2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Oregon
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for You
With 629 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies is the #16 most popular major in Oregon.
It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. 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.
The Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Oregon ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 8 schools in Oregon to see which programs offered the best value experiences for parks and rec students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
Best Oregon Schools for Affordable Quality in Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness
Our 2023 rankings named Eastern Oregon University the best value school in Oregon for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the town of La Grande, EOU is a public school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at EOU are $9,696 a year. Parks & Rec majors at EOU take out an average of $25,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
Request Information
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Western Oregon University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Oregon list. Western Oregon State College is a small public school located in the fringe town of Monmouth.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Western Oregon State College are $10,269 per year. While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Western Oregon State College accumulate an average of around $25,000 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 $161.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Western Oregon University Report
Request Information
Out of the 8 schools in Oregon that were part of this year’s ranking, Oregon State University landed the # 3 spot on the list. Oregon State is a very large public school located in the small city of Corvallis.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Oregon State are $12,188 per year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Oregon State take out is $24,770. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $453.
Request Information
The excellent programs at Southern Oregon University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in Oregon. Located in the suburb of Ashland, Southern Oregon University is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
Southern Oregon University undergraduate students pay an average of $9,357 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Southern Oregon University take out is $24,172. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $255, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Southern Oregon University Report
Request Information
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Willamette University. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Oregon list. Willamette is a small private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Salem.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Willamette are $44,234 per year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Willamette take out is $24,972.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Willamette University Report
Request Information
Linfield University - McMinnville Campus landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs. Linfield is a small private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of McMinnville.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Linfield are $46,032 a year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Linfield take out is $26,000.
Linfield also made our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Oregon list, coming in at #4.
Request Information
Pacific University 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 #7 on the list. Located in the large suburb of Forest Grove, Pacific is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
Pacific undergraduate students pay an average of $50,070 in in-state tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Pacific accumulate an average of around $26,348 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $436, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Pacific not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #2 on our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Oregon list.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Pacific University
Request Information
With a ranking of #8, George Fox University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. GFU is a small private not-for-profit school located in the fringe town of Newberg.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at GFU are $38,520 a year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from GFU carry an average student debtload of $26,500.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at George Fox University
Request InformationBest 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 |
|---|---|
| California | 11,237 |
| Washington | 673 |
| Hawaii | 171 |
| Nevada | 273 |
| Alaska | 35 |
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Rankings in Oregon
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Related Majors for 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 8 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.
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.