2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s
19
Ranked Colleges
1,760
Degrees Awarded
$28,283
Avg Salary
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for veterans. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2020-2021, 73,813 people earned their degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies, making the major the 15th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,423 and had an average of $24,388 in loans still to pay off.
Across Florida, there were 2,397 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,773 and $21,713 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,760 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,395 and $25,950 respectively.
For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 19 colleges that offer a degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s
The colleges and universities below are the best for florida bachelor’s degree vets studying parks & rec.
Top 19 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Florida
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 175 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
UF not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” list.According to our most recent data, UF supports 53,372 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 UF Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida State University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s. Florida State is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 153 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Florida State, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 8 of the 43,569 students enrolled at Florida State University were GI Bill® students, of which 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,819. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Florida State University Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 91 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 75 of the 20,330 students enrolled at Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale were GI Bill® students, of which 56 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,004. In addition to receiving other benefits, 21 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Miami. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s. Located in Coral Gables, Florida, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 63 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
U Miami also took the #4 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” ranking.Of the 17,809 students enrolled at University of Miami, 4 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $22,198. On top of their other funding sources, 2 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Miami does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 91%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at U Miami]](/colleges/university-of-miami/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida International University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s. This large school is located in Miami, Florida, and it awarded 243 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our florida bachelor’s degree vets studying parks & rec list, FIU has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1,079 of the 58,836 students enrolled at FIU were GI Bill® students, of which 606 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,771. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. FIU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Read More…
The University of West Florida ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. UWF is a public institution located in Pensacola, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 135 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UWF also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” list, coming in at #6.Our most recent data shows that 1,438 of the 13,061 students enrolled at The University of West Florida were GI Bill® students, of which 750 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,810. On top of their other funding sources, 7 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. The University of West Florida offers credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at UWF]](/colleges/the-university-of-west-florida/student-life/veterans/)
Florida Atlantic University ranked #7 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Boca Raton, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 175 students in 2020-2021.
FAU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” list.Among the 30,805 students enrolled at Florida Atlantic University, 708 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 397 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,153. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at FAU]](/colleges/florida-atlantic-university/student-life/veterans/)
Palm Beach Atlantic University ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Palm Beach Atlantic University is located in West Palm Beach, Florida and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our florida bachelor’s degree vets studying parks & rec list, Palm Beach Atlantic has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” ranking.Of the 3,704 students enrolled at Palm Beach Atlantic, 123 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 67 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $15,584. During this same period, 17 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Palm Beach Atlantic does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Palm Beach Atlantic Veteran Student Life Report
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Florida A&M University is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Florida A&M University, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 21 of the 9,184 students enrolled at Florida A&M University were GI Bill® students, of which 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,764. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University]](/colleges/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/student-life/veterans/)
Nova Southeastern University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 59 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
NUS Florida not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” list.Of the 20,888 students enrolled at NUS Florida, 522 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 335 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,213. In addition to receiving other benefits, 70 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 NUS Florida Veteran Student Life Report
University of North Florida ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Jacksonville, Florida, this fairly large public school awarded 89 degrees to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
UNF not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” list.Among the 16,926 students enrolled at UNF, 1,067 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 616 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,959. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UNF does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…
With a ranking of #12, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. UCF is a public institution located in Orlando, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UCF also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” list, coming in at #13.Of the 71,881 students enrolled at UCF, 2,263 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,216 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,995. To help with additional expenses, 8 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UCF offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full UCF Veteran Student Life Report
Saint Leo University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #13. St. Leo University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Leo, Florida. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
St. Leo University also took the #18 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 8 of the 9,832 students enrolled at St. Leo University were GI Bill® students, of which 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,916. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. St. Leo University offers credit for military training for eligible students.
Full St. Leo University Veteran Student Life Report
The University of Tampa did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. Tampa, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s parks and rec degrees to 58 students in 2020-2021.
UT not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” list.According to our most recent data, The University of Tampa supports 9,605 students, and 526 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 345 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,049. During this same period, 77 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. The University of Tampa does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 The University of Tampa Veteran Student Life Report
Florida Gulf Coast University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. Florida Gulf Coast University is a public institution located in Fort Myers, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 49 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
FGCU also took the #16 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” ranking.According to our most recent data, Florida Gulf Coast University supports 15,358 students, and 362 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 232 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,284. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Florida Gulf Coast University offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Florida Gulf Coast University Veteran Student Life Report
With a ranking of #16, Barry University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Miami, Florida, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Barry University also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” list, coming in at #10.Our most recent data shows that 22 of the 7,515 students enrolled at Barry University were GI Bill® students, of which 19 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $16,141. On top of their other funding sources, 12 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Barry University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Barry University]](/colleges/barry-university/student-life/veterans/)
Flagler College - St Augustine did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Saint Augustine, Florida, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Flagler St. Augustine also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” list, coming in at #.Our most recent data shows that 130 of the 2,687 students enrolled at Flagler St. Augustine were GI Bill® students, of which 73 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,461. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Flagler College - St Augustine Veteran Student Life Report
Southeastern University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Lakeland, Florida, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 48 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
SEU also took the #9 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” ranking.Of the 9,546 students enrolled at Southeastern University, 7 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,265. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Southeastern University]](/colleges/southeastern-university/student-life/veterans/)
Warner University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Florida for Parks & Rec for a Bachelor’s ranking. Warner University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lake Wales, Florida. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Warner University also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida” list, coming in at #17.According to our most recent data, Warner University supports 978 students, and 32 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 17 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,090. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Warner University]](/colleges/warner-university/student-life/veterans/)
Focus on a Specific Degree Level
North Carolina
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Veterans in North Carolina
Alabama
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Veterans in Alabama
Georgia
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Veterans in Georgia
Louisiana
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Veterans in Louisiana
South Carolina
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Veterans in South Carolina
Virginia
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Veterans in Virginia
West Virginia
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Veterans in West Virginia
Kentucky
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Veterans in Kentucky
Tennessee
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Veterans in Tennessee
Mississippi
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Veterans in Mississippi
Florida
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Veterans in Florida
Arkansas
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Veterans in Arkansas
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
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