by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2025, College Factual analyzed 19 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 678 master's degrees in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies during the 2022-2023 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
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. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we consider a college's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a combination of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
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.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students working on their master's degree.
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 the Plains States Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies.
It's hard to beat University of Iowa if you wish to pursue a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the small city of Iowa City, Iowa 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 Iowa
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a wonderful option for students pursuing a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. UMN Twin Cities is a very large public university located in the large city of Minneapolis.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Grand View University is one of the best schools in the country for getting a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the medium-sized city of Des Moines, Grand View University is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Grand View University
Every student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies needs to take a look at Lindenwood University. Located in the small city of Saint Charles, Lindenwood University 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 Lindenwood University
Minnesota State Mankato is a large public university located in the city of Mankato.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Minnesota State University - Mankato
Northwest is a moderately-sized public university located in the remote town of Maryville.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Northwest Missouri State University
UMary is a small private not-for-profit university located in the rural area of Bismarck.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Mary
Augustana Sioux Falls is a small private not-for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of Sioux Falls.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Augustana University
Located in the large city of Saint Paul, Concordia University, Saint Paul 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 Concordia University, Saint Paul
Located in the remote town of Brookings, South Dakota State is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from South Dakota State University
Explore the best parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies schools for a specific state in the Plains States Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 32 | 231 |
| Minnesota | 31 | 149 |
| Kansas | 30 | 50 |
| Iowa | 29 | 101 |
| Nebraska | 29 | 34 |
| North Dakota | 28 | 36 |
| South Dakota | 25 | 61 |
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health & Physical Education | 614 |
| Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies | 38 |
| Outdoor Education | 15 |
| Recreation Administration | 11 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Administration & Social Service | 3,964 |