2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for You
Out of all the majors we analyze each year, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies was ranked #15 in the country. In fact 73,813 degrees and certificates were handed out in 2020-2021.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best 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.
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 the Great Lakes Region ranking. This report analyzed 80 schools in the Great Lakes Region 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.
Top 15% Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
Our analysis found Ashland University to be the best value school for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students who want to pursue a degree in the Great Lakes Region . Located in the town of Ashland, Ashland is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Ashland undergraduate students pay an average of $23,090 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from Ashland carry an average student debtload of $27,000.
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The excellent programs at Grace College and Theological Seminary helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in the Great Lakes Region . Grace College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Winona Lake.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Grace College are $25,044 per year. While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Grace College accumulate an average of around $25,750 in student debt.
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The excellent programs at Concordia University, Chicago helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in the Great Lakes Region . Concordia University, Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of River Forest.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Concordia University, Chicago are $34,310 a year. While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Concordia University, Chicago accumulate an average of around $26,250 in student debt.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Youngstown State University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the city of Youngstown, Youngstown State University is a public college with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Youngstown State University are $9,732 a year. On average, parks and rec graduates from Youngstown State University take out $26,196 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $193, 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 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a great value for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. SIUE is a large public school located in the suburb of Edwardsville.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at SIUE are $11,496 a year. On average, parks and rec graduates from SIUE take out $25,000 in student loans while working on their degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $277, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #6, Central Michigan University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Central Michigan is a large public school located in the distant town of Mount Pleasant.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Central Michigan are $13,094 a year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Central Michigan take out is $29,000. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $259, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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University of Wisconsin - La Crosse came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UW - La Crosse is a fairly large public school located in the small city of La Crosse.
UW - La Crosse undergraduate students pay an average of $18,014 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from UW - La Crosse carry an average student debtload of $24,483. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $183.
UW - La Crosse excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
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Northern Illinois 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. NIU is a large public school located in the suburb of Dekalb.
NIU undergraduate students pay an average of $14,738 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at NIU take out is $27,126. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $216, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #7, Western Illinois University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the town of Macomb, WIU is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
WIU undergraduate students pay an average of $13,297 in tuition and fees each year. Parks & Rec majors at WIU take out an average of $30,000 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $375.
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With a ranking of #7, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well on this year’s best value schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. UW - Stevens Point is a medium-sized public school located in the distant town of Stevens Point.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UW - Stevens Point are $17,035 a year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at UW - Stevens Point take out is $26,000.
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Illinois State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Illinois State is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Normal.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Illinois State are $24,172 a year. On average, parks and rec graduates from Illinois State take out $23,124 in student loans while working on their degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $230.
In addition to its great value ranking, Illinois State is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
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Eastern Illinois 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 #12 on the list. Located in the distant town of Charleston, EIU is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at EIU are $14,551 per year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at EIU take out is $25,626. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $263, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Here are some additional great value schools for Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness students in the Great Lakes Region seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in the Great Lakes Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Valparaiso University | Valparaiso, IN |
| 14 | Ohio University - Athens Campus | Athens, OH |
| 15 | University of Akron Main Campus | Akron, OH |
| 16 | Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti, MI |
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 Great Lakes region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Indiana | 1,818 |
| Michigan | 2,279 |
| Ohio | 2,647 |
| Illinois | 2,396 |
| Wisconsin | 1,001 |
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Rankings in the Great Lakes Region
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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