Best Colleges for Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies

Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies programs prepare students for careers in community recreation, outdoor education, and tourism management. With 54 schools offering this major nationwide, graduates typically earn around $30,212 annually in entry-level positions. When evaluating programs, students should prioritize hands-on learning opportunities through internships and fieldwork experiences. Look for curricula that balance theoretical foundations with practical skills in program planning, facility management, and customer service. Strong programs often feature partnerships with local parks departments, recreation centers, and tourism organizations. Consider schools with access to outdoor recreation facilities and those offering specialized tracks in areas like therapeutic recreation, sports management, or environmental education to enhance career prospects.

Schools Ranked

$34,266

Avg. Program Earnings

63.6%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 25 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Median Earnings	Graduation Rate	School Type
1	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, Arizona	$41,565	67.8%	public
2	California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, California	$38,751	55.8%	public
3	California State University-Chico Chico, California	$38,072	63.6%	public
4	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, Illinois	$37,568	84.9%	public
5	Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, Colorado	$36,992	29.9%	public
6	University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa	$36,150	73.1%	public
7	Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, Texas	$35,461	83.8%	public
8	University of Nebraska at Kearney Kearney, Nebraska	$35,416	59.8%	public
9	California State University-Fresno Fresno, California	$35,240	54.8%	public
10	Brigham Young University Provo, Utah	$35,060	82.2%	private-nonprofit
11	Indiana University-Bloomington Bloomington, Indiana	$35,060	81.2%	public
12	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, California	$34,942	69.9%	public
13	Winona State University Winona, Minnesota	$33,993	60.9%	public
14	University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, Iowa	$33,138	68.9%	public
15	University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, Missouri	$33,043	76.2%	public
16	Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown, Pennsylvania	$33,022	54.1%	public
17	Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan	$32,569	57.8%	public
18	Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, Arizona	$32,569	56.9%	public
19	Calvin University Grand Rapids, Michigan	$32,029	77.4%	private-nonprofit
20	Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Beach, Virginia	$31,851	49.1%	private-nonprofit
21	San Francisco State University San Francisco, California	$31,314	50.1%	public
22	Oregon State University Corvallis, Oregon	$30,771	70.6%	public
23	Oregon State University-Cascades Campus Bend, Oregon	$30,771	51.2%	public
24	University of South Dakota Vermillion, South Dakota	$30,650	61.4%	public
25	Radford University Radford, Virginia	$30,650	49.6%	public