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2023 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Missouri (With Aid)

12 Ranked Colleges
1,355 Degrees Awarded
$16,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid

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 in Missouri For Those Getting Aid” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 73,813 people earned their degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies, making the major the 15th most popular in the United States. 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 Missouri, there were 1,355 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,909 and $24,765 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 12 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.

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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 Missouri For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid.

Top 12 Best Value Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Missouri (With Aid)

1
UCM crest
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Central Missouri. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid. Warrensburg, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 108 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCM, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Missouri” ranking. It costs about $14,058 for Missouri Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend University of Central Missouri.

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

2

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwest Missouri State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Northwest is a medium-sized public school situated in Maryville, Missouri. It awarded 52 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Northwest did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Missouri” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwest is $12,925 for missouri parks & rec students with aid.

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

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Missouri - Columbia. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid. University of Missouri - Columbia is a large school located in Columbia, Missouri that handed out 120 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Mizzou also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Missouri” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - Columbia is $16,559 for Missouri Parks & Rec students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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%.

Full University of Missouri - Columbia Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

4
Southeast Missouri State University crest
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Southeast Missouri State University landed the #4 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and it awarded 46 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Southeast Missouri State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Missouri” list. The yearly cost to attend Southeast Missouri State University is $13,568 for Missouri Parks & Rec students with aid.

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

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Missouri Southern State University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid list. Joplin, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 40 students in 2020-2021.

Missouri Southern also took the #10 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Missouri” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri Southern is $9,526 for Missouri Parks & Rec students with aid.

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

6
Lindenwood University crest
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, Missouri

Lindenwood University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Charles, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 128 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Lindenwood University also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Missouri” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $17,366 for Missouri Parks & Rec students with aid per year to attend Lindenwood University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

7
Missouri Western crest
Missouri Western State University
Saint Joseph, Missouri

Missouri Western State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid list. Saint Joseph, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 72 students in 2020-2021.

Missouri Western not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Missouri” list. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri Western State University is $10,897 for Missouri Parks & Rec students with aid.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Missouri Western State University

8

Missouri State University - Springfield ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Springfield, Missouri, this large public school awarded 149 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Missouri State, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Missouri” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri State University - Springfield is $16,718 for Missouri Parks & Rec students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

9
Truman State crest
Truman State University
Kirksville, Missouri

Truman State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Kirksville, Missouri, and it awarded 92 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

Truman State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Missouri” list. It costs about $12,301 for missouri parks & rec students with aid per year to attend Truman State.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

10
Avila crest
Avila University
Kansas City, Missouri

Avila University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Kansas City, Missouri, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 29 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Avila also took the #11 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Missouri” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Avila is $19,057 for missouri parks & rec students with aid.

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

11
MBU crest
Missouri Baptist University
Saint Louis, Missouri

With a ranking of #11, Missouri Baptist University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 50 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

MBU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Missouri” list. The yearly cost to attend Missouri Baptist University is $21,782 for missouri parks & rec students with aid.

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

12

Maryville University of Saint Louis came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks & Rec Schools in Missouri For Those Getting Aid ranking. Maryville U is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 49 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Maryville U, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Missouri” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Maryville U is $27,290 for missouri parks & rec students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Maryville U Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

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Notes and References

References

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