by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2024, College Factual analyzed 79 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 3,091 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 complete 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.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
It is difficult to beat North Carolina State University if you want to pursue a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. NC State is a very large public university located in the city of Raleigh.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from North Carolina State University
University of Florida is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the city of Gainesville, UF is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Florida
It is hard to beat University of Arkansas if you want to pursue a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the city of Fayetteville, UARK is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Arkansas
American Public University System is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the fringe town of Charles Town, American Military University is a private for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from American Public University System
University of Virginia is a very large public university located in the suburb of Charlottesville.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Virginia - Main Campus
Located in the small city of Coral Gables, U Miami is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Miami
GMU is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Fairfax.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from George Mason University
Located in the city of Bowling Green, WKU is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Western Kentucky University
UNC Chapel Hill is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Chapel Hill.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Located in the large suburb of Clemson, Clemson is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Clemson University
Located in the midsize city of Tallahassee, Florida State is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Florida State University
Here are some additional great schools for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies students in the Southeast Region that almost earned our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Arkansas State University - Main Campus | Jonesboro, AR |
| 13 | United States Sports Academy | Daphne, AL |
| 14 | University of Georgia | Athens, GA |
| 15 | University of South Carolina - Columbia | Columbia, SC |
| 16 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Charleston, SC |
| 17 | University of Mississippi | University, MS |
| 18 | Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, GA |
| 19 | James Madison University | Harrisonburg, VA |
Explore the best parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies colleges for a specific state in the Southeast Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 34 | 147 |
| Florida | 34 | 439 |
| Virginia | 33 | 419 |
| Georgia | 32 | 293 |
| Tennessee | 32 | 269 |
| North Carolina | 31 | 246 |
| Kentucky | 31 | 226 |
| West Virginia | 30 | 220 |
| Alabama | 30 | 180 |
| Louisiana | 30 | 152 |
| South Carolina | 30 | 209 |
| Arkansas | 30 | 291 |
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health & Physical Education | 2,849 |
| Recreation Administration | 219 |
| Other Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies | 19 |
| Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies | 4 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Administration & Social Service | 9,019 |
