Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies

Types of Degrees Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many parks, recreation and leisure studies graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	2,584
Master’s Degree	198
Associate Degree	168
Basic Certificate	112
Undergraduate Certificate	36
Doctor’s Degree	7
Graduate Certificate	1

What Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, parks and 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

This major prepares you for careers in which these 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

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to parks and rec:

• 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

Parks and Rec majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• 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, Recreation & Leisure Studies Major?

People with a parks and rec degree often go into the following careers:

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, Recreation & Leisure Studies?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 2,584 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies in 2021, making it rank #124 in popularity. This major is dominated by women with about 56% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	99
Black or African American	243
Hispanic or Latino	280
White	1,717
International Students	57
Other Races/Ethnicities	188

Geographic Diversity

Parks & Rec appeals to people across the globe. About 2.2% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• South Korea
• Japan
• Canada
• Taiwan

How Much Do Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

The median early-career salary of parks, recreation and leisure studies students with a bachelor’s degree is $31,674 a year according to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $28,172 (25th percentile) and $34,398 (75th percentile).

It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in parks and rec, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Parks and Rec majors often go into careers with median salaries of $72,190. This median refers to all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies

Some degrees associated with parks and 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.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to parks and rec have obtained the following education levels.

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

Online Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 167 schools offered some type of parks, recreation and leisure studies program. 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)	10	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	36	5
Bachelor’s Degree	3	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	27	3
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	6	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	1	0

Is a Degree in Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Worth It?

The median salary for a parks and rec grad is $72,190 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 81% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $645,800 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies

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

Major	Number of Grads
Health & Physical Education	67,146
Recreation Administration	3,122
Outdoor Education	265
Other Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies	174

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.