2026 Best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Certificate Degree Schools
Looking for the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies certificate degree programs in the United States? Our ranking highlights 152 schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. Each school below is scored on factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and admissions selectivity.
To help you make your decision, Course Advisor reviewed schools to produce this 2026 ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). View our full ranking methodology.
Top 25 Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Certificate Degree Schools in the United States
Here are the top-ranked schools:
Texas A And M University College Station tops our 2026 ranking of the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies certificate degree schools in the United States. Texas A And M University College Station is a public school based in College Station, TX. About 84% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $12,995, compared with $40,124 for out-of-state students. The median Parks Recreation Leisure Studies program debt is $20,031. Get the full Texas A And M University College Station report
A rank of #2 makes Pittsburg State University one of the top choices in the United States. Pittsburg State University is a public school based in Pittsburg, KS. Roughly 51% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,400, with out-of-state students paying around $19,744. Typical Parks Recreation Leisure Studies student debt is $19,661. See the full Pittsburg State University profile
You'll be in good company at Northern Arizona University, which ranked #3 this year. Based in Flagstaff, AZ, Northern Arizona University is a public institution. Roughly 61% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $12,619 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,044. Typical Parks Recreation Leisure Studies student debt is $21,500. Get the full Northern Arizona University report
You'll be in good company at Radford University, which ranked #4 this year. Read more about Radford University
Out of the 152 schools in the United States in this year's ranking, Bethune Cookman University landed the #5 spot. Read the full report on Bethune Cookman University
Metropolitan State College Of Denver landed the #6 spot in the United States this year. More on Metropolitan State College Of Denver
University Of Toledo came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Get the full University Of Toledo report
Houghton College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. Read the full report on Houghton College
Central Arizona College did well this year, earning the #9 position. See the full Central Arizona College profile
Cuny Kingsborough Community College came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Read the full report on Cuny Kingsborough Community College
Brevard College
Brevard College landed the #11 spot in the United States this year. Read more about Brevard College
University Of Alaska Southeast ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. Read the full report on University Of Alaska Southeast
Cuny Lehman College landed the #13 spot in the United States this year. Read the full report on Cuny Lehman College
Atlanta Technical College did well this year, earning the #14 position. See the full Atlanta Technical College profile
University Of Utah placed #15 among Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools in the United States. More on University Of Utah
Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins came in at #16 in this year's ranking. See the full Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins profile
Georgia Southern University did well this year, earning the #17 position. Get the full Georgia Southern University report
Suny College At Plattsburgh ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. See the full Suny College At Plattsburgh profile
California State University Long Beach ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. More on California State University Long Beach
Alaska Pacific University placed #20 among Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools in the United States. Read more about Alaska Pacific University
Clemson University ranked #21 on our 2026 list of the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. See the full Clemson University profile
Jacksonville State University landed the #22 spot in the United States this year. Get the full Jacksonville State University report
Springfield College placed #23 among Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools in the United States. Read more about Springfield College
Warren County Community College landed the #24 spot in the United States this year. See the full Warren County Community College profile
Western State College Of Colorado ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. See the full Western State College Of Colorado profile
Rest of the Top 50 Best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Certificate Degree Schools in the United States
These schools also placed among the very best this year:
Arizona State University Skysong came in at #26 in this year's ranking. Read the full report on Arizona State University Skysong
Corning Community College did well this year, earning the #27 position. Read the full report on Corning Community College
Holmes Community College landed the #28 spot in the United States this year. Read more about Holmes Community College
Lindenwood University landed the #29 spot in the United States this year. More on Lindenwood University
Dakota College At Bottineau placed #30 among Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools in the United States. See the full Dakota College At Bottineau profile
Grambling State University ranked #31 on our 2026 list of the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. See the full Grambling State University profile
Southeast Missouri State University ranked #32 on our 2026 list of the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. More on Southeast Missouri State University
University Of South Alabama landed the #33 spot in the United States this year. Read more about University Of South Alabama
Northwest College did well this year, earning the #34 position. Read the full report on Northwest College
California State University East Bay placed #35 among Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools in the United States. Read the full report on California State University East Bay
Baker University
Baker University came in at #36 in this year's ranking. Read more about Baker University
Kutztown University Of Pennsylvania landed the #37 spot in the United States this year. Read more about Kutztown University Of Pennsylvania
Miami University Oxford came in at #38 in this year's ranking. Get the full Miami University Oxford report
William Jewell College came in at #39 in this year's ranking. More on William Jewell College
Alcorn State University ranked #40 on our 2026 list of the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. See the full Alcorn State University profile
Benedict College
Benedict College came in at #41 in this year's ranking. Read more about Benedict College
El Camino Community College District ranked #42 on our 2026 list of the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. Read more about El Camino Community College District
Concordia University Wisconsin came in at #43 in this year's ranking. More on Concordia University Wisconsin
Frostburg State University came in at #44 in this year's ranking. Read more about Frostburg State University
Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus did well this year, earning the #45 position. See the full Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus profile
Shaw University
Shaw University ranked #46 on our 2026 list of the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. Read more about Shaw University
Suny College At Cortland ranked #47 on our 2026 list of the best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. See the full Suny College At Cortland profile
Gordon College
Gordon College placed #48 among Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools in the United States. Read more about Gordon College
University Of Nebraska At Kearney landed the #49 spot in the United States this year. Get the full University Of Nebraska At Kearney report
Depaul University came in at #50 in this year's ranking. See the full Depaul University profile
Related Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Rankings
Compare rankings at other degree levels:
- Best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Schools (All Levels)
- Best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Undergraduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Associate’s Degree Schools
- Best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools
- Best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Graduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Master’s Degree Schools
- Best Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Doctoral Degree Schools
Ranking Methodology & Notes
The ranking above is published by Course Advisor (DMS_RANKING_2023), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and admissions data drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: Dms College Quality · Scope: Nation. *Averages shown above reflect the top 152 ranked schools only.
References
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (core institutional data).
- College Scorecard — U.S. Department of Education (graduate earnings and outcomes data).
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