2027 Best Recreation Administration Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Recreation Administration degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their recreation administration programs.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best recreation administration schools.
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Best Schools for Recreation Administration in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall recreation administration education in the Great Lakes Region.
Top Schools in Recreation Administration
Leading the list is Illinois State University, our #1 school for recreation administration. Illinois State University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Normal. Roughly 64% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 61 recreation administration degrees were awarded at Illinois State University in the most recent year. Graduates of the recreation administration program make about $39,104 in their early career. Illinois State University graduates carry a median of $22,000 in student loans.
More information about a degree in recreation administration from Illinois State University
Michigan State University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in recreation administration, ranking #2. This very large public university is located in the city of East Lansing. About 81% of students finish within six years. About 12 recreation administration degrees were awarded at Michigan State University in the most recent year. Students who receive their recreation administration degree from Michigan State University earn around $35,343 in the first couple years of their career. Michigan State University graduates carry a median of $24,939 in student loans.
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University Of Wisconsin La Crosse is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in recreation administration, landing the #3 spot this year. This large public university is located in the city of La Crosse. About 71% of students finish within six years. About 27 recreation administration degrees were awarded at University Of Wisconsin La Crosse in the most recent year. Recreation Administration graduates of University Of Wisconsin La Crosse earn a median of $34,490 early in their careers. University Of Wisconsin La Crosse graduates carry a median of $22,005 in student loans.
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Students looking for a strong recreation administration program will find one at Western Illinois University, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public university. Roughly 45% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 29 recreation administration students who graduated with this degree at Western Illinois University in the most recent data year. Recreation Administration graduates of Western Illinois University earn a median of $34,131 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $29,000 to complete this degree.
Get the full recreation administration details for Western Illinois University
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 4 schools evaluated.
- 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.
