2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec
18
Ranked Colleges
2,772
Degrees Awarded
$23,700
Avg Cost*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for veterans. 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 the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec” 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 the Rocky Mountains region, there were 2,772 parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,911 and $19,677 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec” ranking analyzed 18 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.
More Ways to Rank Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
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 the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec
The colleges and universities below are the best for rocky mountains region vets studying parks & rec.
Top 18 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Rocky Mountains Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Utah. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec list. This large school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 382 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
U of U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 33,081 students enrolled at U of U were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. 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.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read More…
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Colorado State University - Fort Collins. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec list. Colorado State University - Fort Collins is a public institution located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The school has a large population, and it awarded 326 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Colorado State also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 32,428 students enrolled at Colorado State University - Fort Collins, 1,606 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,183 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,701. During this same period, 68 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 85%, 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 Colorado State Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Metropolitan State University of Denver. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec. Metropolitan State University of Denver is a fairly large school located in Denver, Colorado that handed out 127 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at MSU Denver, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 19,086 students enrolled at Metropolitan State University of Denver, 1,222 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 867 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,619. To help with additional expenses, 7 students received scholarships through 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 MSU Denver]](/colleges/metropolitan-state-college-of-denver/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wyoming. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec. University of Wyoming is a public institution located in Laramie, Wyoming. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 97 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 11,829 students enrolled at University of Wyoming, 473 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 255 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,738. To help with additional expenses, 13 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%.
Full UW Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Boise State University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec. Located in Boise, Idaho, this large public school handed out 97 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Boise State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Boise State supports 24,069 students, and 1,134 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 798 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,559. 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 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%.
Read More…
Utah State University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec list. This large school is located in Logan, Utah, and it awarded 131 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our rocky mountains region vets studying parks & rec list, USU has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Utah State University supports 27,691 students, and 3 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $285. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Utah State 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%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Utah State University]](/colleges/utah-state-university/student-life/veterans/)
University of Northern Colorado ranked #7 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec list. University of Northern Colorado is located in Greeley, Colorado and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 202 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
University of Northern Colorado also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 11,460 students enrolled at University of Northern Colorado, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 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 impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Northern Colorado Veteran Student Life Report
Southern Utah University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec ranking. Southern Utah University is located in Cedar City, Utah and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 117 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Southern Utah University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 534 of the 12,582 students enrolled at Southern Utah University were GI Bill® students, of which 378 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $24,076. 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 Southern Utah University]](/colleges/southern-utah-university/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #9, Colorado Mesa University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec list. Grand Junction, Colorado is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 151 students in 2020-2021.
Colorado Mesa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 9,110 students enrolled at Colorado Mesa University, 439 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 196 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,707. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through 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 Colorado Mesa]](/colleges/mesa-state-college/student-life/veterans/)
Utah Valley University ranked #10 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec list. Orem, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 133 students in 2020-2021.
UVU also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 40,936 students enrolled at Utah Valley University, 813 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 379 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,550. 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 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%.
Read More…
With a ranking of #11, Brigham Young University - Provo did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec list. BYU is a large school located in Provo, Utah that handed out 267 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
BYU also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 368 of the 36,461 students enrolled at Brigham Young University - Provo were GI Bill® students, of which 220 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,856. 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.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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 Brigham Young University - Provo Veteran Student Life Report
Weber State University ranked #12 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec list. Weber State University is a public institution located in Ogden, Utah. The school has a large population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
WSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 29,596 students enrolled at WSU, 747 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 472 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,815. 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 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 #13, University of Idaho did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec list. U of I is a public institution located in Moscow, Idaho. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 47 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
U of I did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 10,791 students enrolled at U of I, 382 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 248 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,784. To help with additional expenses, 29 students qualified for 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 University of Idaho Veteran Student Life Report
Colorado State University - Pueblo did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #14. This medium-sized school is located in Pueblo, Colorado, and it awarded 40 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our rocky mountains region vets studying parks & rec list, Colorado State University - Pueblo has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 21 of the 5,925 students enrolled at Colorado State University - Pueblo were GI Bill® students, of which 11 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,707. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Colorado State University - Pueblo offers credit for military training for eligible students.
Read More…
Adams State University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec ranking. Alamosa, Colorado is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 70 students in 2020-2021.
Adams State also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, Adams State University supports 3,164 students, and 142 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 98 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,465. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Adams State University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Adams State Veteran Student Life Report
Fort Lewis College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec ranking. Located in Durango, Colorado, this small public school awarded 65 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
FLC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Fort Lewis College supports 3,469 students, and 101 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 53 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,268. During this same period, 6 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full FLC Veteran Student Life Report
Western Colorado University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec ranking. Western Colorado University is located in Gunnison, Colorado and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 57 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our rocky mountains region vets studying parks & rec list, Western has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 75 of the 3,203 students enrolled at Western Colorado University were GI Bill® students, of which 46 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,543. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Western Colorado University]](/colleges/western-state-college-of-colorado/student-life/veterans/)
Brigham Young University - Idaho did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Rocky Mountains Region for Parks & Rec ranking, coming in at #18. Rexburg, Idaho is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 46 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at BYU - I, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 44,481 students enrolled at BYU - I, 471 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 200 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,677. 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 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 full report on veteran student life at Brigham Young University - Idaho]](/colleges/brigham-young-university-idaho/student-life/veterans/)
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Southeast
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Southeast Region
Rocky Mountains
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Rocky Mountains Region
Middle Atlantic
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Middle Atlantic Region
Southwest
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Southwest Region
New England
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region
Plains States
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region
Far Western US
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Far Western US Region
Great Lakes
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region
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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
college factual
