2026 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in District of Columbia
Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies in District of Columbia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies education in District of Columbia.
Top Schools in Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies
No school ranked higher than Georgetown University this year for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. Set in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Georgetown University graduates 95% of students within six years. There were roughly 139 parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies students who graduated with this degree at Georgetown University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree from Georgetown University earn around $54,668 in the first couple years of their career. Georgetown University graduates carry a median of $16,483 in student loans.
See the full parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program report for Georgetown University
George Washington University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies schools. Located in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit university. About 84% of students finish within six years. About 34 parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degrees were awarded at George Washington University in the most recent year. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates of George Washington University earn a median of $73,749 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $22,910 to complete this degree.
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American University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies, ranking #3. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. American University graduates 76% of students within six years. American University awarded about 21 parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from American University generally make around $58,019. Students borrow a median of $24,139 to complete this degree.
Read more about the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program at American University
Howard University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies, ranking #4. Set in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 70% of students complete a degree within six years here. Howard University awarded about 76 parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree from Howard University earn around $30,733 in the first couple years of their career. Howard University graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
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Students looking for a strong parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program will find one at Gallaudet University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Washington, Gallaudet University is a small private not-for-profit institution. About 47% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 18 parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies students who graduated with this degree at Gallaudet University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program make about $38,090 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $24,123.
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More Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 5 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
