-M]](/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/student-life/veterans/)

2

Out of the 497 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Texas A&M University - College Station landed the #2 spot on the list. Texas A&M College Station is located in College Station, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 474 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Texas A&M College Station also took the #5 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.Among the 70,418 students enrolled at Texas A&M College Station, 5 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,925. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Texas A&M College Station offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 94%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Texas A&M University - College Station]](/colleges/texas-a-and-m-university-college-station/student-life/veterans/)

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school awarded 192 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Ohio State also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #15.Among the 61,369 students enrolled at Ohio State University - Main Campus, 2 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 94%.

Full Ohio State Veteran Student Life Report

4
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 175 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

UF not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.Among the 53,372 students enrolled at UF, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UF does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Read More…

5

Out of the 497 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Citadel Military College of South Carolina landed the #5 spot on the list. The Citadel is a small school located in Charleston, South Carolina that handed out 43 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

The Citadel not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.Of the 3,740 students enrolled at The Citadel, 607 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 382 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,997. On top of their other funding sources, 12 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at The Citadel]](/colleges/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina/student-life/veterans/)

6
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, this large public school awarded 292 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree vets studying parks & rec list, JMU has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.According to our most recent data, James Madison University supports 21,594 students, and 842 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 464 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,824. To help with additional expenses, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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

Read More…

7
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 608 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.Of the 30,318 students enrolled at Iowa, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Iowa does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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…

8

With a ranking of #8, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Oxford, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 301 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Miami University - Oxford, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.Of the 18,880 students enrolled at Miami University - Oxford, 405 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 259 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,877. In addition to receiving other benefits, 6 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Miami University - Oxford offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 88%.

Full Miami University - Oxford Veteran Student Life Report

9

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 386 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Chapel Hill, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.Of the 30,092 students enrolled at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

10
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Arkansas landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. UARK is a large school located in Fayetteville, Arkansas that handed out 268 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UARK also claimed a top spot on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.Our most recent data shows that 11 of the 27,562 students enrolled at University of Arkansas were GI Bill® students, of which 11 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,975. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

11

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 259 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree vets studying parks & rec list, UIUC has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.Of the 52,679 students enrolled at UIUC, 10 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

12
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey

With a ranking of #12, Rutgers University - New Brunswick did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, this large public school handed out 435 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Rutgers New Brunswick excels when it comes to parks and rec quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.Among the 50,411 students enrolled at Rutgers University - New Brunswick, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,625. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

13
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

Washington State University ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Washington State University is a public institution located in Pullman, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 141 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Wazzu is also in the top of our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.Of the 31,159 students enrolled at Washington State University, 83 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 53 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,702. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Washington State University Veteran Student Life Report

14

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 136 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.Among the 44,640 students enrolled at UW - Madison, 4 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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

Read More…

15
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

Syracuse University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #15. Syracuse, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 150 students in 2020-2021.

Syracuse did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.Of the 21,322 students enrolled at Syracuse University, 385 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 250 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,840. During this same period, 217 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Syracuse University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Syracuse]](/colleges/syracuse-university/student-life/veterans/)

16
UofL crest
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky

University of Louisville ranked #16 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. UofL is a public institution located in Louisville, Kentucky. The school has a large population, and it awarded 216 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UofL is also in the top of our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.According to our most recent data, UofL supports 22,211 students, and 17 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 9 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $25,972. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 University of Louisville Veteran Student Life Report

17
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

With a ranking of #17, University of Utah did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 362 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

U of U also claimed a top spot on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.According to our most recent data, U of U supports 33,081 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, 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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Utah Veteran Student Life Report

18
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

With a ranking of #18, Florida State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school handed out 153 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Florida State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.Our most recent data shows that 8 of the 43,569 students enrolled at Florida State were GI Bill® students, of which 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,819. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Florida State does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 95%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Florida State University]](/colleges/florida-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

19
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. Purdue is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 129 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Purdue is in the top on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 46,655 students enrolled at Purdue were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,765. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read More…

20

Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school awarded 576 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.According to our most recent data, Indiana University - Bloomington supports 43,064 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

21
Old Dominion crest
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Virginia

Old Dominion University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #21. This large school is located in Norfolk, Virginia, and it awarded 105 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

According to our most recent data, Old Dominion supports 24,286 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

22
Xavier crest
Xavier University
Cincinnati, Ohio

With a ranking of #22, Xavier University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Xavier University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Xavier excels when it comes to parks and rec quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.Among the 7,061 students enrolled at Xavier University, 249 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 184 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $16,316. To help with additional expenses, 75 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Xavier University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Xavier University Veteran Student Life Report

23
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #23. Central Michigan is a public institution located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 266 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Central Michigan also claimed a top spot on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.According to our most recent data, Central Michigan supports 17,311 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $425. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Central Michigan]](/colleges/central-michigan-university/student-life/veterans/)

24

With a ranking of #24, University of South Carolina - Columbia did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Columbia, South Carolina, and it awarded 220 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UofSC also took the #24 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.Of the 35,470 students enrolled at UofSC, 1,609 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 651 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,453. To help with additional expenses, 33 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 UofSC Veteran Student Life Report

25

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. UT Knoxville is a large public school situated in Knoxville, Tennessee. It awarded 352 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UT Knoxville also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #22.According to our most recent data, The University of Tennessee - Knoxville supports 30,559 students, and 1,122 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 739 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,650. During this same period, 8 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville offers credit for military training for eligible students.

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

[Read full report on veteran student life at The University of Tennessee - Knoxville]](/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee/student-life/veterans/)

Rest of the Best 50 in Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia
27
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas
28
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
29
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
30
31
Clemson crest
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina
32
Southern Miss crest
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
33
34
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina
35
36
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
37
Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale crest
Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
38
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia
39
40
41
42
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan
43
44
45
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia
46
Eastern Michigan crest
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan
47
48
49
Ole Miss crest
University of Mississippi
University, Mississippi
50
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51University of Maryland - College ParkCollege Park, MD
52San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA
53University of MiamiCoral Gables, FL
54Troy UniversityTroy, AL
55Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN
56Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, MS
57South Dakota State UniversityBrookings, SD
58Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, TX
59North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC
60Lindenwood UniversitySaint Charles, MO
61Springfield CollegeSpringfield, MA
62University of Wisconsin - La CrosseLa Crosse, WI
63Gonzaga UniversitySpokane, WA
64The College at BrockportBrockport, NY
65East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson City, TN
RankCollegeLocation
66University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC
67Tarleton State UniversityStephenville, TX
68West Chester University of PennsylvaniaWest Chester, PA
69Saint Ambrose UniversityDavenport, IA
70Southern Illinois University CarbondaleCarbondale, IL
71University of North TexasDenton, TX
71University of Nebraska at OmahaOmaha, NE
73Grand Canyon UniversityPhoenix, AZ
74The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, TX
75Oklahoma State University - Main CampusStillwater, OK

Notes and References

References

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