2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Far Western US Region
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for You
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies is the #15 most popular major in the country with 73,813 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.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. This report analyzed 55 schools in the Far Western US Region to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for parks and rec majors pursuing a .
Top 10 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
Our 2023 rankings named International Sports Sciences Association the best school in the Far Western US Region for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the medium-sized suburb of Carpinteria, ISSA is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
Parks & Rec majors at ISSA take out an average of $17,163 in student loans while working on their egree.
Request Information
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo.
After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo carry an average student debtload of $17,428. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $299.
Request Information
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Westmont College is a great place for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara, Westmont is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Westmont take out is $25,500. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $583.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Westmont College
Request Information
The excellent programs at Concordia University, Irvine helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in the Far Western US Region . Concordia University, Irvine is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Irvine.
On average, parks and rec graduates from Concordia University, Irvine take out $26,000 in student loans while working on their degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $602.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Concordia University, Irvine Report
Request Information
Southern California Health Institute ranked #6 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in the large city of Reseda, SOCHI is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from SOCHI carry an average student debtload of $9,500. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $56, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Southern California Health Institute Report
Request Information
University of Puget Sound ranked #7 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Puget Sound is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tacoma.
Parks & Rec majors at Puget Sound take out an average of $23,414 in student loans while working on their egree.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Puget Sound Report
Request Information
With a ranking of #8, San Jose State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. San Jose State is a fairly large public school located in the city of San Jose.
Request Information
Eastern Washington University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in the town of Cheney, EWU is a public college with a large student population.
The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at EWU take out is $19,000.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Eastern Washington University
Request Information
Washington State University landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs. Wazzu is a fairly large public school located in the distant town of Pullman.
On average, parks and rec graduates from Wazzu take out $23,750 in student loans while working on their degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $456, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Washington State University Report
Request InformationBest Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges by State
Explore the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools for a specific state in the Far Western US region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| California | 11,237 |
| Washington | 673 |
| Oregon | 629 |
| Hawaii | 171 |
| Nevada | 273 |
| Alaska | 35 |
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Rankings in the Far Western US Region
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Related Rankings by Major
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 |
Majors Similar to Parks & Rec
| 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.
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.