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2027 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Facilities Management Schools in Illinois

[Parks, Recreation & Leisure Facilities Management](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/recreation-administration/parks-recreation-facilities-management/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong parks, recreation & leisure facilities management education at a price that pays off.

For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for parks, recreation & leisure facilities management students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Facilities Management Schools in Illinois

2027 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Facilities Management Schools in Illinois

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in parks, recreation & leisure facilities management, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Facilities Management Schools

1

Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL

$14,572 In-State Tuition & Fees

$29,000 Avg Student Debt

$54,163 Median Earnings (10yr)

Western Illinois University tops our 2027 list of the best value parks, recreation & leisure facilities management schools in Illinois. Located in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,572. Students borrow a median of $29,000 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure facilities management program here. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Facilities Management graduates of Western Illinois University earn a median of $34,131 early in their careers. Set against $29,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 71%.

2

Illinois State University
Normal, IL

$14,410 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,000 Avg Student Debt

$62,117 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes Illinois State University one of the best values for parks, recreation & leisure facilities management. Illinois State University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Normal. Students from in state pay about $14,410 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $26,058. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure facilities management program here. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Facilities Management graduates of Illinois State University earn a median of $39,104 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,000 median debt. Illinois State University admits about 88% of applicants.

View All Parks, Recreation & Leisure Facilities Management Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.

• 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.