College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec

67 Ranked Colleges
5,811 Degrees Awarded
$25,400 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region 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 the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec” ranking.

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 the Plains States region, there were 5,811 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,332 and $25,331 respectively.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec” ranking looked at 67 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs as well as strong veteran support.

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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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

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 the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec” list to help you make the college decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec

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

Top 25 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region

1
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

Out of the 67 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 675 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 30,318 students enrolled at Iowa, 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 received funds through 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 88%. 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 Iowa]](/colleges/university-of-iowa/student-life/veterans/)

2
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Kansas. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec list. University of Kansas is a large school located in Lawrence, Kansas that handed out 214 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

KU 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 26,744 students enrolled at University of Kansas, 70 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 40 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,917. 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full KU Veteran Student Life Report

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 124 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region vets studying parks & rec list, UMN Twin Cities has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 52,017 students enrolled at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 752 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 436 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,020. 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.

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 93%.

Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Veteran Student Life Report

4
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

Out of the 67 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Dakota landed the #4 spot on the list. University of North Dakota is a public institution located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 29 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UND, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 796 of the 13,615 students enrolled at UND were GI Bill® students, of which 395 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,112. 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%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UND]](/colleges/university-of-north-dakota/student-life/veterans/)

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec. Iowa State is a large school located in Ames, Iowa that handed out 251 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa 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 31,822 students enrolled at Iowa State University, 814 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 388 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,933. On top of their other funding sources, 9 students received funds through 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 More…

6

With a ranking of #6, University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec list. University of Missouri - Columbia is a large school located in Columbia, Missouri that handed out 120 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Mizzou also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 31,089 students enrolled at University of Missouri - Columbia, 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. 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, 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 Mizzou Veteran Student Life Report

7
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #7. South Dakota State is a fairly large school located in Brookings, South Dakota that handed out 50 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

South Dakota 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 11,405 students enrolled at South Dakota State, 369 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 158 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,731. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds 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%.

Read More…

8
Lindenwood University crest
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, Missouri

Lindenwood University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec ranking. Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Charles, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 128 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Lindenwood University also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].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 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%.

Full Lindenwood University Veteran Student Life Report

9

Saint Ambrose University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec ranking. Davenport, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 69 students in 2020-2021.

St. Ambrose University 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, St. Ambrose University supports 3,003 students, and 88 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 42 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,054. On top of their other funding sources, 17 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%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Saint Ambrose University]](/colleges/saint-ambrose-university/student-life/veterans/)

10

With a ranking of #10, University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec list. University of Nebraska at Omaha is a fairly large school located in Omaha, Nebraska that handed out 91 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UNOMAHA also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, University of Nebraska at Omaha supports 15,892 students, and 928 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 488 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,364. On top of their other funding sources, 75 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…

11

With a ranking of #11, University of Northern Iowa did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec list. UNI is a medium-sized public school situated in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It awarded 131 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNI, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 9,507 students enrolled at University of Northern Iowa, 251 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 99 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,033. To help with additional expenses, 1 students received scholarships through 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 86%. 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 UNI Veteran Student Life Report

12

North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #12 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec list. North Dakota State University is a fairly large public school situated in Fargo, North Dakota. It awarded 87 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

North Dakota State University also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 12,846 students enrolled at North Dakota State University, 4 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. 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%.

Full North Dakota State University - Main Campus Veteran Student Life Report

13

With a ranking of #13, Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec list. Minnesota State Mankato is a public institution located in Mankato, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 175 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Minnesota State Mankato, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 14,761 students enrolled at Minnesota State University - Mankato, 331 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 147 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,814. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds 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%.

Full Minnesota State University - Mankato Veteran Student Life Report

14
UCM crest
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec ranking. Located in Warrensburg, Missouri, this fairly large public school handed out 108 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCM, 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, UCM supports 9,959 students, and 9 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 10 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,238. 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…

15

Maryville University of Saint Louis came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec ranking. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 49 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Maryville U 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 10,979 students enrolled at Maryville U, 7 are 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. 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 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 Maryville University of Saint Louis Veteran Student Life Report

16
Loras crest
Loras College
Dubuque, Iowa

Loras College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec ranking. Dubuque, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Loras, 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, Loras supports 1,404 students, and 34 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 15 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,495. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Loras 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 More…

17

University of Nebraska at Kearney ranked #17 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec list. University of Nebraska at Kearney is a medium-sized school located in Kearney, Nebraska that handed out 88 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UNK 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, University of Nebraska at Kearney supports 6,225 students, and 183 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 71 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,539. On top of their other funding sources, 12 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Nebraska at Kearney 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 UNK]](/colleges/university-of-nebraska-at-kearney/student-life/veterans/)

18

University of Dubuque did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #18. University of Dubuque is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dubuque, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 28 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UD, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 2,180 students enrolled at University of Dubuque, 115 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 74 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,817. In addition to receiving other benefits, 30 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Dubuque does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Full UD Veteran Student Life Report

19
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #19. Winona State University is a public institution located in Winona, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 97 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Winona State, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 7,106 students enrolled at Winona State, 142 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 69 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,645. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Winona State does offer 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%.

Full Winona State Veteran Student Life Report

20
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #20. This fairly large school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, and it awarded 21 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Cloud State University also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Saint Cloud State University supports 11,841 students, and 291 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 126 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,067. 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.

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 Saint Cloud State University Veteran Student Life Report

21
Bethel University Minnesota crest
Bethel University Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Bethel University Minnesota did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #21. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 24 students in 2020-2021.

Bethel University Minnesota also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Bethel University Minnesota supports 3,814 students, and 116 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 72 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,703. On top of their other funding sources, 18 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Bethel University Minnesota does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 Bethel University Minnesota Veteran Student Life Report

22
WSC crest
Wayne State College
Wayne, Nebraska

Wayne State College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec ranking. Wayne, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.

WSC 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, Wayne State College supports 4,202 students, and 65 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 27 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,083. 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 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 WSC Veteran Student Life Report

23
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University ranked #23 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec list. This large school is located in Manhattan, Kansas, and it awarded 22 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

K -State also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, K -State supports 20,854 students, and 1,099 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 647 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,562. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. K -State 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read More…

24

Missouri State University - Springfield came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec ranking. This large school is located in Springfield, Missouri, and it awarded 149 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Missouri State 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, Missouri State University - Springfield supports 23,505 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 $2,830. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 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 Missouri State]](/colleges/missouri-state-university-springfield/student-life/veterans/)

25
MSU crest
Minot State University
Minot, North Dakota

Minot State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Minot, North Dakota, this small public school handed out 37 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

MSU 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, MSU supports 2,920 students, and 198 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 115 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,267. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. MSU offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Full Minot State University Veteran Student Life Report

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options