2027 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in North Carolina
[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.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value recreation administration schools.
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2027 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in recreation administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Recreation Administration Schools
For return on investment in recreation administration, no school beat Western Carolina University this year. Located in the town of Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,630, with out-of-state students paying around $8,630. Recreation Administration graduates carry a median of $22,252 in student loans. Soon after graduation, recreation administration degree recipients from Western Carolina University generally make around $30,485. Set against $22,252 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in recreation administration will find it at North Carolina State University At Raleigh, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,799, while out-of-state students pay about $32,847. Recreation Administration graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Recreation Administration graduates of North Carolina State University At Raleigh earn a median of $41,617 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Appalachian State University earned it the #3 place for recreation administration. Set in the town of Boone, Appalachian State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,579, while out-of-state students pay about $25,212. Students borrow a median of $19,706 to complete the recreation administration program here. Soon after graduation, recreation administration degree recipients from Appalachian State University generally make around $29,646. Set against $19,706 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in recreation administration will find it at North Carolina Central University, which ranked #4. North Carolina Central University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Durham. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,699, compared with $19,735 for out-of-state students. Recreation Administration graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Recreation Administration graduates of North Carolina Central University earn a median of $28,863 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in recreation administration will find it at University Of North Carolina At Wilmington, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Wilmington, University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,277, with out-of-state students paying around $24,152. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the recreation administration program here. Soon after graduation, recreation administration degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Wilmington generally make around $31,873. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 64%.
Belmont Abbey College placed #6 among the best values for recreation administration. Located in the suburb of Belmont, Belmont Abbey College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $19,500. Recreation Administration graduates carry a median of $27,140 in student loans. Early-career recreation administration graduates make about $40,322. Set against $27,140 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 75%.
Johnson And Wales University Charlotte landed the #7 spot for recreation administration value this year. Set in the city of Charlotte, Johnson And Wales University Charlotte is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,982. Recreation Administration graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Recreation Administration graduates of Johnson And Wales University Charlotte earn a median of $30,963 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
