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2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec

16 Ranked Colleges
2,286 Degrees Awarded
$29,000 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for veterans. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec” ranking.

Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies is the 15th most popular major in the country with 73,813 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,423 and had an average of $24,388 in loans still to pay off.

Across Michigan, there were 2,286 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,378 and $25,970 respectively.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec” 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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

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 Michigan for Parks & Rec”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to 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 Michigan for Parks & Rec

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

Top 16 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges for Veterans in Michigan

1

Out of the 16 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 326 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M 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, U-M supports 47,907 students, and 570 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 325 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $27,058. 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.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Central Michigan University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec. This fairly large school is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and it awarded 292 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Central Michigan, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 17,311 students enrolled at Central Michigan, 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 tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $425. 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.

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 Central Michigan University]](/colleges/central-michigan-university/student-life/veterans/)

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Grand Valley State University. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec. Allendale, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 290 students in 2020-2021.

GVSU 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 479 of the 23,350 students enrolled at GVSU were GI Bill® students, of which 198 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,686. 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 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 Grand Valley State University]](/colleges/grand-valley-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

4
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Western Michigan University. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec. This fairly large school is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and it awarded 137 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

WMU 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 584 of the 19,887 students enrolled at Western Michigan University were GI Bill® students, of which 327 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,981. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Western Michigan University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

5
Eastern Michigan crest
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eastern Michigan University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec list. Ypsilanti, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 114 students in 2020-2021.

Eastern Michigan 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 16,294 students enrolled at Eastern Michigan, 486 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 265 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,462. 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.

Full Eastern Michigan Veteran Student Life Report

6
Wayne State crest
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan

With a ranking of #6, Wayne State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec list. This large school is located in Detroit, Michigan, and it awarded 94 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Wayne State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 26,241 students enrolled at Wayne State, 470 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 244 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,101. 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.

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

7
Calvin crest
Calvin University
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Calvin University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec ranking. This small school is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and it awarded 34 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Calvin also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 3,307 students enrolled at Calvin University, 31 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 17 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,224. To help with additional expenses, 11 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 Calvin University]](/colleges/calvin-college/student-life/veterans/)

8
Olivet crest
Olivet College
Olivet, Michigan

Olivet College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec ranking. Olivet, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

Olivet 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 26 of the 1,023 students enrolled at Olivet College were GI Bill® students, of which 14 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $16,772. 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.

Read More…

9
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

With a ranking of #9, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec list. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 442 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Michigan State also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 49,695 students enrolled at Michigan State University, 2 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,686. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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
Northern Michigan University crest
Northern Michigan University
Marquette, Michigan

Northern Michigan University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec ranking. Marquette, Michigan is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 65 students in 2020-2021.

Northern Michigan University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 7,368 students enrolled at Northern Michigan University, 337 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 136 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,630. 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.

Read More…

11
Northwood crest
Northwood University
Midland, Michigan

Northwood University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec ranking. Midland, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.

Northwood 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 2,541 students enrolled at Northwood University, 5 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,570. 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.

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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Northwood]](/colleges/northwood-university-michigan/student-life/veterans/)

12
Saginaw Valley State University crest
Saginaw Valley State University
University Center, Michigan

Saginaw Valley State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #12. Saginaw Valley State University is a medium-sized public school situated in University Center, Michigan. It awarded 43 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Saginaw Valley State University, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Saginaw Valley State University supports 8,028 students, and 175 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 72 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,123. On top of their other funding sources, 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 Saginaw Valley State University Veteran Student Life Report

13
Davenport University crest
Davenport University
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Davenport University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec ranking. Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 37 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Davenport University also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 6,127 students enrolled at Davenport University, 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. 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 full report on veteran student life at Davenport University]](/colleges/davenport-university/student-life/veterans/)

14
Hope crest
Hope College
Holland, Michigan

Hope College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #14. Hope College is a small school located in Holland, Michigan that handed out 36 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Hope not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 3,061 students enrolled at Hope, 23 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 14 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $15,425. To help with additional expenses, 12 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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 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 Hope College Veteran Student Life Report

15
Cornerstone crest
Cornerstone University
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Cornerstone University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec ranking. Cornerstone University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cornerstone, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 1,917 students enrolled at Cornerstone University, 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 $4,056. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Cornerstone University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, 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 Cornerstone University Veteran Student Life Report

16
Adrian crest
Adrian College
Adrian, Michigan

With a ranking of #16, Adrian College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Michigan for Parks & Rec list. This small school is located in Adrian, Michigan, and it awarded 62 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Adrian also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 1,865 students enrolled at Adrian College, 29 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,812. On top of their other funding sources, 6 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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Notes and References

References

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