2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in North Carolina
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for You
With 3,436 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies is the #11 most popular major in North Carolina.
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 Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in North Carolina ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 25 schools in North Carolina 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 North Carolina
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 analysis found North Carolina State University to be the best school for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students who want to pursue a degree in North Carolina. NC State is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Raleigh.
After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from NC State carry an average student debtload of $22,134. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $206.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of North Carolina at Wilmington. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in North Carolina list. Located in the city of Wilmington, UNCW is a public school with a fairly large student population.
After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from UNCW carry an average student debtload of $22,750.
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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a great place for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. UNC Chapel Hill is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Chapel Hill.
Parks & Rec majors at UNC Chapel Hill take out an average of $17,500 in student loans while working on their egree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $307, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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The excellent programs at Wake Forest University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in North Carolina. Wake Forest University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Winston-Salem.
Parks & Rec majors at Wake Forest University take out an average of $19,500 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 Appalachian State University. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in North Carolina list. Located in the distant town of Boone, Appalachian State is a public school with a fairly large student population.
The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Appalachian State take out is $20,528. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $259.
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University of North Carolina at Greensboro came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in North Carolina ranking. UNC Greensboro is a fairly large public school located in the city of Greensboro.
While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at UNC Greensboro accumulate an average of around $25,552 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $160.
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With a ranking of #7, Western Carolina University did quite well on this year’s best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. WCU is a fairly large public school located in the town of Cullowhee.
Parks & Rec majors at WCU take out an average of $23,666 in student loans while working on their egree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $283.
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East Carolina University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in North Carolina ranking. Located in the city of Greenville, ECU is a public school with a very large student population.
While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at ECU accumulate an average of around $23,726 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $335.
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Pfeiffer University landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs. Pfeiffer University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Misenheimer.
Parks & Rec majors at Pfeiffer University take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
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With a ranking of #10, Lees - McRae College did quite well on this year’s best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Lees - McRae College is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Banner Elk.
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Request InformationBest Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Southeast Region
Explore all the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| West Virginia | 1,238 |
| Mississippi | 1,128 |
| South Carolina | 1,339 |
| Florida | 2,340 |
| Virginia | 1,729 |
| Arkansas | 1,012 |
| Alabama | 959 |
| Kentucky | 1,141 |
| Georgia | 1,981 |
| Tennessee | 2,462 |
| Louisiana | 703 |
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Rankings in North Carolina
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.
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