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2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k

34 Ranked Colleges
2,047 Degrees Awarded
$16,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor's in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies is the 15th most popular major in the country with 72,122 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,823 and had an average of $24,576 in loans still to pay off.

Across the New England region, there were 2,622 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,409 and $24,407 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,047 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,041 and $24,492 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 34 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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 Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the New England Region

#1

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, and it awarded 132 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Amherst is $13,137 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Massachusetts Amherst

#2

University of Vermont

Burlington, Vermont
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 34 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Vermont landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Burlington, Vermont, this fairly large public school awarded 31 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

UVM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Vermont is $12,015 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Vermont

#25 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Southern Maine. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This medium-sized school is located in Portland, Maine, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Southern Maine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. It costs about $8,753 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Southern Maine.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Southern Maine

#4

University of Maine

Orono, Maine
#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Maine. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This fairly large school is located in Orono, Maine, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

UMaine also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend UMaine is $13,989 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Maine

#5

University of Connecticut

Storrs, Connecticut
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Connecticut. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Connecticut is a public institution located in Storrs, Connecticut. The school has a large population, and it awarded 59 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k list, UCONN has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $12,381 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UCONN.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UCONN Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#6

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts
#11 in overall quality

Westfield State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Westfield State University is a public institution located in Westfield, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 67 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Westfield not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Westfield is $12,672 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Westfield

#7

Castleton University

Castleton, Vermont
#9 in overall quality

Castleton University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Castleton is a public institution located in Castleton, Vermont. The school has a small population, and it awarded 71 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k list, Castleton has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $13,116 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Castleton.

Full Castleton Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#8

Central Connecticut State University

New Britain, Connecticut
#15 in overall quality

Central Connecticut State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. New Britain, Connecticut is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 38 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k list, CCSU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CCSU is $12,298 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Central Connecticut State University

#12 in overall quality

University of Massachusetts - Boston came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Massachusetts - Boston is a fairly large public school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 145 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Boston did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Boston is $13,859 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Massachusetts - Boston

#9

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, Massachusetts
#19 in overall quality

Fitchburg State University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Fitchburg State is located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Fitchburg State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Fitchburg State University is $11,770 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Fitchburg State University

#11

Norwich University

Northfield, Vermont
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Norwich University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Northfield, Vermont, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Norwich also took the #5 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Norwich is $19,015 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Norwich

#3 in overall quality

University of New Hampshire - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. University of New Hampshire - Main Campus is located in Durham, New Hampshire and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 110 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNH, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $17,747 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of New Hampshire - Main Campus.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UNH

#13

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts
#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Salem State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Salem, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 58 students in 2019-2020.

Salem State also took the #18 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $14,593 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Salem State.

Full Salem State Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#14

Plymouth State University

Plymouth, New Hampshire
#14 in overall quality

Plymouth State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Plymouth State is a public institution located in Plymouth, New Hampshire. The school has a small population, and it awarded 69 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Plymouth State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. It costs about $15,184 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Plymouth State.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Plymouth State University

#15

Eastern Connecticut State University

Willimantic, Connecticut
#22 in overall quality

Eastern Connecticut State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. This small school is located in Willimantic, Connecticut, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

ECSU also took the #22 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $14,811 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend ECSU.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at ECSU

#16

Springfield College

Springfield, Massachusetts
#7 in overall quality

Springfield College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Springfield College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Springfield, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 82 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k list, Springfield College has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Springfield College is $19,586 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Springfield College

#17

Southern Connecticut State University

New Haven, Connecticut
#13 in overall quality

Southern Connecticut State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Southern Connecticut State University is a public institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 67 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SCSU, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SCSU is $18,032 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at SCSU

#18

Northern Vermont University

Johnson, Vermont

Northern Vermont University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Johnson, Vermont, this small public school awarded 45 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northern Vermont University is $12,931 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Northern Vermont University

#19

Endicott College

Beverly, Massachusetts
#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Endicott College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Beverly, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 87 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Endicott, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $27,432 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Endicott.

The low student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Endicott College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#19

Lasell University

Newton, Massachusetts
#10 in overall quality

Lasell University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Lasell is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Newton, Massachusetts. It awarded 42 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k list, Lasell has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lasell University is $23,873 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Lasell

#21

Gordon College

Wenham, Massachusetts
#20 in overall quality

Gordon College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Wenham, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 15 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

Gordon College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Gordon College is $22,732 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Gordon College

#22

Franklin Pierce University

Rindge, New Hampshire
#17 in overall quality

Franklin Pierce University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Franklin Pierce is located in Rindge, New Hampshire and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k list, Franklin Pierce has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Franklin Pierce University is $23,361 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Franklin Pierce Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#23

Post University

Waterbury, Connecticut

Post University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Post University is a fairly large private for-profit school situated in Waterbury, Connecticut. It awarded 29 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Post University is $18,698 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Post University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#24

Colby - Sawyer College

New London, New Hampshire

Colby - Sawyer College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. New London, New Hampshire is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Colby - Sawyer College is $23,145 for new england region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Colby - Sawyer College

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Saint Joseph’s Maine is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Standish, Maine. It awarded 23 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $21,729 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Saint Joseph’s College of Maine.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Saint Joseph’s Maine Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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