2023 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Virginia (With Aid)
12
Ranked Colleges
1,741
Degrees Awarded
$22,500
Avg Net Price*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Virginia 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 73,813 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,423 and had an average of $24,388 in loans still to pay off.
Across Virginia, there were 1,741 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,990 and $25,658 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Virginia For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 12 colleges that offered a degree 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.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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 in Virginia For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to 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 in Virginia For Those Getting Aid
The colleges and universities below are the best for virginia parks & rec students with aid.
Top 12 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Virginia (With Aid)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend James Madison University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Virginia For Those Getting Aid. JMU is located in Harrisonburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 326 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at JMU, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for James Madison University is $22,562 for Virginia Parks & Rec students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 JMU Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Virginia For Those Getting Aid. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, this large public school awarded 117 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Virginia, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Virginia is $22,006 for virginia parks & rec students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Virginia - Main Campus
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend William & Mary. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Virginia For Those Getting Aid. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 125 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our virginia parks & rec students with aid list, William & Mary has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Virginia” ranking. The yearly cost to attend William & Mary is $19,593 for virginia parks & rec students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.
Full William & Mary Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Old Dominion University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Virginia For Those Getting Aid list. Old Dominion is a large public school situated in Norfolk, Virginia. It awarded 142 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Old Dominion also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Old Dominion is $17,204 for Virginia Parks & Rec students with aid.
Full Old Dominion University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Virginia For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, George Mason University landed the #5 spot on the list. GMU is a large public school situated in Fairfax, Virginia. It awarded 113 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our virginia parks & rec students with aid list, GMU has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Virginia” ranking. It costs about $19,551 for Virginia Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend GMU.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at GMU
Bridgewater College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Virginia For Those Getting Aid list. Bridgewater is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bridgewater, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our virginia parks & rec students with aid list, Bridgewater has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Virginia” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bridgewater College is $20,457 for Virginia Parks & Rec students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Bridgewater College
Radford University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Virginia For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. Radford University is a medium-sized school located in Radford, Virginia that handed out 44 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our virginia parks & rec students with aid list, Radford has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Radford University is $16,505 for virginia parks & rec students with aid.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Radford University
Virginia Commonwealth University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Virginia For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. Richmond, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 47 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at VCU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Virginia” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Commonwealth University is $20,490 for Virginia Parks & Rec students with aid.
The low undergrad 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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at VCU
Roanoke College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Virginia For Those Getting Aid ranking. Salem, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 41 students in 2020-2021.
Roanoke also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Roanoke College is $26,997 for virginia parks & rec students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 Roanoke College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Liberty University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Virginia For Those Getting Aid ranking. Liberty University is located in Lynchburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 403 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Liberty University also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Liberty University is $29,382 for virginia parks & rec students with aid.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Liberty University
