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Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Plains States Region

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2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Plains States Region

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

14 Colleges
$20,582 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$31,508 Avg Salary

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.

It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. 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.

The Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Plains States Region ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 14 schools in the Plains States Region to see which programs offered the best value experiences for parks and rec students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.

In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.

2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Plains States Region

Check out the parks and rec programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.

Top 10 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools

$14,919 Average Tuition & Fees

Our 2023 rankings named Northwest Missouri State University the best value school in the Plains States Region for parks, recreation and leisure studies students. Northwest is a medium-sized public school located in the town of Maryville.

Northwest undergraduate students pay an average of $14,919 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Northwest Missouri State University Report

Out of the 14 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Winona State University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Winona State is a medium-sized public school located in the distant town of Winona.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Winona State are $16,684 a year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from Winona State carry an average student debtload of $25,447.

In addition to its great value ranking, Winona State is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Plains States Region list.

Full Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Winona State University Report

$15,320 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 14 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Nebraska at Kearney landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in the distant town of Kearney, UNK is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

UNK undergraduate students pay an average of $15,320 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at UNK accumulate an average of around $18,594 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $133, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Nebraska at Kearney

#4

Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg, KS
$19,088 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Pittsburg State University. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the distant town of Pittsburg, Pitt State is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Pitt State are $19,088 per year.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Pittsburg State University

#5

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means University of Northern Iowa is a great value for parks, recreation and leisure studies students. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, UNI is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UNI are $19,753 per year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from UNI carry an average student debtload of $23,469.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UNI also is in the top 10% of our Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Plains States Region ranking.

Full Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Northern Iowa Report

$14,918 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #6, Emporia State University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for parks, recreation and leisure studies students. ESU is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Emporia.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at ESU are $14,918 a year.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Emporia State University

$15,285 Average Tuition & Fees

Southeast Missouri State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Plains States Region list. Southeast Missouri State University is a medium-sized public school located in the small city of Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missouri State University undergraduate students pay an average of $15,285 in tuition and fees each year. Parks & Rec majors at Southeast Missouri State University take out an average of $18,821 in student loans while working on their egree.

Full Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Southeast Missouri State University Report

$21,718 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for parks, recreation and leisure studies students. It came in at #8 on the list. UNOMAHA is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Omaha.

UNOMAHA undergraduate students pay an average of $21,718 in tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at University of Nebraska at Omaha

$16,498 Average Tuition & Fees

Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for parks, recreation and leisure studies students. It came in at #9 on the list. Missouri State is a fairly large public school located in the city of Springfield.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Missouri State are $16,498 a year. While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Missouri State accumulate an average of around $25,316 in student debt.

Read More…

#10

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, MO
$18,640 Average Tuition & Fees

Lindenwood University landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value parks, recreation and leisure studies programs. Lindenwood University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Saint Charles.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Lindenwood University are $18,640 per year.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies at Lindenwood University

Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Colleges by State

Explore the best parks, recreation and leisure studies colleges for a specific state in the Plains States region.

State Degrees Awarded
Missouri 175
Minnesota 64
Kansas 25
Iowa 113
Nebraska 63
North Dakota 0
South Dakota 0

One of 4 majors within the area of study, parks, recreation and leisure studies has other similar majors worth exploring.

Majors Similar 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 14 schools only.

  • 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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