2023 Most Focused Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Illinois
53
Ranked Colleges
$26,300
Avg Cost*
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 Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2021-2022, 72,741 people earned their degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies, making the major the 15th most popular in the United States. 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.
Across Illinois, there were 2,341 parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,368 and $23,353 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois” ranking, we looked at 53 colleges that offer a degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
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 Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois” list to help you make the college decision.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois”.
Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Illinois
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Concordia University, Chicago. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois. River Forest, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 375 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 Concordia University, Chicago
Out of the 53 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Monmouth College landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Monmouth, Illinois, and it awarded 16 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Monmouth
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Eureka College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois. Eureka, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 13 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Eureka College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Greenville University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois. Greenville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 15 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Greenville
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Quincy University. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois. Located in Quincy, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 24 diplomas to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Quincy U
North Central College landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Naperville, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 53 degrees to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 North Central College
Lincoln College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #7.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Lincoln College
Judson University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Elgin, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 16 degrees to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Judson University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
With a ranking of #9, Eastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Eastern Illinois University is located in Charleston, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 105 ’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Eastern Illinois University
Western Illinois University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. Macomb, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 91 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at WIU
Trinity Christian College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. Trinity Christian College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Palos Heights, Illinois. It awarded 7 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Trinity Christian
Frontier Community College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #12. Frontier Community College is a small school located in Fairfield, Illinois that handed out 0 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Frontier Community College
McKendree University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Lebanon, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 30 diplomas to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at McKendree University
Trinity International University - Illinois landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. Trinity International University - Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Deerfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full TIU Illinois Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Rockford University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. Rockford University is a small school located in Rockford, Illinois that handed out 28 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Rockford Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 145 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Aurora University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. Aurora is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Aurora, Illinois. It awarded 104 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 Aurora University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 86 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at SIUC
Illinois State University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school awarded 219 degrees to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Illinois State Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Millikin University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #20. Millikin is a small school located in Decatur, Illinois that handed out 10 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Millikin University
Lincoln Trail College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #21. Lincoln Trail College is a public institution located in Robinson, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Lincoln Trail College
With a ranking of #22, Adler University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Adler University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 14 ’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Full Adler University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
With a ranking of #23, Elmhurst University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Elmhurst, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 37 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Elmhurst Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Saint Xavier University ranked #24 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at SXU
Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #25. Olivet Nazarene is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bourbonnais, Illinois. It awarded 33 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Olivet Nazarene Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
