2026 Best Recreation Administration Schools in Illinois

Recreation Administration degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for recreation administration students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Recreation Administration Schools in Illinois

Best Schools for Recreation Administration in Illinois

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall recreation administration education in Illinois.

Top Schools in Recreation Administration

1

Illinois State University
Normal, IL

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

54 Recreation Administration Degrees Awarded

$39,104 Median Starting Salary

Illinois State University tops our 2026 ranking of the best recreation administration schools. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public university. Illinois State University graduates 64% of students within six years. About 54 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. Typical student debt for the program is $22,000. Get the full recreation administration details for Illinois State University

2

Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

24 Recreation Administration Degrees Awarded

$34,131 Median Starting Salary

Students looking for a strong recreation administration program will find one at Western Illinois University, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public institution. Western Illinois University graduates 45% of students within six years. There were roughly 24 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. Typical student debt for the program is $29,000. Read more about the recreation administration program at Western Illinois University

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 9 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.