2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Tennessee
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for You
Out of the majors we analyze each year, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies was ranked 8th in Tennessee. In fact, 2,462 were awarded in the state in 2020-2021.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right 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 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 Tennessee ranking. Our analysis looked at 10 schools in Tennessee 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.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. 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.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Top 10 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
Our analysis found Middle Tennessee State University to be the best value school for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students who want to pursue a degree in Tennessee. Located in the midsize city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Middle Tennessee State University undergraduate students pay an average of $9,232 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from Middle Tennessee State University carry an average student debtload of $27,333. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $130.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Middle Tennessee State University Report
Request Information
The excellent programs at University of Memphis helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in Tennessee. UofM is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Memphis.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at UofM are $10,056 a year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at UofM take out is $28,671. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $176, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Memphis Report
Request Information
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Tennessee Technological University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Tennessee list. Located in the remote town of Cookeville, Tennessee Tech University is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Tennessee Tech University are $9,802 per year. Parks & Rec majors at Tennessee Tech University take out an average of $16,579 in student loans while working on their egree.
In addition to its great value ranking, Tennessee Tech University is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Tennessee list.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Tennessee Technological University Report
Request Information
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Austin Peay State University. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Tennessee list. Located in the midsize city of Clarksville, Austin Peay State University is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Austin Peay State University are $8,431 a year. While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Austin Peay State University accumulate an average of around $25,000 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $156.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Austin Peay State University Report
Request Information
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Tennessee State University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Tennessee list. Located in the large city of Nashville, Tennessee State University is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Tennessee State University are $8,336 per year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Tennessee State University take out is $31,000. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $210.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Tennessee State University
Request Information
The University of Tennessee - Knoxville came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Tennessee ranking. Located in the midsize city of Knoxville, UT Knoxville is a public college with a fairly large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UT Knoxville are $13,244 per year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from UT Knoxville carry an average student debtload of $22,659. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $391.
UT Knoxville also took the #4 spot in our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Tennessee rankings.
Request Information
East Tennessee State 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. ETSU is a large public school located in the city of Johnson City.
ETSU undergraduate students pay an average of $9,438 in in-state tuition and fees each year. On average, parks and rec graduates from ETSU take out $23,073 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $309.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at East Tennessee State University Report
Request Information
Lee University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs. Lee University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Cleveland.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Lee University are $20,500 a year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Lee University take out is $25,250.
Full Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Lee University Report
Request Information
Belmont University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Tennessee ranking. Located in the large city of Nashville, Belmont is a private not-for-profit school with a medium-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Belmont are $38,430 a year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Belmont take out is $18,473.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Belmont is ranked #3 for overall quality for parks and rec in Tennessee.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Belmont University
Request Information
Carson - Newman University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Tennessee list. Located in the small suburb of Jefferson City, Carson - Newman is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Carson - Newman are $31,320 a year. Parks & Rec majors at Carson - Newman take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Carson - Newman University
Request InformationBest Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Southeast Region
Explore all the Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| North Carolina | 3,436 |
| West Virginia | 1,238 |
| Mississippi | 1,128 |
| South Carolina | 1,339 |
| Florida | 2,340 |
| Virginia | 1,729 |
| Arkansas | 1,012 |
| Alabama | 959 |
| Kentucky | 1,141 |
| Georgia | 1,981 |
| Louisiana | 703 |
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Rankings in Tennessee
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 Majors Related 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 10 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.