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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Middle Atlantic Region

72 Ranked Colleges
5,736 Degrees Awarded
$27,920 Avg Salary
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor's in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

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 the Middle Atlantic region, there were 7,835 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,659 and $25,497 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,736 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,278 and $24,587 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 72 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

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. 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 Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Middle Atlantic Region

#1

McDaniel College

Westminster, Maryland
#25 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend McDaniel College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Westminster, Maryland, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 34 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

McDaniel also took the #25 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $15,682 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend McDaniel College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

#2

Queens College

Queens, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Queens College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Queens College is a fairly large school located in Queens, New York that handed out 46 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend QC is $7,222 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#3

Farmingdale State College

Farmingdale, New York
#20 in overall quality

Out of the 72 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Farmingdale State College landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Farmingdale, New York, this fairly large public school awarded 62 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale is $9,963 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Farmingdale State College

#4

Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, New York

Out of the 72 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Brooklyn College landed the #4 spot on the list. Brooklyn College is a fairly large public school situated in Brooklyn, New York. It awarded 55 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Brooklyn College is $7,317 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

#5

St. Joseph's College - New York

Brooklyn, New York
#16 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend St. Joseph’s College - New York. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k. St. Joseph’s College - New York is located in Brooklyn, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

SJC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for SJC is $14,965 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%.

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

#6

Lehman College

Bronx, New York

With a ranking of #6, Lehman College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Lehman is a fairly large public school situated in Bronx, New York. It awarded 49 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,993 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Lehman.

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

#7

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland
#2 in overall quality

University of Maryland - College Park came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. College Park, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 238 students in 2019-2020.

UMCP also took the #2 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Maryland - College Park is $18,418 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Maryland - College Park

#8

University of Delaware

Newark, Delaware
#3 in overall quality

University of Delaware came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Delaware is a public institution located in Newark, Delaware. The school has a large population, and it awarded 201 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UD also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $14,622 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Delaware.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

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

#9

Towson University

Towson, Maryland
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Towson University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Towson, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 280 students in 2019-2020.

Towson not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Towson University is $18,052 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

#10

SUNY Cortland

Cortland, New York
#6 in overall quality

SUNY Cortland came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. SUNY Cortland is a medium-sized school located in Cortland, New York that handed out 315 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SUNY Cortland, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $18,053 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SUNY Cortland.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at SUNY Cortland

#11

Medaille College

Buffalo, New York

Medaille College landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Medaille is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Buffalo, New York. It awarded 18 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Medaille College is $15,581 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#12

SUNY Fredonia

Fredonia, New York

SUNY Fredonia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. SUNY Fredonia is located in Fredonia, New York and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend SUNY Fredonia is $15,885 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full SUNY Fredonia Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#13

The College at Brockport

Brockport, New York
#17 in overall quality

The College at Brockport did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. SUNY Brockport is a medium-sized public school situated in Brockport, New York. It awarded 264 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SUNY Brockport, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The College at Brockport is $16,955 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at The College at Brockport

#14

Salisbury University

Salisbury, Maryland
#14 in overall quality

Salisbury University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Salisbury University is located in Salisbury, Maryland and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 135 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Salisbury, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Salisbury University is $19,190 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Salisbury

#15

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
#10 in overall quality

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 161 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

SRU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $19,459 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.

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

#16

St. Bonaventure University

Saint Bonaventure, New York

With a ranking of #16, St. Bonaventure University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Saint Bonaventure, New York, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend St. Bonaventure is $17,222 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at St. Bonaventure

#17

Wilmington University

New Castle, Delaware

With a ranking of #17, Wilmington University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Wilmington University is located in New Castle, Delaware and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Wilmington University is $15,400 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#18

Canisius College

Buffalo, New York
#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Canisius College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Canisius is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Buffalo, New York. It awarded 64 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Canisius did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Canisius College is $16,754 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#19

Syracuse University

Syracuse, New York
#1 in overall quality

Syracuse University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Syracuse, New York, and it awarded 180 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Syracuse 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 Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $24,698 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Syracuse.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, 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.

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

#20

Rutgers University - New Brunswick

New Brunswick, New Jersey
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, Rutgers University - New Brunswick did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. New Brunswick, New Jersey is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 384 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Rutgers New Brunswick, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $20,935 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Rutgers University - New Brunswick.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full Rutgers University - New Brunswick Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#21

Niagara University

Niagara University, New York

With a ranking of #21, Niagara University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Niagara University, New York 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 21 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Niagara is $20,214 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#22

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, Pennsylvania
#21 in overall quality

West Chester University of Pennsylvania landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. WCUPA is located in West Chester, Pennsylvania and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 168 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

WCUPA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend West Chester University of Pennsylvania is $21,156 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at West Chester University of Pennsylvania

#23

Kean University

Union, New Jersey
#13 in overall quality

Kean University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #23. Kean is a fairly large school located in Union, New Jersey that handed out 29 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Kean not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Kean University is $20,581 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#24

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#9 in overall quality

Temple University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Temple University is a public institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 346 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Temple also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend Temple University is $21,743 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Parks & Rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

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

#25

Montclair State University

Montclair, New Jersey

Montclair State University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Montclair State University is a large school located in Montclair, New Jersey that handed out 66 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Montclair State University is $19,523 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree parks & rec students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

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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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