2023 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies School for You
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies is the #169 most popular major in the country with 3,106 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This report analyzed 10 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Check out the parks and rec programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 10 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools
Our 2023 rankings named University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign the best school in the Great Lakes Region for parks, recreation and leisure studies students. UIUC is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Champaign.
On average, parks and rec graduates from UIUC take out $20,500 in student loans while working on their degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $226, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Request Information
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Indiana University - Bloomington. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the city of Bloomington, IU Bloomington is a public school with a fairly large student population.
While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at IU Bloomington accumulate an average of around $19,500 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $478, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Request Information
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Ohio University - Athens Campus is a great place for parks, recreation and leisure studies students. OHIO Athens is a very large public school located in the town of Athens.
On average, parks and rec graduates from OHIO Athens take out $24,499 in student loans while working on their degree.
Full Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Ohio University - Athens Campus Report
Request Information
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Miami University - Oxford. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Miami University - Oxford is a large public school located in the fringe town of Oxford.
Full Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Miami University - Oxford Report
Request Information
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bowling Green State University - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the town of Bowling Green, BGSU is a public school with a fairly large student population.
After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from BGSU carry an average student debtload of $25,873. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $513, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Request Information
Aurora University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the large suburb of Aurora, Aurora is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
Request Information
Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for parks, recreation and leisure studies students. It came in at #7 on the list. Located in the small city of Carbondale, SIUC is a public school with a large student population.
Parks & Rec majors at SIUC take out an average of $20,864 in student loans while working on their egree.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Request Information
Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for parks, recreation and leisure studies students. It came in at #8 on the list. Olivet Nazarene is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Bourbonnais.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Olivet Nazarene University
Request Information
Northern Michigan University landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best parks, recreation and leisure studies programs. Northern Michigan University is a medium-sized public school located in the remote town of Marquette.
On average, parks and rec graduates from Northern Michigan University take out $18,420 in student loans while working on their degree.
Full Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Northern Michigan University Report
Request Information
University of Toledo came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Toledo is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Toledo.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Toledo
Request InformationBest Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Colleges by State
Explore the best parks, recreation and leisure studies schools for a specific state in the Great Lakes region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 16 |
| Ohio | 101 |
| Illinois | 196 |
| Indiana | 161 |
More Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Rankings in the Great Lakes Region
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Related Rankings by Major
One of 4 majors within the area of study, parks, recreation and leisure studies has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Majors Related to Parks & Rec
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health & Physical Education | 67,146 |
| Recreation Administration | 3,122 |
| Outdoor Education | 265 |
| Other Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies | 174 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 10 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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 the rest 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.