2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree School for You
Out of all the majors we analyze each year, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies was ranked #15 in the country. In fact 73,813 degrees and certificates were handed out in 2020-2021.
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. This report analyzed 73 schools in the Plains States Region to see which ones offered the best bachelor's degree programs for students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school is, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.
View our full ranking methodology.
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2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
Check out the parks and rec bachelor's degree programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 10 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Maryville University of Saint Louis the best school in the Plains States Region for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, Maryville U is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at South Dakota State University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in the Plains States Region . Located in the remote town of Brookings, South Dakota State is a public school with a large student population.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Saint Cloud State University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the small city of Saint Cloud, St. Cloud State University is a public college with a large student population.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Saint Cloud State University Report
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Dickinson State University is a great place for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. DSU is a small public school located in the town of Dickinson.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Dickinson State University
Out of the 73 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Simpson College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Simpson College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Indianola.
University of North Dakota ranked #6 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the small city of Grand Forks, UND is a public college with a large student population.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of North Dakota
With a ranking of #7, Bethel University Minnesota did quite well on this year’s best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students working on their bachelor’s degree. Bethel University Minnesota is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Paul.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Bethel University Minnesota
Gustavus Adolphus College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list. Gustavus Adolphus is a small private not-for-profit school located in the fringe town of Saint Peter.
Cornell College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs. Cornell College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the fringe town of Mount Vernon.
Northwestern College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #10 on the list. NWC is a small private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of Orange City.
Additional Noteworthy Schools
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Winona State University | Winona, MN |
| 12 | Kansas State University | Manhattan, KS |
| 13 | Minnesota State University - Mankato | Mankato, MN |
| 14 | North Dakota State University - Main Campus | Fargo, ND |
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges by State
Explore the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies colleges for a specific state in the Plains States region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Kansas | 710 |
| Minnesota | 1,139 |
| Iowa | 1,491 |
| South Dakota | 342 |
| Missouri | 1,342 |
| Nebraska | 429 |
| North Dakota | 266 |
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Rankings in the Plains States Region
Rankings in Majors Related to Parks & Rec
Parks & Rec Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health & Physical Education | 67,146 |
| Recreation Administration | 3,122 |
| Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies | 3,106 |
| Outdoor Education | 265 |
| Other Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies | 174 |
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting | 142,610 |
| Public Administration & Social Service | 98,583 |
| Legal Professions | 61,055 |
| Military Technologies & Applied Sciences | 4,477 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to NPS Photo/Zurbuch.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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