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

12 Ranked Colleges
1,095 Degrees Awarded
$29,260 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri 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. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 Missouri, there were 1,355 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,909 and $24,765 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,095 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,023 and $28,243 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 12 colleges that offer a degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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

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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 in Missouri 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

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

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

Top 12 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Missouri

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - Columbia. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Mizzou is located in Columbia, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 116 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Mizzou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Missouri” list.Among the 31,089 students enrolled at Mizzou, 5 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,384. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Mizzou 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%.

Full University of Missouri - Columbia Veteran Student Life Report

2
Lindenwood University crest
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Lindenwood University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s. 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.

Lindenwood University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Missouri” list.Our most recent data shows that 31 of the 7,382 students enrolled at Lindenwood University were GI Bill® students, of which 29 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,583. During this same period, 1 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%.

Read More…

3
UCM crest
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Central Missouri. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s. Located in Warrensburg, Missouri, this fairly large public school handed out 73 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

UCM also took the #5 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Missouri” ranking.Among the 9,959 students enrolled at UCM, 9 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 10 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,238. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Central Missouri]](/colleges/university-of-central-missouri/student-life/veterans/)

4

Out of the 12 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Maryville University of Saint Louis landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 49 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our missouri bachelor’s degree vets studying parks & rec list, Maryville U has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Missouri” ranking.Of the 10,979 students enrolled at Maryville University of Saint Louis, 7 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,372. 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 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

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwest Missouri State University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s. Northwest Missouri State University is a medium-sized school located in Maryville, Missouri that handed out 28 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our missouri bachelor’s degree vets studying parks & rec list, Northwest has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Missouri” ranking.Among the 7,267 students enrolled at Northwest, 168 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 68 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,773. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Northwest offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Full Northwest Veteran Student Life Report

6

Missouri State University - Springfield came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Springfield, Missouri, this large public school awarded 132 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Missouri State also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Missouri” list, coming in at #6.Of the 23,505 students enrolled at Missouri State University - Springfield, 5 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,830. During this same period, 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 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 Missouri State University - Springfield]](/colleges/missouri-state-university-springfield/student-life/veterans/)

7
Southeast Missouri State University crest
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University ranked #7 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Southeast Missouri State University also took the #7 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Missouri” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 344 of the 10,001 students enrolled at Southeast Missouri State University were GI Bill® students, of which 143 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,052. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Southeast Missouri State University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Southeast Missouri State University]](/colleges/southeast-missouri-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

8
Missouri Western crest
Missouri Western State University
Saint Joseph, Missouri

Missouri Western State University ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Saint Joseph, Missouri, this small public school handed out 61 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Missouri Western, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Missouri” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 161 of the 4,911 students enrolled at Missouri Western State University were GI Bill® students, of which 67 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,005. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Missouri Western State University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

9
Truman State crest
Truman State University
Kirksville, Missouri

Truman State University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Kirksville, Missouri, this small public school handed out 92 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Truman State also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Missouri” list, coming in at #9.Among the 4,655 students enrolled at Truman State University, 55 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 29 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,178. To help with additional expenses, 3 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Truman State University 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read More…

10

Missouri Southern State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #10. This small school is located in Joplin, Missouri, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Missouri Southern also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Missouri” list, coming in at #10.Of the 5,045 students enrolled at Missouri Southern State University, 210 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 98 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,255. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

11

Culver - Stockton College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. Culver - Stockton is a private not-for-profit institution located in Canton, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Culver - Stockton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Missouri” list.Our most recent data shows that 27 of the 1,006 students enrolled at Culver - Stockton College were GI Bill® students, of which 14 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,492. On top of their other funding sources, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Read More…

12
MBU crest
Missouri Baptist University
Saint Louis, Missouri

With a ranking of #12, Missouri Baptist University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Missouri for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Saint Louis, Missouri 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 24 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at MBU, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Missouri” ranking.Among the 4,860 students enrolled at Missouri Baptist University, 71 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 49 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,645. During this same period, 8 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Missouri Baptist University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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