2025 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in California
When it comes to popularity, a master's degree in
parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies sits in the middle of the road, ranking #16 out of 37 majors in the country. As such, the degree program isn't offered at every college in the United States, but there are schools that do have a program in the field that are top-notch when it comes to quality.
College Factual reviewed 13 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Combined, these schools handed out 874 master's degrees in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Choosing a Great Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for Your Master's Degree
Your choice of parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies for getting your master's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
Quality Overall Is Important
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we include a school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Average Earnings
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their master's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their master's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
Other Factors We Consider
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
- Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students as compared to other majors.
- Major Demand - How many other parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students want to attend this school to pursue a master's degree.
- Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
- Student Debt - How easy is it for parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies to pay back their student loans after receiving their master's degree.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies related body.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students working on their master's degree.
More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
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, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in California list, to help you choose the best school for you.
Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in California
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies.
10 Top California Schools for a Master's in Parks & Rec
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
237
Annual Graduates
Concordia University, Irvine is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Concordia University, Irvine is a small private not-for-profit university located in the city of Irvine.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Concordia University, Irvine
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
15
Annual Graduates
Any student who is interested in a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies needs to look into Saint Mary's College of California. Located in the suburb of Moraga, SMC is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Saint Mary’s College of California
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
93
Annual Graduates
Any student who is interested in a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies has to check out University of San Francisco. Located in the city of San Francisco, USFCA is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of San Francisco
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
114
Annual Graduates
California State University - Long Beach is a good option for students pursuing a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the large city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from California State University - Long Beach
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
18
Annual Graduates
Located in the city of San Francisco, SFSU is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from San Francisco State University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
86
Annual Graduates
Cal Baptist is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Riverside.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from California Baptist University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
15
Annual Graduates
Located in the city of Stockton, Pacific is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of the Pacific
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
20
Annual Graduates
CSUN is a fairly large public university located in the city of Northridge.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from California State University - Northridge
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
14
Annual Graduates
Chico State is a large public university located in the midsize city of Chico.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from California State University - Chico
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
23
Annual Graduates
Cal State Fullerton is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Fullerton.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from California State University - Fullerton