2023 Most Popular Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies
159
Ranked Colleges
3,106
Degrees Awarded
$26,300
Avg Cost*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 3,106 people earned their degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies, making the major the 166th most popular in the United States. 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 “Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major” ranking, we looked at 159 colleges that offer a degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in parks, recreation and leisure studies.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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 “Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major”.
Top 25 Most Popular Colleges for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies
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 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school awarded 160 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Indiana University - Bloomington
Out of the 159 schools in the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 142 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. 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
Out of the 159 schools in the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major that were part of this year’s ranking, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #3 spot on the list. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a large school located in San Luis Obispo, California that handed out 119 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Missouri - Columbia. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major. Mizzou is a public institution located in Columbia, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 116 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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 full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Missouri - Columbia
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brigham Young University - Provo. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major. BYU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 110 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.
Full BYU Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
With a ranking of #6, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major list. California State University - Sacramento is a large school located in Sacramento, California that handed out 100 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Sac State
California State University - Chico ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major list. California State University - Chico is a fairly large school located in Chico, California that handed out 99 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 - Chico Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major ranking. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 95 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
California State University - Long Beach ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major list. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 91 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Full CSULB Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
University of Arkansas ranked #10 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major list. UARK is a large public school situated in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It awarded 77 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 UARK
University of Utah ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major list. This large school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 76 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, 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 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Utah
With a ranking of #12, University of North Carolina at Greensboro did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major list. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 64 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at UNC Greensboro
University of Northern Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #13. University of Northern Iowa is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 60 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of Northern Iowa Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
University of Nebraska at Kearney came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major ranking. University of Nebraska at Kearney is a medium-sized public school situated in Kearney, Nebraska. It awarded 60 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 Nebraska at Kearney
Northern Arizona University ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major list. Northern Arizona University is a large school located in Flagstaff, Arizona that handed out 59 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
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 more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Northern Arizona University
University of Iowa landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major ranking. Located in Iowa City, Iowa, this large public school awarded 53 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Iowa
With a ranking of #17, Georgia Southern University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major list. Located in Statesboro, Georgia, this large public school handed out 51 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Full Georgia Southern University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Western Washington University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Bellingham, Washington, this fairly large public school awarded 48 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
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 Western Washington University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
San Francisco State University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major ranking. San Francisco State University is located in San Francisco, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 46 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full SFSU Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major list. BGSU is a public institution located in Bowling Green, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 45 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major ranking. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 44 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full SIUC Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
Radford University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Radford, Virginia, and it awarded 41 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Radford University
San Jose State University ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major list. San Jose State is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 40 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.
Full San Jose State University Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
East Carolina University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major ranking. ECU is a large school located in Greenville, North Carolina that handed out 37 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full ECU Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Report
California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #24. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 37 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, 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 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at California State University - Fresno
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