2023 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (With Aid)
69
Ranked Colleges
3,106
Degrees Awarded
$14,200
Avg Net Price*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking.
In 2020-2021, 3,106 people earned their degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies, making the major the 218th most popular in the United States.
This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 69 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation and leisure studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent parks, recreation and leisure studies programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the parks, recreation and leisure studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid
The colleges and universities below are the best for parks & rec students with aid.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (With Aid)
Out of the 69 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 142 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
UIUC also took the #1 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $14,321 for parks & rec students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana University - Bloomington. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 160 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
IU Bloomington also took the #2 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $14,619 for parks & rec students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Indiana University - Bloomington
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid. California State University - Long Beach is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 91 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
CSULB also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $10,054 for parks & rec students with aid per year to attend California State University - Long Beach.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at CSULB
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brigham Young University - Provo. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Provo, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 110 students in 2020-2021.
BYU also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend BYU is $13,474 for parks & rec students with aid.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full BYU Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Sacramento. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school handed out 100 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Sac State also took the #14 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $11,178 for parks & rec students with aid per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at California State University - Sacramento
University of Utah did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. U of U is a large school located in Salt Lake City, Utah that handed out 76 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our parks & rec students with aid list, U of U has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $13,572 for Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend U of U.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of Utah Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
California State University - Fresno landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Fresno is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 37 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $6,230 for Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend Fresno State.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Fresno State
Lehman College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. This fairly large school is located in Bronx, New York, and it awarded 26 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $2,614 for Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend Lehman College.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Lehman College
San Jose State University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. San Jose, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 40 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our parks & rec students with aid list, San Jose State has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State University is $16,542 for parks & rec students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at San Jose State University
California State University - Chico ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 99 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Chico State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. It costs about $16,218 for parks & rec students with aid per year to attend Chico State.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at California State University - Chico
Northwest Missouri State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Northwest is a public institution located in Maryville, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 29 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our parks & rec students with aid list, Northwest has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwest Missouri State University is $12,925 for parks & rec students with aid.
Full Northwest Missouri State University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
University of Northern Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. University of Northern Iowa is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 60 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNI, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,438 for Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend University of Northern Iowa.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UNI Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
University of Iowa landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Iowa is located in Iowa City, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 53 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Iowa also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for University of Iowa is $19,401 for Parks & Rec students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.
Full Iowa Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #14, Northern Arizona University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Flagstaff, Arizona, this large public school handed out 59 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
NAU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. It costs about $14,308 for parks & rec students with aid per year to attend NAU.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at NAU
Winona State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Winona, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Winona State, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $17,634 for Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend Winona State.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Winona State
Oklahoma State University - Main Campus ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and it awarded 35 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
OSU also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is $14,237 for parks & rec students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Oklahoma State University - Main Campus
University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. University of Missouri - Columbia is a public institution located in Columbia, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 116 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mizzou, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,559 for Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend University of Missouri - Columbia.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Mizzou
Pittsburg State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This medium-sized school is located in Pittsburg, Kansas, and it awarded 19 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Pitt State also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list, coming in at #25. The yearly cost to attend Pittsburg State University is $14,575 for Parks & Rec students with aid.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Pittsburg State University
With a ranking of #19, East Carolina University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid list. ECU is a large school located in Greenville, North Carolina that handed out 37 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for East Carolina University is $16,550 for Parks & Rec students with aid.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at ECU
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 119 students in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also took the #3 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $20,677 for parks & rec students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 11 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
UMN Twin Cities also took the #12 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMN Twin Cities is $17,878 for parks & rec students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
California State University - East Bay did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #22. California State University - East Bay is a public institution located in Hayward, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 31 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - East Bay is $13,298 for parks & rec students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Cal State East Bay
San Francisco State University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. San Francisco, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 46 students in 2020-2021.
SFSU also took the #23 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $14,459 for parks & rec students with aid per year to attend San Francisco State University.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at SFSU
University of North Carolina at Greensboro landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of North Carolina at Greensboro is a fairly large public school situated in Greensboro, North Carolina. It awarded 64 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $11,629 for parks & rec students with aid per year to attend University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UNC Greensboro
University of Arkansas came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Fayetteville, Arkansas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 77 students in 2020-2021.
UARK did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. It costs about $16,507 for parks & rec students with aid per year to attend University of Arkansas.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Full UARK Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
