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2027 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in Illinois

[Recreation Administration](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/recreation-administration/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

College Factual analyzed 2 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value recreation administration schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in Illinois

2027 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in Illinois

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the recreation administration degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Recreation Administration Schools

1

Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL

$14,572 In-State Tuition & Fees

$29,000 Avg Student Debt

$54,163 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is Western Illinois University, our #1 best value for recreation administration in Illinois. Set in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,572. Typical student debt for recreation administration graduates is $29,000. Early-career recreation administration graduates make about $34,131. Set against $29,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Western Illinois University admits about 71% of applicants.

2

Illinois State University
Normal, IL

$14,410 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,000 Avg Student Debt

$62,117 Median Earnings (10yr)

Illinois State University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value recreation administration schools. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,410, compared with $26,058 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete the recreation administration program here. Recreation Administration graduates of Illinois State University earn a median of $39,104 early in their careers. Set against $22,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.

View All Recreation Administration 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.