College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region

9 Colleges in the Plains States Region
324 Bachelor's Degrees
$35,409 Avg Early-Career Salary
a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies is more popular than many other degrees. In fact, it ranks #123 out of 363 on popularity of all such degrees in the nation. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.

College Factual reviewed 9 schools in the Plains States Region to determine which ones were the best for bachelor's degree seekers in the field of parks, recreation & leisure studies. Combined, these schools handed out 324 bachelor's degrees in parks, recreation & leisure studies to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies School for Your Bachelor's Degree

Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region The parks & rec bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality parks & rec program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Average Earnings

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their bachelor's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their bachelor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for parks, recreation & leisure studies students working on their bachelor's degree.

More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Parks & Rec Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The parks & rec school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

Best Schools for Bachelor’s Students to Study Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Plains States Region

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies.

Top Plains States Region Schools for a Bachelor's in Parks & Rec

1
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
43 Annual Graduates
$37,103 Median Starting Salary
$48,140 Median Student Debt

Any student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies has to take a look at University of Iowa. Iowa is a very large public university located in the small city of Iowa City.

Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the parks & rec program report average early career income of $37,103.

More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from University of Iowa

2

University of Northern Iowa is a great option for individuals interested in a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, UNI is a public university with a medium-sized student population.

Soon after graduation, parks & rec bachelor's recipients typically make around $37,233 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from University of Northern Iowa

3
89 Annual Graduates
$38,725 Median Starting Salary
$25,000 Median Student Debt

University of Missouri - Columbia is one of the best schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies. Mizzou is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Columbia.

Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies bachelor's degree recipients from University of Missouri - Columbia earn a boost of about $3,316 above the average income of parks, recreation & leisure studies majors.

More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from University of Missouri - Columbia

4

Any student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies has to look into Northwest Missouri State University. Located in the town of Maryville, Northwest is a public university with a medium-sized student population.

Those parks, recreation & leisure studies students who get their bachelor's degree from Northwest Missouri State University earn $6,980 more than the typical parks & rec student.

More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from Northwest Missouri State University

5

Winona State is a medium-sized public university located in the distant town of Winona.

Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the parks & rec program state that they receive average early career wages of $35,062.

More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from Winona State University

6

Located in the town of Pittsburg, Pitt State is a public university with a medium-sized student population.

After graduation, parks & rec bachelor's recipients typically earn an average of $35,587 in their early careers.

More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from Pittsburg State University

7
45 Annual Graduates
$28,241 Median Starting Salary
$13,772 Median Student Debt

UNK is a moderately-sized public university located in the distant town of Kearney.

Bachelor's students who receive their degree from the parks & rec program make an average of $28,241 in their early career salary.

More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from University of Nebraska at Kearney

8

Located in the midsize city of Springfield, Missouri State is a public university with a very large student population.

After graduating, parks & rec bachelor's recipients generally make an average of $28,345 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from Missouri State University - Springfield

9
11 Annual Graduates

UMN Duluth is a moderately-sized public university located in the small city of Duluth.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from University of Minnesota - Duluth

Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Colleges by State

Explore the best parks, recreation & leisure studies colleges for a specific state in the Plains States Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Missouri 228 174
Minnesota 215 64
Iowa 197 104
Kansas 184 25
Nebraska 180 63
South Dakota 148 0

View All Rankings >

One of 4 majors within the Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies area of study, Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies has other similar majors worth exploring.

Parks & Rec Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies 324

Related Major Annual Graduates
Health & Physical Education 4,333
Recreation Administration 126
Other Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies 17
Outdoor Education 10

Notes and References

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options