by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina” ranking - to help you make that 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.
Across North Carolina, there were 3,548 parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,466 and $26,101 respectively.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina” ranking looked at 55 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.
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 North Carolina” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Chowan University. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina. Chowan University is a small school located in Murfreesboro, North Carolina that handed out 34 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Chowan University
Out of the 55 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, Brevard College landed the #2 spot on the list. Brevard College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Brevard, North Carolina. It awarded 32 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%. 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 full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Brevard College
Out of the 55 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Augustine’s University landed the #3 spot on the list. This small school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it awarded 22 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at SAU
Out of the 55 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, Wingate University landed the #4 spot on the list. Wingate, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 104 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%.
Full Wingate University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Out of the 55 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, Livingstone College landed the #5 spot on the list. Livingstone College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Salisbury, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Full Livingstone College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Belmont Abbey College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. BAC is a small school located in Belmont, North Carolina that handed out 36 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full BAC Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Guilford College landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Guilford is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Greensboro, North Carolina. It awarded 26 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Guilford
Barton College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Barton College is located in Wilson, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 52 ’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
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 Barton College
Catawba College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Salisbury, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 53 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 Catawba College
Shaw University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Shaw University is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 24 ’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
Full Shaw University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Lees - McRae College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Lees - McRae College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Banner Elk, North Carolina. It awarded 16 ’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 Lees - McRae College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Elizabeth City State University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Elizabeth City State University is a small public school situated in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. It awarded 27 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
Full ECSU Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Winston - Salem State University ranked #13 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Winston - Salem State University is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 80 ’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at WSSU
Methodist University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Methodist University is located in Fayetteville, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 21 ’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, 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.
Full Methodist University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
William Peace University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 14 degrees to qualified ’s parks & rec students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at William Peace University
Pfeiffer University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. This small school is located in Misenheimer, North Carolina, and it awarded 30 ’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%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Pfeiffer University
St. Andrews University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. St. Andrews University is located in Laurinburg, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 20 ’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at St. Andrews University
With a ranking of #18, Lenoir - Rhyne University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Lenoir - Rhyne University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hickory, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 55 ’s 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%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Lenoir - Rhyne University
With a ranking of #19, Johnson C Smith University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Johnson C Smith University is a small school located in Charlotte, North Carolina that handed out 16 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
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 JCSU
With a ranking of #20, Greensboro College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Greensboro College is a small school located in Greensboro, North Carolina that handed out 18 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Greensboro College
University of North Carolina at Greensboro ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. Greensboro, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks & rec degrees to 256 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UNC Greensboro
With a ranking of #22, University of North Carolina at Pembroke did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. UNC Pembroke is a medium-sized public school situated in Pembroke, North Carolina. It awarded 103 ’s parks & rec degrees in 2021-2022.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at UNC Pembroke
With a ranking of #23, High Point University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina list. High Point University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in High Point, North Carolina. It awarded 99 ’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 High Point
Mars Hill University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. Mars Hill is located in Mars Hill, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 24 ’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, 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 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Mars Hill University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major in North Carolina ranking. JWU Charlotte is located in Charlotte, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 23 ’s parks & rec degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies