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Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Ohio

2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Ohio

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

27 Colleges
$24,706 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$32,054 Avg Salary

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

In 2020-2021, 2,647 degrees and certificates were awarded to parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students who went to a Ohio college or university. This makes it the #15 most popular major in the state.

With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. 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 assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Ohio ranking. Our analysis looked at 27 schools in Ohio 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. 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 10 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools

#1

Ashland University

Ashland, OH
$23,090 Average Tuition & Fees

Our 2023 rankings named Ashland University the best value school in Ohio for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the fringe town of Ashland, Ashland is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

Ashland undergraduate students pay an average of $23,090 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Ashland take out is $27,000.

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$12,840 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ohio University - Athens Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Ohio list. Located in the distant town of Athens, OHIO Athens is a public college with a very large student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at OHIO Athens are $12,840 per year. On average, parks and rec graduates from OHIO Athens take out $25,250 in student loans while working on their degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $443, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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$11,936 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Ohio State University - Main Campus is a great value for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State is a public school with a very large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Ohio State are $11,936 a year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Ohio State take out is $24,408. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $376.

Ohio State excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Ohio list.

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$9,834 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wright State University - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Ohio list. Wright State University - Main Campus is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Dayton.

Wright State University - Main Campus undergraduate students pay an average of $9,834 in in-state tuition and fees each year. Parks & Rec majors at Wright State University - Main Campus take out an average of $28,104 in student loans while working on their egree.

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#5

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, OH
$9,372 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Youngstown State University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in Ohio. Located in the small city of Youngstown, Youngstown State University is a public school with a large student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Youngstown State University are $9,372 per year. Parks & Rec majors at Youngstown State University take out an average of $26,196 in student loans while working on their egree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $193, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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$11,777 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Ohio list. UC is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UC are $11,777 per year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at UC take out is $22,911. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $398.

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$13,061 Average Tuition & Fees

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Ohio list. BGSU is a fairly large public school located in the fringe town of Bowling Green.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BGSU are $13,061 per year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at BGSU take out is $25,437. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $508.

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$16,142 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #8, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on this year’s best value schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the town of Oxford, Miami University - Oxford is a public college with a large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Miami University - Oxford are $16,142 a year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Miami University - Oxford take out is $24,876. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $544.

Miami University - Oxford excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Ohio list.

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$11,000 Average Tuition & Fees

Kent State University at Kent 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 #9 on the list. Kent State is a very large public school located in the large suburb of Kent.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Kent State are $11,000 per year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from Kent State carry an average student debtload of $25,500. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $301, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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#10

University of Toledo

Toledo, OH
$10,879 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Toledo ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Ohio list. Located in the large city of Toledo, University of Toledo is a public college with a large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at University of Toledo are $10,879 a year. While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at University of Toledo accumulate an average of around $24,800 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 $232.

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Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Great Lakes Region

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

State Degrees Awarded
Indiana 1,818
Michigan 2,279
Illinois 2,396
Wisconsin 1,001

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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