by our College Data Analytics Team
If you’re a veteran, service member, or military-affiliated student looking to study parks recreation fitness at the Master’s Degree level, you’ve come to the right place. This ranking highlights 193 colleges that stand out for veteran parks recreation fitness students, using our 2026 methodology.
Our ranking weighs the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students: affordability and veteran financial benefits (including GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon support), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community. To help you decide, College Factual evaluated colleges nationwide, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Explore the best parks recreation fitness colleges for veterans at a specific degree level:
Learn more about these veteran-friendly parks recreation fitness colleges below:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill tops our 2026 ranking of the best parks recreation fitness colleges for veterans. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scores 90.4 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. More about the parks recreation fitness program at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A rank of #2 makes Ohio State University-Main Campus one of the top parks recreation fitness colleges for veteran students. The school's overall veterans score is 89.9 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. More about the parks recreation fitness program at Ohio State University-Main Campus
A rank of #3 makes James Madison University one of the top parks recreation fitness colleges for veteran students. It scores 89.6 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full parks recreation fitness report for James Madison University
A rank of #4 makes University of Michigan-Ann Arbor one of the top parks recreation fitness colleges for veteran students. It scores 89.6 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 100.0. More about the parks recreation fitness program at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
A rank of #5 makes University of Georgia one of the top parks recreation fitness colleges for veteran students. It scores 89.3 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. Read more about parks recreation fitness at University of Georgia
Rutgers University-New Brunswick came in at #6 for veteran parks recreation fitness students this year. It scores 88.8 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. See the full parks recreation fitness report for Rutgers University-New Brunswick
East Carolina University landed the #7 spot for veterans pursuing parks recreation fitness. It scores 88.2 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. Read more about parks recreation fitness at East Carolina University
University of Nevada-Las Vegas ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best parks recreation fitness colleges for veterans. It scores 87.6 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 100.0 veteran-support score. Read more about parks recreation fitness at University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of Virginia-Main Campus ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best parks recreation fitness colleges for veterans. It scores 87.5 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full parks recreation fitness report for University of Virginia-Main Campus
California State University-Long Beach landed the #10 spot for veterans pursuing parks recreation fitness. California State University-Long Beach scores 86.7 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. See the full parks recreation fitness report for California State University-Long Beach
University of Florida placed #11 among the best parks recreation fitness colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 86.4 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. See the full parks recreation fitness report for University of Florida
Citadel Military College of South Carolina placed #12 among the best parks recreation fitness colleges for veterans. Citadel Military College of South Carolina scores 85.4 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full parks recreation fitness report for Citadel Military College of South Carolina
University of Arkansas ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best parks recreation fitness colleges for veterans. University of Arkansas scores 85.3 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. Read more about parks recreation fitness at University of Arkansas
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse came in at #14 for veteran parks recreation fitness students this year. The school's overall veterans score is 85.0 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. More about the parks recreation fitness program at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Texas Tech University came in at #15 for veteran parks recreation fitness students this year. Texas Tech University scores 84.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full parks recreation fitness report for Texas Tech University
Boise State University placed #16 among the best parks recreation fitness colleges for veterans. Boise State University scores 84.7 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 100.0 veteran-support score. See the full parks recreation fitness report for Boise State University
University of Connecticut came in at #17 for veteran parks recreation fitness students this year. The school's overall veterans score is 84.3 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. Read more about parks recreation fitness at University of Connecticut
Eastern Michigan University landed the #18 spot for veterans pursuing parks recreation fitness. The school's overall veterans score is 84.3 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 100.0. More about the parks recreation fitness program at Eastern Michigan University
Ohio University-Main Campus ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best parks recreation fitness colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 84.1 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. More about the parks recreation fitness program at Ohio University-Main Campus
University of Southern Indiana landed the #20 spot for veterans pursuing parks recreation fitness. University of Southern Indiana scores 83.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the parks recreation fitness program at University of Southern Indiana
Miami University-Oxford ranked #21 on our 2026 list of the best parks recreation fitness colleges for veterans. It scores 83.6 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about parks recreation fitness at Miami University-Oxford
University of Nebraska at Omaha ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the best parks recreation fitness colleges for veterans. It scores 83.5 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. Read more about parks recreation fitness at University of Nebraska at Omaha
Arkansas State University placed #23 among the best parks recreation fitness colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 83.4 out of 100. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. See the full parks recreation fitness report for Arkansas State University
Southern New Hampshire University ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the best parks recreation fitness colleges for veterans. It scores 83.3 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. More about the parks recreation fitness program at Southern New Hampshire University
Illinois State University came in at #25 for veteran parks recreation fitness students this year. The school's overall veterans score is 83.0 out of 100. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. Read more about parks recreation fitness at Illinois State University
Not far behind, these parks recreation fitness colleges also rank among the best for veterans this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is based on the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students studying parks recreation fitness: affordability and veteran financial benefits (GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
