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2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s

16 Ranked Colleges
931 Degrees Awarded
$31,320 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota 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. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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 Minnesota, there were 1,184 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,166 and $25,590 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 931 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,071 and $28,140 respectively.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 16 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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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 “Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most 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.

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

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

Top 16 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Minnesota

1

Out of the 16 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 96 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

UMN Twin Cities also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” list, coming in at #1.Among the 52,017 students enrolled at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 752 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 436 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,020. 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 93%, 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…

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, this fairly large public school awarded 136 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Minnesota State Mankato also took the #2 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” ranking.Among the 14,761 students enrolled at Minnesota State Mankato, 331 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 147 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,814. In addition to receiving other benefits, 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%.

Full Minnesota State Mankato Veteran Student Life Report

3
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Winona State University. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s. This medium-sized school is located in Winona, Minnesota, and it awarded 95 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Winona State also took the #4 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” ranking.Of the 7,106 students enrolled at Winona State, 142 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 69 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,645. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Winona State offers credit for military training for eligible 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%.

Full Winona State Veteran Student Life Report

4
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Out of the 16 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Cloud State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large school located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota that handed out 18 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Cloud State University, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” ranking.Among the 11,841 students enrolled at Saint Cloud State University, 291 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 126 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,067. 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 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 St. Cloud State University]](/colleges/saint-cloud-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

5
Bethel University Minnesota crest
Bethel University Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Out of the 16 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Bethel University Minnesota landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bethel University Minnesota, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” ranking.According to our most recent data, Bethel University Minnesota supports 3,814 students, and 116 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 72 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,703. During this same period, 18 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Bethel University Minnesota Veteran Student Life Report

6

Minnesota State University - Moorhead did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #6. MSU Moorhead is located in Moorhead, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 41 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

MSU Moorhead also took the #7 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” ranking.According to our most recent data, Minnesota State University - Moorhead supports 5,547 students, and 99 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 40 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,920. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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 Minnesota State University - Moorhead]](/colleges/minnesota-state-university-moorhead/student-life/veterans/)

7

Southwest Minnesota State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. Southwest Minnesota State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Marshall, Minnesota. It awarded 48 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Southwest Minnesota State University also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” list, coming in at #11.Among the 7,259 students enrolled at Southwest Minnesota State University, 41 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 15 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,724. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Read More…

8

University of Minnesota - Duluth ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Duluth, Minnesota, and it awarded 74 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Duluth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” list.According to our most recent data, UMN Duluth supports 10,275 students, and 249 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 88 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,883. 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 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…

9
Gustavus Adolphus crest
Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, Minnesota

Gustavus Adolphus College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. Gustavus Adolphus is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Peter, Minnesota. It awarded 29 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Gustavus Adolphus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” list.According to our most recent data, Gustavus Adolphus College supports 2,230 students, and 24 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 12 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,970. During this same period, 7 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, 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 Gustavus Adolphus College Veteran Student Life Report

10

Concordia College at Moorhead landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. Concordia College at Moorhead is a private not-for-profit institution located in Moorhead, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our minnesota bachelor’s degree vets studying parks & rec list, Concordia College Moorhead has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” ranking.Of the 1,973 students enrolled at Concordia College Moorhead, 28 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 13 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,498. During this same period, 8 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 Concordia College at Moorhead]](/colleges/concordia-college-at-moorhead/student-life/veterans/)

11
Crown crest
Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota

With a ranking of #11, Crown College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 15 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Crown also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” list, coming in at #9.Among the 1,485 students enrolled at Crown, 38 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 26 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,270. During this same period, 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 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…

12
Augsburg crest
Augsburg University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Augsburg University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. Augsburg University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Augsburg did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” list.Among the 3,346 students enrolled at Augsburg University, 71 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 40 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,851. In addition to receiving other benefits, 9 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Augsburg University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Augsburg]](/colleges/augsburg-college/student-life/veterans/)

13

University of Minnesota - Crookston did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #13. UMN Crookston is a small school located in Crookston, Minnesota that handed out 17 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Crookston also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” list, coming in at #12.Our most recent data shows that 65 of the 2,530 students enrolled at University of Minnesota - Crookston were GI Bill® students, of which 29 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,970. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

14

Concordia University, Saint Paul did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 119 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Concordia University, Saint Paul also took the #5 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 196 of the 5,585 students enrolled at Concordia University, Saint Paul were GI Bill® students, of which 118 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,143. In addition to receiving other benefits, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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…

15
St. Olaf crest
St Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota

St Olaf College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #15. This small school is located in Northfield, Minnesota, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Olaf not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” list.Our most recent data shows that 23 of the 2,953 students enrolled at St Olaf College were GI Bill® students, of which 10 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $25,252. In addition to receiving other benefits, 4 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read More…

16
St. Kate's crest
St Catherine University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

With a ranking of #16, St Catherine University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Minnesota for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. St Catherine University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 34 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Kate’s not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” list.Among the 4,277 students enrolled at St. Kate’s, 55 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 26 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,157. To help with additional expenses, 2 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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 full report on veteran student life at St Catherine University]](/colleges/st-catherine-university/student-life/veterans/)

Notes and References

References

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