2023 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
8
Ranked Colleges
475
Degrees Awarded
$12,700
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies is the 166th most popular major in the country with 3,106 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,801 and had an average of $23,333 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 475 parks, recreation and leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,140 and $23,596 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 8 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation and leisure studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality parks, recreation and leisure studies programs that also have a lower cost than 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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. 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 Value Parks & Rec Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 8 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana University - Bloomington. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school handed out 160 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k list, IU Bloomington has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $7,061 for great lakes region parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Indiana University - Bloomington.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Indiana University - Bloomington
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k 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 made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,036 for great lakes region parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. 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 UIUC
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 44 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale is $12,226 for Great Lakes Region Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full SIUC Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northern Michigan University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Northern Michigan University is a medium-sized school located in Marquette, Michigan that handed out 16 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Northern Michigan University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northern Michigan University is $10,573 for great lakes region parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Northern Michigan University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Out of the 8 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Ohio University - Athens Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. OHIO Athens is a large school located in Athens, Ohio that handed out 35 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k list, OHIO Athens has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for OHIO Athens is $18,991 for great lakes region parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Ohio University - Athens Campus Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
University of Toledo landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Toledo is a public institution located in Toledo, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 14 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Toledo, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Toledo is $14,550 for Great Lakes Region Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Toledo
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is located in Bowling Green, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 45 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our great lakes region parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k list, BGSU has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend BGSU is $14,822 for Great Lakes Region Parks & Rec students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Olivet Nazarene University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bourbonnais, Illinois. It awarded 6 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Olivet Nazarene did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Olivet Nazarene is $15,658 for great lakes region parks & rec students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%.
Full Olivet Nazarene University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
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Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students in the Great Lakes Region
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Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students in the Great Lakes Region
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Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students in the Great Lakes Region
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Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students with family income $48-$75k in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students with family income exceeding $110k in the Great Lakes Region
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Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students in the Great Lakes Region
Most Popular Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Great Lakes Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students getting aid in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students with family income $30-$48k in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Great Lakes Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students with family income $75-$110k in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in the Great Lakes Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies students in the Great Lakes Region
Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
