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2025 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in Missouri

4 Colleges in Missouri
257 Master's Degrees
$44,908 Avg Early-Career Salary
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies isn't the most popular master's program in the world, but it's not the least popular either. To be more precise it ranks #16 in popularity out of 37 majors in the country. So, it might take a little more work to find colleges and universities that offer the degree program.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 4 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in Missouri ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 257 master's degrees in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for Your Master's Degree

Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in Missouri 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 Great Overall School

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.

Early-Career Earnings

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.

Other Factors We Consider

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 schools for parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students working on their master's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Parks & Rec Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The parks & rec school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master's Degree Schools in Missouri.

Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Missouri

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies.

Top Missouri Schools for a Master's in Parks & Rec

1
Lindenwood University crest
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, MO
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
27 Annual Graduates

Lindenwood University is a great option for individuals pursuing a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Lindenwood University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Saint Charles.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Lindenwood University

2
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
46 Annual Graduates

Northwest Missouri State University is a good decision for individuals interested in a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the town of Maryville, Northwest is a public university with a medium-sized student population.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Northwest Missouri State University

3
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
25 Annual Graduates

Any student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies needs to take a look at Missouri Baptist University. Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, MBU 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 Missouri Baptist University

4
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
18 Annual Graduates

Missouri Western State University is a wonderful option for individuals interested in a master's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Missouri Western is a small public university located in the small city of Saint Joseph.More information about a master’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Missouri Western State University

Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Plains States Region

Explore all the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Minnesota 31 149
Kansas 30 50
Iowa 29 101
Nebraska 29 34
North Dakota 28 36
South Dakota 25 61

View All Rankings >

Parks & Rec Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Health & Physical Education 222
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies 35

Related Major Annual Graduates
Public Administration & Social Service 765

Notes and References

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