by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools in the New England Region to determine which ones were the best for parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students pursuing a master's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 658 master's degrees in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
The parks & rec master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality parks & rec program can vary widely even among the top schools. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their master's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
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.
When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in the New England Region list to help you make the college decision.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies.
University of New Hampshire - Main Campus is a great option for individuals pursuing a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. UNH is a large public university located in the town of Durham.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of New Hampshire - Main Campus
Any student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies has to look into Plymouth State University. Located in the remote town of Plymouth, Plymouth State is a public university with a small student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Plymouth State University
University of Massachusetts Amherst is a great choice for students interested in a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the city of Amherst, UMass Amherst is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Massachusetts Amherst
Every student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies has to check out Endicott College. Endicott is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large suburb of Beverly.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Endicott College
Located in the town of Storrs, UCONN is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Connecticut
Located in the medium-sized suburb of Manchester, SNHU is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Southern New Hampshire University
Lasell is a small private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Newton.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Lasell University
Located in the suburb of Westfield, Westfield is a public university with a small student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Westfield State University
SCSU is a medium-sized public university located in the medium-sized city of New Haven.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Southern Connecticut State University
Western New England is a small private not-for-profit university located in the city of Springfield.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Western New England University
Explore the best parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies colleges for a specific state in the New England Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 34 | 238 |
| Rhode Island | 32 | 25 |
| Connecticut | 30 | 73 |
| New Hampshire | 27 | 188 |
| Maine | 27 | 3 |
| Vermont | 25 | 16 |
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health & Physical Education | 617 |
| Recreation Administration | 35 |
| Outdoor Education | 6 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Administration & Social Service | 4,455 |