2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Michigan
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for You
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies is the #13 most popular major in Michigan with 2,279 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Michigan ranking. Our analysis looked at 18 schools in Michigan to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in Michigan
The following schools top our list of the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges.
Top 10 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
Our 2023 rankings named University of Michigan - Ann Arbor the best school in Michigan for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public school with a fairly large student population.
While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at U-M accumulate an average of around $17,507 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $531.
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Out of the 18 schools in Michigan that were part of this year’s ranking, Michigan State University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Michigan State is a very large public school located in the small city of East Lansing.
While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Michigan State accumulate an average of around $25,926 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $408, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Out of the 18 schools in Michigan that were part of this year’s ranking, Hope College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Hope is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Holland.
Parks & Rec majors at Hope take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Davenport University. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Michigan list. Davenport University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Grand Rapids.
The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Davenport University take out is $29,375.
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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Saginaw Valley State University is a great place for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the midsize suburb of University Center, Saginaw Valley State University is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Saginaw Valley State University accumulate an average of around $30,096 in student debt.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Saginaw Valley State University Report
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Grand Valley State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Michigan ranking. Located in the large suburb of Allendale, GVSU is a public school with a fairly large student population.
The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at GVSU take out is $27,000. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $303.
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Adrian College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs. Located in the town of Adrian, Adrian is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from Adrian carry an average student debtload of $27,000. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $514, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Northwood University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in the city of Midland, Northwood is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
On average, parks and rec graduates from Northwood take out $25,475 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Cornerstone University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Michigan list. Located in the midsize city of Grand Rapids, Cornerstone is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
On average, parks and rec graduates from Cornerstone take out $26,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Cornerstone University Report
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With a ranking of #10, Central Michigan University did quite well on this year’s best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Central Michigan is a large public school located in the town of Mount Pleasant.
After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from Central Michigan carry an average student debtload of $29,000. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $259, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Request InformationBest Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
Explore all the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Indiana | 1,818 |
| Ohio | 2,647 |
| Illinois | 2,396 |
| Wisconsin | 1,001 |
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Rankings in Michigan
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 Majors Related 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 18 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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