Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Illinois (With Aid)

10 Ranked Colleges
675 Degrees Awarded
$22,000 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master's in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 Illinois, there were 2,352 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,766 and $23,636 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 675 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,267 and $46,814 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 10 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs and cost less that 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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois master’s degree parks & rec students with aid.

Top 10 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Illinois (With Aid)

#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 44 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #1 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

Out of the 10 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Chicago is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC also took the #0 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. 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.

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

#8 in overall quality

Out of the 10 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #3 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 65 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUE, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are $9,300, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

#4

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Eastern Illinois University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 38 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, EIU has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at EIU are $20,761, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

#5

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northern Illinois University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 25 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NIU, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northern Illinois University are $11,086.

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

#6

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

Concordia University, Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. River Forest, Illinois 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 257 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree parks & rec students with aid list, Concordia University, Chicago has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Concordia University, Chicago are $9,378, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

#7

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Western Illinois University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Western Illinois University is located in Macomb, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 74 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

WIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. 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.

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

#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 24 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are $32,928.

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

#9

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Illinois State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Illinois State University is a large school located in Normal, Illinois that handed out 78 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State are $11,069, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

#10

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Northwestern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 38 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #2. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern are $56,567.

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

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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

Featured Athletic Training Schools

Find Schools Near You