2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Southwest 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.
There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Southwest Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 65 schools in the Southwest 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 Southwest Region
Check out the parks and rec programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 10 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Rice University the best school in the Southwest Region for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Rice is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Houston.
After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from Rice carry an average student debtload of $10,000.
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Out of the 65 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Methodist University landed the # 2 spot on the list. SMU is a large private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Dallas.
Parks & Rec majors at SMU take out an average of $21,500 in student loans while working on their egree.
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The excellent programs at Northwestern Oklahoma State University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in the Southwest Region . Located in the town of Alva, NWOSU is a public school with a small student population.
Parks & Rec majors at NWOSU take out an average of $20,125 in student loans while working on their egree.
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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means The University of Texas at Austin is a great place for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. UT Austin is a very large public school located in the city of Austin.
On average, parks and rec graduates from UT Austin take out $21,765 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $385, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Texas A&M University - College Station is a great place for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the midsize city of College Station, Texas A&M College Station is a public school with a very large student population.
On average, parks and rec graduates from Texas A&M College Station take out $19,500 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $345.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Texas A&M University - College Station Report
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Grand Canyon University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in the large city of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University is a private for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Grand Canyon University take out is $26,999. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $233.
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Arizona State University - Skysong did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. It came in at #7 on the list. ASU - Skysong is a very large public school located in the city of Scottsdale.
Parks & Rec majors at ASU - Skysong take out an average of $23,467 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $453.
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Lubbock Christian University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Southwest Region list. LCU is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lubbock.
After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from LCU carry an average student debtload of $28,750.
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With a ranking of #9, University of Houston - Clear Lake did quite well on this year’s best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. UH Clear Lake is a medium-sized public school located in the suburb of Houston.
Parks & Rec majors at UH Clear Lake take out an average of $18,785 in student loans while working on their egree.
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Tarleton State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Tarleton is a large public school located in the remote town of Stephenville.
Parks & Rec majors at Tarleton take out an average of $23,250 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 $152.
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These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Southwest Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Saint Edward’s University | Austin, TX |
| 12 | Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, TX |
| 13 | Oklahoma Panhandle State University | Goodwell, OK |
Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges by State
Explore the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools for a specific state in the Southwest region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Arizona | 1,071 |
| Texas | 7,380 |
| New Mexico | 141 |
| Oklahoma | 1,179 |
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Rankings in the Southwest 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 |
Most Popular Related Majors
| 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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