2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Pennsylvania
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for You
With 2,734 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies is the #15 most popular major in Pennsylvania.
Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. 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 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 Pennsylvania ranking. Our analysis looked at 25 schools in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
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 analysis found Robert Morris University to be the best school for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students who want to pursue a degree in Pennsylvania. RMU is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Moon Township.
On average, parks and rec graduates from RMU take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Robert Morris University
Request Information
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Pennsylvania list. SRU is a medium-sized public school located in the town of Slippery Rock.
While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at SRU accumulate an average of around $26,500 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $375, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Request Information
Out of the 25 schools in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, Drexel University landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Drexel is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
On average, parks and rec graduates from Drexel take out $29,667 in student loans while working on their degree.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Drexel University
Request Information
Out of the 25 schools in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, Cabrini University landed the # 4 spot on the list. Cabrini University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Radnor.
Parks & Rec majors at Cabrini University take out an average of $26,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Cabrini University Report
Request Information
Out of the 25 schools in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, York College of Pennsylvania landed the # 5 spot on the list. YCP is a small private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized suburb of York.
After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from YCP carry an average student debtload of $27,000. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $628.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at York College of Pennsylvania Report
Request Information
West Chester University of Pennsylvania landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs. Located in the suburb of West Chester, WCUPA is a public school with a fairly large student population.
Request Information
With a ranking of #7, Temple University did quite well on this year’s best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Temple is a public school with a fairly large student population.
The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Temple take out is $26,000. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $384.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Temple University
Request Information
With a ranking of #8, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania did quite well on this year’s best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the small city of Bloomsburg, Bloomsburg is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Bloomsburg accumulate an average of around $26,875 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $368, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Request Information
Lock Haven University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in the distant town of Lock Haven, LHU is a public school with a small student population.
On average, parks and rec graduates from LHU take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $254.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Lock Haven University
Request Information
California University of Pennsylvania came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Cal U is a medium-sized public school located in the suburb of California.
The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Cal U take out is $32,130. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $169.
Request InformationBest Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region
Explore all the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | 1,047 |
| New York | 2,477 |
| Maryland | 832 |
| Delaware | 342 |
| District of Columbia | 319 |
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Rankings in Pennsylvania
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 |
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 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.