by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual reviewed 94 schools in the Great Lakes Region to determine which ones were the best for bachelor's degree seekers in the field of parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Combined, these schools handed out 8,091 bachelor's degrees in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The parks & rec bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
The overall quality of a bachelor's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we consider a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a combination of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of bachelor's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their bachelor's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students working on their bachelor's degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students seeking a a bachelor's degree. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a wonderful choice for students interested in a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
It's difficult to beat University of Wisconsin - Madison if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. UW - Madison is a very large public university located in the city of Madison.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Wisconsin - Madison
Miami University - Oxford is a wonderful option for individuals pursuing a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the fringe town of Oxford, Miami University - Oxford is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Miami University - Oxford
Indiana University - Bloomington is a great option for students pursuing a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the city of Bloomington, IU Bloomington is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Indiana University - Bloomington
Located in the large city of Columbus, Ohio State is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Ohio State University - Main Campus
UIUC is a fairly large public university located in the city of Champaign.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Michigan State is a very large public university located in the city of East Lansing.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Michigan State University
UW - La Crosse is a fairly large public university located in the city of La Crosse.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
Ball State is a large public university located in the small city of Muncie.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Ball State University
Located in the distant town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan is a public university with a large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Central Michigan University
Located in the medium-sized city of Dayton, UDayton is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Dayton
Located in the town of Athens, OHIO Athens is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Ohio University - Athens Campus
Located in the large suburb of River Forest, Concordia University, Chicago is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Concordia University, Chicago
Located in the large city of Cincinnati, Xavier is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Xavier University
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Grand Valley State University | Allendale, MI |
| 16 | University of Illinois at Chicago | Chicago, IL |
| 17 | Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, MI |
| 18 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus | Cincinnati, OH |
| 19 | John Carroll University | University Heights, OH |
| 20 | Ashland University | Ashland, OH |
| 21 | Purdue University - Main Campus | West Lafayette, IN |
| 22 | Illinois State University | Normal, IL |
| 23 | North Central College | Naperville, IL |
Explore the best parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies colleges for a specific state in the Great Lakes Region .
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health & Physical Education | 7,364 |
| Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies | 358 |
| Recreation Administration | 329 |
| Outdoor Education | 21 |
| Other Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies | 19 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Administration & Social Service | 6,524 |
