2027 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Recreation Administration](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/recreation-administration/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong recreation administration education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value recreation administration schools.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in recreation administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Recreation Administration Schools
Leading the list is Missouri Western State University, our #1 best value for recreation administration in the The Plains States Region. Set in the city of Saint Joseph, Missouri Western State University is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,545 in tuition and fees, compared with $18,455 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for recreation administration graduates is $24,362. Early-career recreation administration graduates make about $41,107. Set against $24,362 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Minnesota State University Mankato earned it the #2 place for recreation administration. Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public school located in the city of Mankato. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,572, compared with $18,942 for out-of-state students. Recreation Administration graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, recreation administration degree recipients from Minnesota State University Mankato generally make around $36,220. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Minnesota State University Mankato admits about 88% of applicants.
South Dakota State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in recreation administration, landing the #3 spot this year. South Dakota State University is a large public school located in the town of Brookings. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,299, while out-of-state students pay about $12,809. Recreation Administration graduates carry a median of $25,093 in student loans. Recreation Administration graduates of South Dakota State University earn a median of $38,076 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,093 median debt. The acceptance rate is 98%.
A rank of #4 makes Central Methodist University College Of Liberal Arts And Sciences one of the best values for recreation administration. Central Methodist University College Of Liberal Arts And Sciences is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Fayette. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $28,620. Recreation Administration graduates carry a median of $24,633 in student loans. Soon after graduation, recreation administration degree recipients from Central Methodist University College Of Liberal Arts And Sciences generally make around $47,538. Set against $24,633 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
Narrow Recreation Administration Schools by State
More Recreation Administration Rankings
View All Recreation Administration Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.