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2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s

10 Ranked Colleges
584 Degrees Awarded
$42,850 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master's

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, veterans have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 Pennsylvania, there were 2,752 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,681 and $27,043 respectively.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s” ranking analyzed 10 colleges that offered a degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs as well as strong veteran support.

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.

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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 “Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s”.

Top 10 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Pennsylvania

1
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Out of the 10 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Drexel University landed the #1 spot on the list. Drexel University is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 masters’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.

Drexel also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #4.Our most recent data shows that 2 of the 23,589 students enrolled at Drexel University were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Drexel University]](/colleges/drexel-university/student-life/veterans/)

2

Out of the 10 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, California University of Pennsylvania landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in California, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school handed out 275 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Cal U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list.Our most recent data shows that 340 of the 6,885 students enrolled at California University of Pennsylvania were GI Bill® students, of which 201 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,252. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full California University of Pennsylvania Veteran Student Life Report

3
WCUPA crest
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
West Chester, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend West Chester University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s list. West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a fairly large school located in West Chester, Pennsylvania that handed out 11 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

WCUPA also made our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #5.Among the 17,719 students enrolled at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, 390 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 208 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,155. On top of their other funding sources, 9 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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 West Chester University of Pennsylvania Veteran Student Life Report

4
Temple crest
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Temple University. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large public school awarded 73 degrees to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

Temple did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list.Among the 37,236 students enrolled at Temple, 830 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 510 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,479. In addition to receiving other benefits, 9 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Temple 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read More…

5
Millersville crest
Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Millersville, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Millersville University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s list. Millersville University of Pennsylvania is a public institution located in Millersville, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Millersville also took the #10 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 191 of the 7,456 students enrolled at Millersville were GI Bill® students, of which 98 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,546. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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 Millersville]](/colleges/millersville-university-of-pennsylvania/student-life/veterans/)

6
LHU crest
Lock Haven University
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #6, Lock Haven University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s list. Located in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, this small public school handed out 45 diplomas to qualified masters’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.

LHU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list.According to our most recent data, Lock Haven University supports 3,163 students, and 129 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 53 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,581. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full LHU Veteran Student Life Report

7

Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. Indiana, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 51 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania master’s degree vets studying parks & rec list, IUP has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking.According to our most recent data, Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus supports 10,037 students, and 298 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 109 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,600. To help with additional expenses, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

8
East Stroudsburg University crest
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #8. This medium-sized school is located in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 31 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at East Stroudsburg University, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking.Among the 5,835 students enrolled at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, 155 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 60 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,861. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania Veteran Student Life Report

9
SRU crest
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 20 masters’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania master’s degree vets studying parks & rec list, SRU has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking.According to our most recent data, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania supports 8,860 students, and 313 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 136 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,015. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania does offer 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 SRU Veteran Student Life Report

10
Gannon crest
Gannon University
Erie, Pennsylvania

Gannon University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Parks & Rec for a Master’s ranking. Erie, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s parks and rec degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.

Gannon also took the #8 spot in our “Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking.According to our most recent data, Gannon University supports 4,251 students, and 51 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 31 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,740. To help with additional expenses, 11 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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 85%.

Read More…

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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