2026 Best Value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Graduate Certificate Degree Schools
Looking for the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies graduate certificate degree programs in the United States? Our ranking highlights 152 schools by value — the balance of cost and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. Each school below is scored on factors such as tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the strongest return on investment.
So you can compare your options, Course Advisor analyzed schools to build this 2026 value ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). View our full ranking methodology.
Top 25 Best-Value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Graduate Certificate Degree Schools in the United States
Explore the best-value schools below:
Our analysis found California State University Long Beach to be the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies school in the United States. Based in Long Beach, CA, California State University Long Beach is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,374, while out-of-state students pay about $19,974. Graduates carry a median of $14,500 in student loans. Graduates go on to earn a median of $64,403 ten years after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 46%. Get the full California State University Long Beach report
Out of the 152 schools in the United States in this year's value ranking, Atlanta Technical College landed the #2 spot. See the full Atlanta Technical College profile
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Messiah College earned it the #3 place in the United States. More on Messiah College
Northern Arizona University came in at #4 on this year's best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies ranking in the United States. Read the full report on Northern Arizona University
You'll get strong value at Frederick Community College, which ranked #5 this year. See the full Frederick Community College profile
Holmes Community College came in at #6 in this year's value ranking. See the full Holmes Community College profile
Temple University landed the #7 spot for value in the United States this year. Read more about Temple University
Olivet Nazarene University came in at #8 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Olivet Nazarene University report
Spring Arbor University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. See the full Spring Arbor University profile
Cuny Graduate School And University Center offered strong value this year, earning the #10 position. See the full Cuny Graduate School And University Center profile
California State University Northridge landed the #11 spot for value in the United States this year. Get the full California State University Northridge report
Gallaudet University came in at #12 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Gallaudet University report
York College Pennsylvania placed #13 among the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools in the United States. See the full York College Pennsylvania profile
Central Wyoming College came in at #14 in this year's value ranking. Read more about Central Wyoming College
Ohio University Southern Campus ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. Read the full report on Ohio University Southern Campus
Emporia State University placed #16 among the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools in the United States. Read the full report on Emporia State University
University Of Iowa placed #17 among the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools in the United States. Get the full University Of Iowa report
Depaul University ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. More on Depaul University
Eastern Washington University landed the #19 spot for value in the United States this year. More on Eastern Washington University
University Of Toledo came in at #20 in this year's value ranking. Read the full report on University Of Toledo
Garrett College
Garrett College offered strong value this year, earning the #21 position. Read more about Garrett College
University Of Minnesota Duluth came in at #22 in this year's value ranking. See the full University Of Minnesota Duluth profile
Red Rocks Community College placed #23 among the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools in the United States. See the full Red Rocks Community College profile
Suny College At Cortland ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. See the full Suny College At Cortland profile
San Jose State University came in at #25 in this year's value ranking. Read the full report on San Jose State University
Rest of the Top 50 Best-Value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Graduate Certificate Degree Schools in the United States
These schools also delivered strong value this year:
Shaw University
Shaw University offered strong value this year, earning the #26 position. Read the full report on Shaw University
University Of Arkansas came in at #27 in this year's value ranking. Read the full report on University Of Arkansas
Western Washington University ranked #28 on our 2026 list of the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. Read the full report on Western Washington University
Catawba College
Catawba College came in at #29 in this year's value ranking. Read the full report on Catawba College
Salem State University placed #30 among the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools in the United States. See the full Salem State University profile
Arizona State University Skysong landed the #31 spot for value in the United States this year. Read more about Arizona State University Skysong
Indiana University Bloomington landed the #32 spot for value in the United States this year. Read the full report on Indiana University Bloomington
East Carolina University ranked #33 on our 2026 list of the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. More on East Carolina University
Pittsburg State University landed the #34 spot for value in the United States this year. Get the full Pittsburg State University report
Northwest Missouri State University offered strong value this year, earning the #35 position. Read the full report on Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest College came in at #36 in this year's value ranking. More on Northwest College
San Francisco State University came in at #37 in this year's value ranking. Read more about San Francisco State University
West Virginia University Institute Of Technology came in at #38 in this year's value ranking. Read the full report on West Virginia University Institute Of Technology
University Of Nevada Las Vegas came in at #39 in this year's value ranking. Get the full University Of Nevada Las Vegas report
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign offered strong value this year, earning the #40 position. Read the full report on University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign
Alaska Pacific University landed the #41 spot for value in the United States this year. See the full Alaska Pacific University profile
Brigham Young University Provo offered strong value this year, earning the #42 position. See the full Brigham Young University Provo profile
Texas A And M University College Station landed the #43 spot for value in the United States this year. More on Texas A And M University College Station
Allan Hancock College ranked #44 on our 2026 list of the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. See the full Allan Hancock College profile
Ohio University Chillicothe Campus ranked #45 on our 2026 list of the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools. More on Ohio University Chillicothe Campus
Radford University placed #46 among the best-value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies schools in the United States. Read more about Radford University
Central Arizona College landed the #47 spot for value in the United States this year. Get the full Central Arizona College report
Shepherd University landed the #48 spot for value in the United States this year. Get the full Shepherd University report
Western Michigan University offered strong value this year, earning the #49 position. See the full Western Michigan University profile
Tompkins Cortland Community College landed the #50 spot for value in the United States this year. See the full Tompkins Cortland Community College profile
Related Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Value Rankings
Compare value rankings at other degree levels:
- Best Value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Schools (All Levels)
- Best Value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Undergraduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Associate’s Degree Schools
- Best Value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools
- Best Value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Master’s Degree Schools
- Best Value Parks Recreation Leisure Studies Doctoral Degree Schools
Ranking Methodology & Notes
This list is compiled by Course Advisor (DMS_RANKING_2023), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment — drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 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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