by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major” 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 72,741 degrees awarded in 2021-2022. In , parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $31,466 and had an average of $24,117 in loans still to pay off.
At the associate degree level specifically, there were 6,267 parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,431 and $15,731 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major” ranking analyzed 413 colleges that offered a degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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 “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major” 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.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major”.
Out of the 413 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Professional Golfers Career College landed the #1 spot on the list. PGCC is located in Temecula, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 32 associates’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend International Sports Sciences Association. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. This small school is located in Carpinteria, California, and it awarded 73 associates’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at ISSA
Out of the 413 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Bryan University landed the #3 spot on the list. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out associates’s parks & rec degrees to 120 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 Bryan University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Mt. San Antonio College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major. Mt. SAC is located in Walnut, California and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 466 associates’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Mt. SAC
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Garrett College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major. Garrett College is a public institution located in McHenry, Maryland. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 associates’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Garrett College
College of the Canyons landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. College of the Canyons is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Clarita, California. It awarded 478 associates’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 College of the Canyons
Cabrillo College landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Cabrillo College is located in Aptos, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 170 associates’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Cabrillo College
Feather River Community College District landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Quincy, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s parks & rec degrees to 22 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.
Sullivan County Community College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Located in Loch Sheldrake, New York, this small public school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified associates’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Sullivan County Community College
Frontier Community College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. This small school is located in Fairfield, Illinois, and it awarded 0 associates’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Frontier Community College
Jefferson Community College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Jefferson Community College is a small school located in Watertown, New York that handed out 15 associates’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Jefferson Community College
Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #13. NEO A&M College is located in Miami, Oklahoma and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 13 associates’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at NEO A&M College
Platt College - Anaheim landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Platt College - Anaheim is located in Anaheim, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 4 associates’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 Platt College - Anaheim
With a ranking of #15, Cankdeska Cikana Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. This small school is located in Fort Totten, North Dakota, and it awarded 0 associates’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at CCCC
With a ranking of #16, United Tribes Technical College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. United Tribes Technical College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bismarck, North Dakota. It awarded 2 associates’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at United Tribes Technical College
Riverside City College landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Riverside City College is located in Riverside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 184 associates’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Riverside City College
Hudson Valley Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. HVCC is a medium-sized school located in Troy, New York that handed out 36 associates’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at HVCC
Lincoln Trail College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Lincoln Trail College is a small public school situated in Robinson, Illinois. It awarded 2 associates’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Lincoln Trail College
Finger Lakes Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Finger Lakes Community College is a public institution located in Canandaigua, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 22 associates’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Finger Lakes Community College
Western Oklahoma State College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Western Oklahoma State College is a public institution located in Altus, Oklahoma. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 associates’s degrees in 2021-2022.
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%.
Full Western Oklahoma State College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Dean College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Dean College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Franklin, Massachusetts. It awarded 16 associates’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Dean College
With a ranking of #23, Lake Superior State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Sault Ste Marie, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s parks & rec degrees to 21 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Lake Superior State University
Gogebic Community College ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Gogebic Community College is a small school located in Ironwood, Michigan that handed out 6 associates’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Gogebic Community College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Monroe College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #25. Bronx, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out associates’s parks & rec degrees to 71 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Monroe College
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Norco College | Norco, CA |
| 52 | Laramie County Community College | Cheyenne, WY |
| 53 | College of San Mateo | San Mateo, CA |
| 54 | Jamestown Community College | Jamestown, NY |
| 54 | El Paso Community College | El Paso, TX |
| 56 | Columbia College | Sonora, CA |
| 57 | Hartnell College | Salinas, CA |
| 58 | West Valley College | Saratoga, CA |
| 59 | Northeast Community College | Norfolk, NE |
| 60 | SUNY Broome | Binghamton, NY |
| 61 | Rose State College | Midwest City, OK |
| 62 | Citrus College | Glendora, CA |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies