Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in South Dakota

Find Schools Near

2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in South Dakota

4 Colleges
$32,046 Avg Salary
$25,408 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for You

Out of the majors we analyze each year, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies was ranked 8th in South Dakota. In fact, 342 were awarded in the state in 2020-2021.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools with offerings that you might find attractive.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in South Dakota ranking. This report analyzed 4 schools in South Dakota 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 Dakota

Check out the parks and rec programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.

Top South Dakota Schools in Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness

Our analysis found South Dakota State University to be the best school for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students who want to pursue a degree in South Dakota. Located in the remote town of Brookings, South Dakota State is a public school with a fairly large student population.

Parks & Rec majors at South Dakota State take out an average of $24,907 in student loans while working on their egree.

Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at South Dakota State University Report

#2

University of Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls, SD

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Sioux Falls. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in South Dakota list. University of Sioux Falls is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Sioux Falls.

Parks & Rec majors at University of Sioux Falls take out an average of $24,182 in student loans while working on their egree.

Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Sioux Falls Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northern State University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in South Dakota list. NSU is a small public school located in the remote town of Aberdeen.

After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from NSU carry an average student debtload of $26,988.

Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Northern State University

The excellent programs at Black Hills State University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in South Dakota. BHSU is a small public school located in the distant town of Spearfish.

Parks & Rec majors at BHSU take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree.

Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Black Hills State University Report

Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Plains States Region

Explore all the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Kansas 710
Minnesota 1,139
Iowa 1,491
Missouri 1,342
Nebraska 429
North Dakota 266

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

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 4 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.

Featured Schools

Find Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited colleges across the U.S.