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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Massachusetts

34 Ranked Colleges
$34,500 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts” ranking.

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 Massachusetts, there were 1,307 parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,408 and $28,661 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts” ranking analyzed 34 colleges that offered 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.

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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 “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts

The colleges and universities below are the best for massachusetts parks & rec students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies in Massachusetts

1
Springfield College crest
Springfield College
Springfield, Massachusetts

Out of the 34 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts that were part of this year’s ranking, Springfield College landed the #1 spot on the list. Springfield, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 112 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full Springfield College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

2
Lasell crest
Lasell University
Newton, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lasell University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts list. Lasell University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Newton, Massachusetts. It awarded 61 ’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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Lasell

3
Dean College crest
Dean College
Franklin, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dean College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts list. Dean College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Franklin, Massachusetts. It awarded 73 ’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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Dean College

4
Nichols crest
Nichols College
Dudley, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Nichols College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts. Nichols College is a small school located in Dudley, Massachusetts that handed out 51 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

5
Endicott crest
Endicott College
Beverly, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Endicott College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts list. Endicott is a private not-for-profit institution located in Beverly, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 93 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Endicott College

6
ENC crest
Eastern Nazarene College
Quincy, Massachusetts

Eastern Nazarene College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #6. ENC is located in Quincy, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 9 ’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 Eastern Nazarene College

7
Westfield crest
Westfield State University
Westfield, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #7, Westfield State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts list. Westfield is located in Westfield, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 45 ’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.

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%.

Full Westfield State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

8

University of Massachusetts - Boston landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts ranking. University of Massachusetts - Boston is a fairly large public school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 185 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UMass Boston

9
Fisher College crest
Fisher College
Boston, Massachusetts

Fisher College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts ranking. Fisher College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 5 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 Fisher College

10
Western New England crest
Western New England University
Springfield, Massachusetts

Western New England University ranked #10 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts list. This small school is located in Springfield, Massachusetts, and it awarded 58 ’s parks & rec degrees 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 full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Western New England University

11

Springfield College - School of Professional and Continuing Studies did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #11. This small school is located in Springfield, Massachusetts, and it awarded 6 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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 full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Springfield College - School of Professional and Continuing Studies

12
Merrimack crest
Merrimack College
North Andover, Massachusetts

Merrimack College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts ranking. Located in North Andover, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 64 degrees to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Merrimack College

13
AIC crest
American International College
Springfield, Massachusetts

American International College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #13. American International College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Springfield, Massachusetts. It awarded 12 ’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%.

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

14
Emmanuel Boston crest
Emmanuel College Massachusetts
Boston, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #14, Emmanuel College Massachusetts did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts list. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 11 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Emmanuel Boston

15
Gordon College crest
Gordon College
Wenham, Massachusetts

Gordon College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts list. This small school is located in Wenham, Massachusetts, and it awarded 9 ’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%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Gordon College

16
Elms College crest
Elms College
Chicopee, Massachusetts

Elms College ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts list. Elms College is located in Chicopee, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 4 ’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

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

17

University of Massachusetts - Lowell did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #17. UMass Lowell is a fairly large school located in Lowell, Massachusetts that handed out 89 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 University of Massachusetts - Lowell

18
Salem State crest
Salem State University
Salem, Massachusetts

Salem State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #18. Salem State is a medium-sized public school situated in Salem, Massachusetts. It awarded 25 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Salem State University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report

19

University of Massachusetts Amherst ranked #19 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts list. University of Massachusetts Amherst is a large public school situated in Amherst, Massachusetts. It awarded 181 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

20
Greenfield Community College crest
Greenfield Community College
Greenfield, Massachusetts

Greenfield Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts ranking. Greenfield Community College is a small school located in Greenfield, Massachusetts that handed out 5 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Greenfield Community College

21
Regis College crest
Regis College
Weston, Massachusetts

Regis College ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts list. Located in Weston, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 14 degrees to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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 more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Regis College

22
Holyoke Community College crest
Holyoke Community College
Holyoke, Massachusetts

Holyoke Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts list. This small school is located in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and it awarded 9 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Holyoke Community College

23
Smith crest
Smith College
Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts list. Smith is a small school located in Northampton, Massachusetts that handed out 11 ’s parks & rec 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%. 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

24

Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network ranked #24 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts list. Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network is a medium-sized school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 38 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network

25
Simmons crest
Simmons University
Boston, Massachusetts

Simmons University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in Massachusetts ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 23 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

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