2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in California
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for You
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies is the #14 most popular major in California with 11,237 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. 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 help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in California ranking. This report analyzed 36 schools in California to see which ones offered the best value programs for parks and rec students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
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2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in California
The colleges and universities below are the best value schools for parks and rec majors pursuing a .
Top 10 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
Our analysis found Mt. San Antonio College to be the best value school for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students who want to pursue a degree in California. Located in the suburb of Walnut, Mt. SAC is a public college with a very large student population.
Mt. SAC undergraduate students pay an average of $1,352 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Mt. SAC take out is $7,677.
The excellent programs at International Sports Sciences Association helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in California. ISSA is a small private for-profit school located in the midsize suburb of Carpinteria.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at ISSA are $10,107 per year. On average, parks and rec graduates from ISSA take out $17,163 in student loans while working on their degree.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a great value for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the small suburb of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a public college with a very large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo are $10,195 a year. While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo accumulate an average of around $17,428 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $299.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also did well on our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in California list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend San Jose State University. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in California list. Located in the city of San Jose, San Jose State is a public school with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at San Jose State are $7,852 a year.
San Jose State excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in California list.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at San Jose State University Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Concordia University, Irvine. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in California list. Located in the large city of Irvine, Concordia University, Irvine is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Concordia University, Irvine undergraduate students pay an average of $38,740 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Concordia University, Irvine take out is $26,000. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $602.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Concordia University, Irvine
California State University - East Bay ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in California list. Cal State East Bay is a large public school located in the suburb of Hayward.
Cal State East Bay undergraduate students pay an average of $6,995 in in-state tuition and fees each year. On average, parks and rec graduates from Cal State East Bay take out $16,084 in student loans while working on their degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $188, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at California State University - East Bay Report
California State University - Fresno came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in California ranking. Fresno State is a very large public school located in the city of Fresno.
Fresno State undergraduate students pay an average of $6,653 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Fresno State take out is $14,029.
California State University - Sacramento did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. It came in at #8 on the list. Sac State is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Sacramento.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Sac State are $7,392 per year. On average, parks and rec graduates from Sac State take out $18,455 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $199, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
With a ranking of #9, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on this year’s best value schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the suburb of Fullerton, Cal State Fullerton is a public college with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Cal State Fullerton are $6,976 a year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from Cal State Fullerton carry an average student debtload of $15,000. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $196.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at California State University - Fullerton Report
With a ranking of #10, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on this year’s best value schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the large city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public college with a fairly large student population.
CSULB undergraduate students pay an average of $6,846 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at CSULB take out is $16,625.
Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Washington | 673 |
| Oregon | 629 |
| Hawaii | 171 |
| Nevada | 273 |
| Alaska | 35 |
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Rankings in California
Majors Related to Parks & Rec
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.
- 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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