2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Iowa
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for You
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies is one of the most popular subjects to study in Iowa. With 1,491 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, it ranked 8th out of all the majors we track in the state.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Iowa to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 14 schools in Iowa 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 Iowa State University to be the best value school for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students who want to pursue a degree in Iowa. Located in the small city of Ames, Iowa State is a public school with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Iowa State are $9,634 a year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Iowa State take out is $26,000. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $215, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Iowa State not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #4 on our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Iowa list.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Iowa. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Iowa list. Iowa is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Iowa City.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Iowa are $9,942 per year. On average, parks and rec graduates from Iowa take out $23,417 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $409, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Iowa also claimed a spot on our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Iowa list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
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The excellent programs at University of Northern Iowa helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in Iowa. UNI is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Cedar Falls.
UNI undergraduate students pay an average of $9,053 in in-state tuition and fees each year. On average, parks and rec graduates from UNI take out $23,610 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $185.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, UNI is ranked #5 for overall quality for parks and rec in Iowa.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at University of Northern Iowa
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Out of the 14 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern College landed the # 4 spot on the list. NWC is a small private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of Orange City.
NWC undergraduate students pay an average of $33,590 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at NWC take out is $27,000.
NWC also took the #1 spot in our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Iowa rankings.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend William Penn University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Iowa list. William Penn University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the remote town of Oskaloosa.
William Penn University undergraduate students pay an average of $27,200 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from William Penn University carry an average student debtload of $27,000. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $187, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Loras College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Iowa ranking. Loras is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Dubuque.
Loras undergraduate students pay an average of $35,268 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Loras take out is $27,000.
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With a ranking of #7, Grand View University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the city of Des Moines, Grand View University is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Grand View University undergraduate students pay an average of $30,954 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that parks and rec majors at Grand View University take out is $27,000. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $182, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Simpson College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs. Simpson College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Indianola.
Simpson College undergraduate students pay an average of $44,030 in in-state tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Simpson College accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Simpson College also is in the top 15% of our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Iowa ranking.
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Saint Ambrose University landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies programs. St. Ambrose University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Davenport.
St. Ambrose University undergraduate students pay an average of $33,570 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from St. Ambrose University carry an average student debtload of $26,373. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $282.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Saint Ambrose University
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Cornell College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Iowa ranking. Cornell College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Mount Vernon.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Cornell College are $47,726 per year. On average, parks and rec graduates from Cornell College take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
Request InformationBest Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Plains States Region
Explore all the Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Colleges in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Kansas | 710 |
| Minnesota | 1,139 |
| South Dakota | 342 |
| Missouri | 1,342 |
| Nebraska | 429 |
| North Dakota | 266 |
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Rankings in Iowa
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 14 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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