2026 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in Kentucky
[Recreation Administration](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/recreation-administration/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for recreation administration students.
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2026 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in Kentucky
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in recreation administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Recreation Administration Schools
Our analysis ranked Eastern Kentucky University the best value for a degree in recreation administration in Kentucky. Located in the town of Richmond, Eastern Kentucky University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,320, compared with $21,230 for out-of-state students. Recreation Administration graduates carry a median of $25,616 in student loans. Recreation Administration graduates of Eastern Kentucky University earn a median of $30,330 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Kentucky University earned it the #2 place for recreation administration. Located in the city of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,652, compared with $27,000 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the recreation administration program here. Soon after graduation, recreation administration degree recipients from Western Kentucky University generally make around $37,961. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 94%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 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.
