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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
If you plan on getting your bachelor's degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies, you won't be alone since the degree program is ranked #128 in the country in terms of popularity. As a result, there are many college that offer the degree, making your choice of school a hard one.

For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools in the Plains States Region to determine which ones were the best for parks, recreation & leisure studies students pursuing a bachelor's degree. 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. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.

A Great Overall School

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.

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 colleges 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

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

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

Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for parks, recreation & leisure studies students seeking a a bachelor's degree.

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

1
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
43 Annual Graduates

University of Iowa is one of the best schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies. Iowa is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Iowa City.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from University of Iowa

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
26 Annual Graduates

It is difficult to beat University of Northern Iowa if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies. Located in the small city of Cedar Falls, UNI is a public university with a medium-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from University of Northern Iowa

3
89 Annual Graduates

Any student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies needs to take a look at University of Missouri - Columbia. Mizzou is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Columbia.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from University of Missouri - Columbia

4
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
29 Annual Graduates

Northwest Missouri State University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies. Located in the remote town of Maryville, Northwest is a public university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from Northwest Missouri State University

5
29 Annual Graduates

Winona State is a medium-sized public university located in the town of Winona.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from Winona State University

6
Basic Certificate Highest Degree Type
22 Annual Graduates

Located in the distant town of Pittsburg, Pitt State is a public university with a medium-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from Pittsburg State University

7
45 Annual Graduates

UNK is a medium-sized public university located in the town of Kearney.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from University of Nebraska at Kearney

8
16 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies from Missouri State University - Springfield

9
11 Annual Graduates

UMN Duluth is a medium-sized public university located in the 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 schools for a specific state in the Plains States Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Missouri 475 174
Minnesota 446 64
Iowa 403 104
Kansas 352 25
Nebraska 331 63
South Dakota 237 0

View All Rankings >

One of 0 majors within the Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies area of study, Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies has other similar majors worth exploring.

Notes and References

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