2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Colorado
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for You
With 1,093 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies is the #15 most popular major in Colorado.
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. 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 Colorado ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 7 schools in Colorado 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.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. 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.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees 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 Colorado
Check out the parks and rec programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.
Best Colorado Schools for Affordable Quality in Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness
Our analysis found Metropolitan State University of Denver to be the best value school for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students who want to pursue a degree in Colorado. MSU Denver is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Denver.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MSU Denver are $10,021 per year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from MSU Denver carry an average student debtload of $23,739.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Metropolitan State University of Denver Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Colorado State University - Fort Collins. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Colorado list. Located in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State is a public school with a very large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Colorado State are $12,188 per year. Parks & Rec majors at Colorado State take out an average of $21,018 in student loans while working on their egree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $343, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Colorado State did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Colorado list.
The excellent programs at University of Northern Colorado helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in Colorado. Located in the city of Greeley, University of Northern Colorado is a public school with a fairly large student population.
University of Northern Colorado undergraduate students pay an average of $10,666 in in-state tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at University of Northern Colorado accumulate an average of around $24,625 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 $327.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Northern Colorado
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Adams State University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Colorado list. Adams State is a small public school located in the town of Alamosa.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Adams State are $9,680 per year. Parks & Rec majors at Adams State take out an average of $24,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Adams State University Report
The excellent programs at Colorado Mesa University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in Colorado. Located in the small city of Grand Junction, Colorado Mesa is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Colorado Mesa are $9,000 per year. Parks & Rec majors at Colorado Mesa take out an average of $25,000 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $222.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Colorado Mesa University
Fort Lewis College 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 #6 on the list. Located in the town of Durango, FLC is a public college with a small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at FLC are $9,004 per year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at FLC take out is $16,007.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Fort Lewis College
Western Colorado University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Colorado list. Western is a small public school located in the remote town of Gunnison.
Western undergraduate students pay an average of $10,662 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from Western carry an average student debtload of $22,735. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $270.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Western Colorado University
Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Rocky Mountains Region
Explore all the Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in the Rocky Mountains Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Utah | 1,178 |
| Montana | 94 |
| Idaho | 249 |
| Wyoming | 126 |
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Rankings in Colorado
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 |
Most Popular Related Majors
| 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 7 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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