2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in South Carolina
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for You
In 2020-2021, 1,339 degrees and certificates were awarded to parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students who went to a South Carolina college or university. This makes it the #12 most popular major in the state.
It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. 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 South Carolina ranking. This report analyzed 11 schools in South Carolina to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in South 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 Citadel Military College of South Carolina to be the best school for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students who want to pursue a degree in South Carolina. Located in the midsize city of Charleston, The Citadel is a public college with a small student population.
After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from The Citadel carry an average student debtload of $19,790. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $426.
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The excellent programs at Clemson University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in South Carolina. Clemson is a very large public school located in the suburb of Clemson.
While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Clemson accumulate an average of around $21,780 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $391.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of South Carolina - Columbia. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in South Carolina list. Located in the medium-sized city of Columbia, UofSC is a public college with a fairly large student population.
On average, parks and rec graduates from UofSC take out $26,000 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $426.
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The excellent programs at Newberry College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in South Carolina. Located in the town of Newberry, Newberry College is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
On average, parks and rec graduates from Newberry College take out $29,000 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $299.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Winthrop University. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in South Carolina list. Winthrop is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Rock Hill.
The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Winthrop take out is $29,500. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $321.
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North Greenville University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs. Located in the rural area of Tigerville, North Greenville is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
On average, parks and rec graduates from North Greenville take out $25,697 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $333.
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Coastal Carolina University landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs. Coastal Carolina University is a fairly large public school located in the city of Conway.
Parks & Rec majors at Coastal Carolina University take out an average of $27,000 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 $513.
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With a ranking of #8, Bob Jones University did quite well on this year’s best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Bob Jones University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Greenville.
After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from Bob Jones University carry an average student debtload of $22,250.
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With a ranking of #9, Coker University did quite well on this year’s best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Coker is a small private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of Hartsville.
While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Coker accumulate an average of around $31,000 in student debt.
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Claflin University landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs. Claflin is a small private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of Orangeburg.
Parks & Rec majors at Claflin take out an average of $38,971 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 $150.
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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 Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| North Carolina | 3,436 |
| West Virginia | 1,238 |
| Mississippi | 1,128 |
| 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 South 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 11 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.