Parks & Rec

Types of Degrees Parks & Rec Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many parks, recreation & leisure studies graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	1,872
Associate Degree	177
Master’s Degree	174
Basic Certificate	97
Undergraduate Certificate	24
Doctor’s Degree	14
Graduate Certificate	3

What Parks & Rec Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, parks & rec majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Parks & Rec Majors

Parks & Rec majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Parks & Rec Majors

A major in parks & rec prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Abilities for Parks & Rec Majors

A major in parks & rec will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

What Can You Do With a Parks & Rec Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with parks & rec:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Recreation and Fitness Studies Professors	9.7%	$62,620

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Parks & Rec?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 2,584 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies in 2021, making it rank #124 in popularity. According to recent stats this major attracts about equal numbers of men and women. Roughly 54% of the graduates are women, and 46% are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of parks & rec majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	77
Black or African American	170
Hispanic or Latino	206
White	1,255
International Students	26
Other Races/Ethnicities	138

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Parks & Rec, too. About 1.4% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Parks & Rec

Some degrees associated with parks & rec may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for parks & rec careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree	5.1%
Master’s Degree	21.0%
Doctoral Degree	74.9%

Online Parks & Rec Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	9	1
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	33	6
Bachelor’s Degree	3	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	24	3
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	4	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	1	0

Majors Related to Parks & Rec

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to parks & rec.

Major	Number of Grads
Health & Physical Education	65,385
Recreation Administration	2,492
Outdoor Education	277
Other Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies	232

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.