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Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Illinois

2023 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Illinois

4 Colleges
$35,875 Avg Salary
$20,682 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies School for You

With 196 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, parks, recreation and leisure studies is the #117 most popular major in Illinois.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Illinois ranking. This report analyzed 4 schools in Illinois to see which ones offered the best programs for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Illinois

The colleges and universities below are the best for parks and rec majors pursuing a .

Top Illinois Schools in Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies

Our 2023 rankings named University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign the best school in Illinois for parks, recreation and leisure studies students. Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public school with a fairly large student population.

While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at UIUC accumulate an average of around $20,500 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $226.

Full Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Report

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#2

Aurora University

Aurora, IL

A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Aurora University is a great place for parks, recreation and leisure studies students. Aurora is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Aurora.

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Out of the 4 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the # 3 spot on the list. SIUC is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Carbondale.

After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from SIUC carry an average student debtload of $20,864.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

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#4

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, IL

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Olivet Nazarene University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Illinois list. Located in the suburb of Bourbonnais, Olivet Nazarene is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

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Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Colleges in the Great Lakes Region

Explore all the Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Michigan 16
Ohio 101
Indiana 161

Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies is one of 4 different types of programs to choose from.

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 4 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.

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