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2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region

36 Ranked Colleges
655 Degrees Awarded
$41,613 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

Across the Plains States region, there were 5,582 parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,542 and $23,435 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 655 parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,858 and $37,352 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region” ranking, we looked at 36 colleges that offer 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.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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The parks & rec school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region”.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in the Plains States Region

1
Logan University crest
Logan University
Chesterfield, Missouri

Out of the 36 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Logan University landed the #1 spot on the list. Logan University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chesterfield, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 111 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full Logan University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend William Penn University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region. Located in Oskaloosa, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 22 degrees to qualified masters’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.

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 full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at William Penn University

3

Out of the 36 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Concordia University, Saint Paul landed the #3 spot on the list. Concordia University, Saint Paul is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 99 masters’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

4
NSU crest
Northern State University
Aberdeen, South Dakota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northern State University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region list. Northern State University is a small public school situated in Aberdeen, South Dakota. It awarded 13 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 NSU Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

5
MBU crest
Missouri Baptist University
Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Missouri Baptist University. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region. MBU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

6
Avila crest
Avila University
Kansas City, Missouri

Avila University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #6. This small school is located in Kansas City, Missouri, and it awarded 13 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. 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.

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

7
MSU crest
Minot State University
Minot, North Dakota

Minot State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking. MSU is a small public school situated in Minot, North Dakota. It awarded 14 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

8
Baker crest
Baker University
Baldwin City, Kansas

With a ranking of #8, Baker University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region list. Baldwin City, Kansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s parks & rec degrees to 14 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%.

Full Baker University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

9
Augustana Sioux Falls crest
Augustana University
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Augustana University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Augustana Sioux Falls is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It awarded 10 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

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

10
UMary crest
University of Mary
Bismarck, North Dakota

University of Mary did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #10. UMary is a small school located in Bismarck, North Dakota that handed out 12 masters’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%.

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

11

Upper Iowa University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Fayette, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks & rec students 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%.

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

12
Missouri Western crest
Missouri Western State University
Saint Joseph, Missouri

Missouri Western State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Saint Joseph, Missouri, this small public school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.

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 Missouri Western

13
USD crest
University of South Dakota
Vermillion, South Dakota

With a ranking of #13, University of South Dakota did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region list. Vermillion, South Dakota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks & rec degrees to 23 students in 2021-2022.

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 USD

14

Northwest Missouri State University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Northwest is located in Maryville, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 23 masters’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

15
UCM crest
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Warrensburg, Missouri, and it awarded 21 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%.

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

16
Lindenwood University crest
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, Missouri

Lindenwood University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Saint Charles, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 12 degrees to qualified masters’s parks & rec students 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%.

Full Lindenwood University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

17

Minnesota State University - Mankato came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, this fairly large public school awarded 42 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks & rec 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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Minnesota State Mankato

18

With a ranking of #18, Wichita State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region list. This fairly large school is located in Wichita, Kansas, and it awarded 24 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

19
Grand View University crest
Grand View University
Des Moines, Iowa

Grand View University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #19. Grand View University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Des Moines, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Grand View University

20

University of Nebraska at Omaha landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, this fairly large public school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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 full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UNOMAHA

21
Saint Mary crest
College of Saint Mary
Omaha, Nebraska

With a ranking of #21, College of Saint Mary did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region list. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 6 degrees to qualified masters’s parks & rec 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at College of Saint Mary

22

With a ranking of #22, University of Northern Iowa did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region list. Located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, this medium-sized public school awarded 25 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 University of Northern Iowa Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

23

Concordia University, Nebraska came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Concordia University, Nebraska is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Seward, Nebraska. It awarded 14 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

24
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region list. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 34 masters’s parks & rec degrees 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

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

25
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #25. South Dakota State is a fairly large school located in Brookings, South Dakota that handed out 10 masters’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

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