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

263 Ranked Colleges
9,894 Degrees Awarded
$41,687 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master's

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for veterans. 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 Master’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s” ranking analyzed 263 colleges that offered a degree 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Parks & Rec Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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 for Parks & Rec for a Master’s

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree vets studying parks & rec.

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

1

Out of the 263 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 48 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #3.Among the 47,907 students enrolled at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, 570 are 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. 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 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 96%.

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

2
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 263 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 97 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UF, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 53,372 students enrolled at UF were GI Bill® students, of which 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 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 97%, 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 UF]](/colleges/university-of-florida/student-life/veterans/)

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas A&M University - College Station. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s. Located in College Station, Texas, this large public school handed out 85 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Texas A&M College Station also took the #8 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking.According to our most recent data, Texas A&M College Station supports 70,418 students, and 5 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 4 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,925. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Texas A&M College Station does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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 More…

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 45 students in 2020-2021.

Ohio State also took the #17 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking.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 received scholarships 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read More…

5

Out of the 263 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 53 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign supports 52,679 students, and 10 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. 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.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 full report on veteran student life at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign]](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign/student-life/veterans/)

6

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. UNC Chapel Hill is a public institution located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 15 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UNC Chapel Hill also did well on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 30,092 students enrolled at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill were GI Bill® students, of which 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 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 95%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UNC Chapel Hill]](/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill/student-life/veterans/)

7
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

With a ranking of #7, University of Iowa did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s list. Iowa City, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 38 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our master’s degree vets studying parks & rec list, Iowa has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 30,318 students enrolled at Iowa were GI Bill® students, of which 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 88%, 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 Iowa Veteran Student Life Report

8
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Arkansas landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. This large school is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and it awarded 27 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UARK, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking.Among the 27,562 students enrolled at UARK, 11 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 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. 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 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 85%.

Full UARK Veteran Student Life Report

9
UK crest
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

University of Kentucky came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. Lexington, Kentucky is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 31 students in 2020-2021.

Among the 29,986 students enrolled at UK, 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. 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UK Veteran Student Life Report

10

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 28 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list.According to our most recent data, UMN Twin Cities supports 52,017 students, and 752 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 436 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,020. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UMN Twin Cities does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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%.

Full UMN Twin Cities Veteran Student Life Report

11
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #11. North Carolina State University is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NC State, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking.Of the 36,042 students enrolled at North Carolina State University, 1,102 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 493 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,886. In addition to receiving other benefits, 27 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. North Carolina State 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full North Carolina State University Veteran Student Life Report

12

Citadel Military College of South Carolina ranked #12 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s list. This small school is located in Charleston, South Carolina, and it awarded 14 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, The Citadel is also in the top of our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.Of the 3,740 students enrolled at Citadel Military College of South Carolina, 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 tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,997. During this same period, 12 students received funds through 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 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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 More…

13

With a ranking of #13, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list.Among the 44,640 students enrolled at University of Wisconsin - 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 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 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UW - Madison]](/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-madison/student-life/veterans/)

14
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #14. University of Utah is located in Salt Lake City, Utah and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

On top of its placing in this ranking, U of U also did well on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.Among the 33,081 students enrolled at University of Utah, 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 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 89%. 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
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school awarded 62 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Florida State is in the top on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.Of the 43,569 students enrolled at Florida State, 8 were 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 $6,819. 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 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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 More…

16

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 51 students in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 43,064 students enrolled at IU Bloomington were GI Bill® students, of which 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 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%. 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

17
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

Washington State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. Washington State University is a large school located in Pullman, Washington that handed out 15 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Wazzu excels when it comes to parks and rec quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list.Among the 31,159 students enrolled at Washington State University, 83 are 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 scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Washington State University 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%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Wazzu]](/colleges/washington-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

18
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University ranked #18 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s list. This large school is located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and it awarded 34 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, JMU is also in the top of our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.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 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at JMU]](/colleges/james-madison-university/student-life/veterans/)

19
UofL crest
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky

University of Louisville came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. Located in Louisville, Kentucky, this large public school awarded 55 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Among the 22,211 students enrolled at UofL, 17 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $25,972. During this same period, 0 students qualified for 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 More…

20
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey

Rutgers University - New Brunswick came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. This large school is located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and it awarded 20 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Rutgers New Brunswick is also in the top of our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list.Of the 50,411 students enrolled at Rutgers University - New Brunswick, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,625. 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

21
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University ranked #21 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s list. Georgetown is located in Washington, District of Columbia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 150 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Georgetown also took the #14 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 10 of the 19,371 students enrolled at Georgetown were GI Bill® students, of which 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $30,300. During this same period, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Georgetown 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 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Georgetown University Veteran Student Life Report

22
Southern Miss crest
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. University of Southern Mississippi is a fairly large public school situated in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It awarded 40 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the 14,606 students enrolled at Southern Miss, 351 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 226 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,605. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Southern Miss does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Southern Miss]](/colleges/university-of-southern-mississippi/student-life/veterans/)

23

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #23. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a large school located in Knoxville, Tennessee that handed out 55 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, UT Knoxville is in the top on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list.Among the 30,559 students enrolled at UT Knoxville, 1,122 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 739 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,650. During this same period, 8 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 89%. 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 UT Knoxville]](/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee/student-life/veterans/)

24
Old Dominion crest
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Virginia

Old Dominion University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. Old Dominion University is a public institution located in Norfolk, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 35 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 24,286 students enrolled at Old Dominion were GI Bill® students, of which 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 received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Old Dominion does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Old Dominion University]](/colleges/old-dominion-university/student-life/veterans/)

24
Belmont crest
Belmont University
Nashville, Tennessee

Belmont University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. Belmont University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 41 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Belmont also did well on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list.According to our most recent data, Belmont supports 8,204 students, and 343 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 227 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,102. During this same period, 146 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 Belmont]](/colleges/belmont-university/student-life/veterans/)

Rest of the Best 40 in Most Veteran Friendly for Parks & Rec for a Master’s

Not only did these schools make the top 40 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
U Miami crest
University of Miami
Coral Gables, Florida
27
28
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia
29
30
31
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia
32
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia
33
34
35
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
36
Gonzaga crest
Gonzaga University
Spokane, Washington
37
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina
38
Xavier crest
Xavier University
Cincinnati, Ohio
39
Springfield College crest
Springfield College
Springfield, Massachusetts
40

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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