2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
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 Great Lakes region, there were 10,194 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,368 and $24,957 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,596 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,039 and $42,488 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 48 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
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 the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid”.
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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 44 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, UIUC has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. La Crosse, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 41 students in 2019-2020.
UW - La Crosse not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse are $20,038, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full University of Wisconsin - La Crosse Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 53 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
IU Bloomington also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. Average graduate tuition and fees at IU Bloomington are $33,338, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full Indiana University - Bloomington Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Out of the 48 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Parkside landed the #4 spot on the list. UW - Parkside is a small school located in Kenosha, Wisconsin that handed out 20 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Parkside are $18,768.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UW - Parkside
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is a public institution located in River Falls, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - River Falls are $18,233.
Full UW - River Falls Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school awarded 47 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at U-M
University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
UW - Madison also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Illinois at Chicago is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 7 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Chicago are $27,036, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full UIC Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at IUPUI are $26,013.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 65 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at SIUE are $9,300.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at SIUE
Ball State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Ball State University is a large public school situated in Muncie, Indiana. It awarded 28 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ball State, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Ball State University are $26,204.
Full Ball State Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Michigan Technological University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Michigan Technological University is a public institution located in Houghton, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 5 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Michigan Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Michigan Tech are $21,996, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Michigan Tech
Eastern Illinois University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. EIU is a public institution located in Charleston, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 38 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Eastern Illinois University are $20,761, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full EIU Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Ohio State is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 42 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State University - Main Campus are $37,141.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Ohio State
Michigan State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school awarded 20 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
Michigan State also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #14. Average graduate tuition and fees at Michigan State University are $37,056, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Michigan State University
With a ranking of #16, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UWM is a large public school situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 9 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UWM are $25,295, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full UWM Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
University of Southern Indiana did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. USI is a fairly large school located in Evansville, Indiana that handed out 14 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Southern Indiana are $20,039, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at USI
Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 25 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at NIU are $11,086, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Northern Illinois University
With a ranking of #19, Concordia University, Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 257 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
Concordia University, Chicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Concordia University, Chicago are $9,378.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Concordia University, Chicago
Western Illinois University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Western Illinois University is a public institution located in Macomb, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 74 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
WIU also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #17. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Western Illinois University are $11,996.
Full WIU Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
With a ranking of #21, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.
SIUC also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #25. Average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are $32,928, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at SIUC
With a ranking of #22, Central Michigan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Central Michigan is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Central Michigan not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Central Michigan University are $19,359, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full Central Michigan Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Wayne State University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Detroit, Michigan, this large public school awarded 40 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Wayne State are $37,215.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Wayne State
Indiana State University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Indiana State is a fairly large public school situated in Terre Haute, Indiana. It awarded 32 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana State University are $15,346, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Indiana State University
Illinois State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #25. Illinois State University is located in Normal, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 78 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, Illinois State has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State are $11,069.
Full Illinois State 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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