2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies
27
Ranked Colleges
196
Degrees Awarded
$42,720
Avg Salary
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies is the 166th most popular major in the country with 2,818 degrees awarded in 2021-2022. In , parks, recreation & leisure studies graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $31,801 and had an average of $21,309 in loans still to pay off.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 196 parks, recreation & leisure studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,979 and $43,370 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major” ranking looked at 27 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation & leisure studies. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their parks, recreation & leisure studies program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools
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 “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major”.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our 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.
Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major
The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree parks & rec students.
Top 27 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies
Out of the 27 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major that were part of this year’s ranking, SUNY Cortland landed the #1 spot on the list. Cortland, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks & rec degrees to 15 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at SUNY Cortland
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 7 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full SIUC Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Oregon University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major. This medium-sized school is located in Ashland, Oregon, and it awarded 11 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 Southern Oregon University
Out of the 27 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Toledo landed the #4 spot on the list. Toledo, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks & rec degrees to 19 students in 2021-2022.
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%.
Full University of Toledo Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 49 degrees to qualified masters’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
University of Northern Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #6. UNI is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 8 masters’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Northern Iowa Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #7, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. IU Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 26 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at IU Bloomington
University of Utah did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #8. This large school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 4 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Utah
Oklahoma State University - Main Campus landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Stillwater, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks & rec degrees to 5 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Oklahoma State University - Main Campus
California State University - Chico landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Located in Chico, California, this fairly large public school handed out 2 degrees to qualified masters’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Chico State
California State University - Long Beach came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full CSULB Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Ohio University - Athens Campus came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Athens, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks & rec degrees to 11 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at OHIO Athens
East Carolina University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Greenville, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks & rec degrees to 8 students in 2021-2022.
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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at East Carolina University
Northwest Missouri State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Maryville, Missouri, and it awarded 14 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Northwest Missouri State University
California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #15. California State University - Sacramento is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 1 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
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 California State University - Sacramento Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Northern Arizona University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #16. NAU is a large school located in Flagstaff, Arizona that handed out 10 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
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%.
Full Northern Arizona University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Arizona State University - Tempe ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this large public school awarded 3 degrees to qualified masters’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
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 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full ASU - Tempe Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #18, University of South Dakota did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. USD is a medium-sized school located in Vermillion, South Dakota that handed out 0 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at USD
San Francisco State University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. San Francisco State University is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 28 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
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 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at San Francisco State University
California State University - Northridge landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Located in Northridge, California, this large public school awarded 0 degrees to qualified masters’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
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%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at CSUN
Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. This large school is located in Provo, Utah, and it awarded 105 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full BYU Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #18, San Jose State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. San Jose State University is located in San Jose, California and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 28 masters’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at San Jose State
Morgan State University ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Morgan State University is located in Baltimore, Maryland and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 0 masters’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Morgan State University
Virginia Commonwealth University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Virginia Commonwealth University is a large public school situated in Richmond, Virginia. It awarded 0 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Virginia Commonwealth University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #18, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school handed out 0 degrees to qualified masters’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full UMN Twin Cities Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #18, Texas A&M University - College Station did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Texas A&M College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 69 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 93%.
Full Texas A&M University - College Station Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
University of Maryland - College Park landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. This large school is located in College Park, Maryland, and it awarded 0 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Maryland - College Park
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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
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate 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.
