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2023 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (Income Over $110k)

69 Ranked Colleges
3,106 Degrees Awarded
$20,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k

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 Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k” ranking.

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.

For this year’s “Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k” ranking, we looked at 69 colleges that offer a degree 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the parks, recreation and leisure studies program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 “Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k”.

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 by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

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Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies (Income Over $110k)

1
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k list. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school handed out 160 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. It costs about $14,619 for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Indiana University - Bloomington.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at IU Bloomington

2

Out of the 69 schools in the Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #2 spot on the 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 took the #4 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for BYU is $13,474 for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Brigham Young University - Provo

3
UNI crest
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Northern Iowa. The school came in at #3 for the Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k. University of Northern Iowa is a medium-sized public school situated in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It awarded 60 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

UNI also took the #8 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Northern Iowa is $16,438 for Parks & Rec students whose families make more than $110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UNI

4
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Utah. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k list. Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, this large public school handed out 76 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

U of U also took the #6 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $13,572 for Parks & Rec students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend University of Utah.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at U of U

5

Out of the 69 schools in the Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Long Beach landed the #5 spot on the list. California State University - Long Beach is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 91 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k list, CSULB has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $10,054 for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend California State University - Long Beach.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at CSULB

6

Northwest Missouri State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k list. Northwest is a medium-sized school located in Maryville, Missouri that handed out 29 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Northwest also took the #20 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,925 for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Northwest.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Northwest Missouri State University

7

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k ranking. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 142 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC also took the #1 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $14,321 for Parks & Rec students whose families make more than $110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UIUC

8

With a ranking of #8, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k list. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 100 students in 2020-2021.

Sac State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Sac State is $11,178 for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at California State University - Sacramento

9
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

With a ranking of #9, University of Iowa did quite well on the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k list. 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 whose families make more than $110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Iowa

10
NAU crest
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k ranking. This large school is located in Flagstaff, Arizona, and it awarded 59 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

NAU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Northern Arizona University is $14,308 for Parks & Rec students whose families make more than $110k.

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 Northern Arizona University

11
Pitt State crest
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, Kansas

Pittsburg State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #11. Pittsburg State University is a medium-sized school located in Pittsburg, Kansas that handed out 19 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Pitt State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. It costs about $14,575 for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Pitt State.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Pittsburg State University

12
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

With a ranking of #12, Winona State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k list. This medium-sized school is located in Winona, Minnesota, and it awarded 32 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Winona State also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for Winona State is $17,634 for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k.

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

13

California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #13. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 99 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Chico State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $16,218 for Parks & Rec students whose families make more than $110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Chico State

14
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

With a ranking of #14, University of Arkansas did quite well on the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k list. 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 also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for University of Arkansas is $16,507 for Parks & Rec students whose families make more than $110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UARK

15

California State University - Fresno landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k ranking. Fresno State is a public institution located in Fresno, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Fresno State is $6,230 for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full California State University - Fresno Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

16
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

With a ranking of #16, San Jose State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k list. San Jose State University is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 40 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

San Jose State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. It costs about $16,542 for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend San Jose State University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at San Jose State University

17

University of Nebraska at Kearney did quite well in the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #17. University of Nebraska at Kearney is a public institution located in Kearney, Nebraska. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 60 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UNK also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $17,099 for Parks & Rec students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend University of Nebraska at Kearney.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UNK

18

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k ranking. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a large public school situated in San Luis Obispo, California. It awarded 119 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k list, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has also earned the #3 rank 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 whose families make more than $110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

19

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus ranked #19 on this year’s Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k list. Stillwater, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 35 students in 2020-2021.

OSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list. It costs about $14,237 for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Oklahoma State University - Main Campus.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

20
Shepherd University crest
Shepherd University
Shepherdstown, West Virginia

Shepherd University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k ranking. Shepherd University is a public institution located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Shepherd University is $10,983 for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Shepherd University

21

Southern Oregon University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k ranking. Southern Oregon University is a medium-sized school located in Ashland, Oregon that handed out 27 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $10,187 for Parks & Rec students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Southern Oregon University.

Full Southern Oregon University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

22
WWU crest
Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington

With a ranking of #22, Western Washington University did quite well on the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k list. Located in Bellingham, Washington, this fairly large public school awarded 48 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

WWU also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $17,070 for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend WWU.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 WWU Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

23

With a ranking of #23, University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well on the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k list. Mizzou is a large public school situated in Columbia, Missouri. It awarded 116 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Mizzou also made our “Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - Columbia is $16,559 for parks & rec students whose families make more than $110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Mizzou

24
Lehman crest
Lehman College
Bronx, New York

Lehman College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k ranking. Bronx, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Lehman College is $2,614 for Parks & Rec students whose families make more than $110k.

Full Lehman Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report

25
GaSou crest
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, Georgia

Georgia Southern University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Vallue Parks & Rec Schools For Those Making Over $110k ranking. Located in Statesboro, Georgia, this large public school handed out 51 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend GaSou is $15,571 for Parks & Rec students whose families make more than $110k.

Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at GaSou

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