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2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec

15 Ranked Colleges
1,956 Degrees Awarded
$27,100 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec

With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 73,813 people earned their degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies, making the major the 15th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,423 and had an average of $24,388 in loans still to pay off.

Across Indiana, there were 1,956 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,288 and $25,237 respectively.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec” ranking looked at 15 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.

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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec” list to help you make the college decision.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec”.

Top 15 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges for Veterans in Indiana

1
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 131 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Purdue did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 46,655 students enrolled at Purdue University - Main Campus, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,765. During this same period, 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 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%.

Full Purdue Veteran Student Life Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana University - Bloomington. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 643 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 43,064 students enrolled at Indiana University - Bloomington were GI Bill® students, of which 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. Indiana University - Bloomington does offer 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full IU Bloomington Veteran Student Life Report

3
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ball State University. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec. Ball State University is a large school located in Muncie, Indiana that handed out 152 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Ball State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 455 of the 21,597 students enrolled at Ball State were GI Bill® students, of which 182 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,124. During this same period, 29 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 Ball State University]](/colleges/ball-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

4
Valpo crest
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, Indiana

Out of the 15 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec that were part of this year’s ranking, Valparaiso University landed the #4 spot on the list. This small school is located in Valparaiso, Indiana, and it awarded 25 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Valpo, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 3,122 students enrolled at Valpo, 39 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 $14,678. In addition to receiving other benefits, 16 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Valpo offers 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%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Valparaiso University]](/colleges/valparaiso-university/student-life/veterans/)

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec list. IUPUI is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 215 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

IUPUI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 29,390 students enrolled at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis 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 $5,439. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis 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%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis]](/colleges/indiana-university-purdue-university-indianapolis/student-life/veterans/)

6
UE crest
University of Evansville
Evansville, Indiana

University of Evansville landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec ranking. This small school is located in Evansville, Indiana, and it awarded 33 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UE also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 2,323 students enrolled at University of Evansville, 61 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 35 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $16,001. In addition to receiving other benefits, 20 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 87%, 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read More…

7
Indiana State crest
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, Indiana

Indiana State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Terre Haute, Indiana, and it awarded 145 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Indiana State, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 10,829 students enrolled at Indiana State, 394 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 217 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,688. In addition to receiving other benefits, 6 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Indiana State]](/colleges/indiana-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

8

University of Southern Indiana ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec list. Evansville, Indiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 81 students in 2020-2021.

USI also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 10,203 students enrolled at University of Southern Indiana, 162 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 87 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,638. 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 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 University of Southern Indiana]](/colleges/university-of-southern-indiana/student-life/veterans/)

9

Grace College and Theological Seminary did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #9. Grace College and Theological Seminary is located in Winona Lake, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 37 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Grace College, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 1,901 students enrolled at Grace College, 27 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 20 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,455. 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.

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…

10
Franklin College of Indiana crest
Franklin College
Franklin, Indiana

With a ranking of #10, Franklin College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec list. Franklin College of Indiana is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Franklin, Indiana. It awarded 26 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Franklin College of Indiana did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Franklin College of Indiana supports 994 students, and 20 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 11 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,427. During this same period, 2 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…

11
UIndy crest
University of Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana

University of Indianapolis came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec ranking. UIndy is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 137 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our indiana vets studying parks & rec list, UIndy has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, UIndy supports 5,638 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. 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 full report on veteran student life at UIndy]](/colleges/university-of-indianapolis/student-life/veterans/)

12
Marian crest
Marian University
Indianapolis, Indiana

Marian University ranked #12 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec list. Marian University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 28 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Marian not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Marian University supports 3,706 students, and 70 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 56 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,277. During this same period, 3 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Marian University 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 Marian Veteran Student Life Report

13
Trine crest
Trine University
Angola, Indiana

Trine University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec ranking. Trine University is located in Angola, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 77 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our indiana vets studying parks & rec list, Trine has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 3,573 students enrolled at Trine University, 61 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 33 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,322. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Trine University does offer 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%.

Read More…

14
Manchester University crest
Manchester University
North Manchester, Indiana

With a ranking of #14, Manchester University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec list. Manchester University is a small school located in North Manchester, Indiana that handed out 28 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Manchester University also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 1,449 students enrolled at Manchester University, 19 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 7 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,146. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Full Manchester University Veteran Student Life Report

15
Hanover crest
Hanover College
Hanover, Indiana

With a ranking of #15, Hanover College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Indiana for Parks & Rec list. Hanover College is a small school located in Hanover, Indiana that handed out 23 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Hanover also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 1,028 students enrolled at Hanover College, 5 were 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 $7,213. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 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 More…

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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