2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $0-$30k) in Minnesota

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Minnesota For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 72,122 people earned their degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies, making the major the 15th most popular in the United States. 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 Minnesota, there were 1,085 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,884 and $24,327 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 130 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $55,396 and $40,953 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Minnesota For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 4 colleges that offered a degree 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools

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 “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Minnesota For Those Making $0-$30k”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Minnesota For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Minnesota For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 4 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $0-$30k) in Minnesota

#1

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

#1 in overall quality

$28,845 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Minnesota For Those Making $0-$30k list. UMN Twin Cities is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 33 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UMN Twin Cities are $28,845, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UMN Twin Cities Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#2

Minnesota State University - Mankato

Mankato, Minnesota

#2 in overall quality

$8,788 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Minnesota For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, this fairly large public school awarded 41 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

Minnesota State Mankato also took the #2 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Minnesota State University - Mankato are $8,788, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Minnesota State University - Mankato

#3

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota

$12,904 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Cloud State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Minnesota For Those Making $0-$30k. Saint Cloud State University is a public institution located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Cloud State University also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” list, coming in at #0. Average graduate tuition and fees at St. Cloud State University are $12,904, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full St. Cloud State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#4

Concordia University, Saint Paul

Saint Paul, Minnesota

#3 in overall quality

$8,550 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Minnesota For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Concordia University, Saint Paul landed the #4 spot on the list. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 53 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our minnesota master’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $0-$30k list, Concordia University, Saint Paul has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Minnesota” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Concordia University, Saint Paul are $8,550, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Concordia University, Saint Paul

• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $0-$30k)

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.

Credits

• Credit for the banner image above goes to NPS Photo/Zurbuch.

Featured Athletic Training Schools

Request Info

Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More >