2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Minnesota
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies School for You
In 2020-2021, 1,139 degrees and certificates were awarded to parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students who went to a Minnesota college or university. This makes it the #15 most popular major in the state.
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.
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 Minnesota ranking. This report analyzed 18 schools in Minnesota 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.
Top 10 Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Saint Cloud State University the best value school in Minnesota for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the small city of Saint Cloud, St. Cloud State University is a public college with a fairly large student population.
St. Cloud State University undergraduate students pay an average of $9,170 in in-state tuition and fees each year. On average, parks and rec graduates from St. Cloud State University take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
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The excellent programs at Minnesota State University - Mankato helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies schools in Minnesota. Located in the city of Mankato, Minnesota State Mankato is a public school with a fairly large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Minnesota State Mankato are $9,146 per year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from Minnesota State Mankato carry an average student debtload of $26,867.
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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Winona State University is a great value for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies students. Located in the distant town of Winona, Winona State is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Winona State are $10,184 a year. While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at Winona State accumulate an average of around $25,724 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $259, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Winona State 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 Minnesota list.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Minnesota State University - Moorhead. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Minnesota list. Located in the midsize suburb of Moorhead, MSU Moorhead is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
MSU Moorhead undergraduate students pay an average of $9,468 in in-state tuition and fees each year. Parks & Rec majors at MSU Moorhead take out an average of $26,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southwest Minnesota State University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Minnesota list. Southwest Minnesota State University is a medium-sized public school located in the town of Marshall.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Southwest Minnesota State University are $9,482 per year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from Southwest Minnesota State University carry an average student debtload of $27,000.
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University of Minnesota - Twin Cities ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Minnesota list. UMN Twin Cities is a fairly large public school located in the city of Minneapolis.
UMN Twin Cities undergraduate students pay an average of $15,254 in in-state tuition and fees each year. On average, parks and rec graduates from UMN Twin Cities take out $23,038 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $340.
UMN Twin Cities also claimed a spot on our Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Minnesota list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
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University of Minnesota - Morris came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Schools in Minnesota ranking. UMN Morris is a small public school located in the remote town of Morris.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at UMN Morris are $13,848 a year. After completing their degree, parks and rec graduates from UMN Morris carry an average student debtload of $21,000.
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University of Minnesota - Crookston 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 #8 on the list. UMN Crookston is a small public school located in the town of Crookston.
UMN Crookston undergraduate students pay an average of $12,514 in in-state tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, parks and rec majors at UMN Crookston accumulate an average of around $23,522 in student debt.
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University of Minnesota - Duluth 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. Located in the small city of Duluth, UMN Duluth is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at UMN Duluth are $13,850 a year. On average, parks and rec graduates from UMN Duluth take out $25,413 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $269, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Concordia University, Saint Paul 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 #10 on the list. Concordia University, Saint Paul is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Saint Paul.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Concordia University, Saint Paul are $23,900 a year. On average, parks and rec graduates from Concordia University, Saint Paul take out $29,933 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 |
| Iowa | 1,491 |
| South Dakota | 342 |
| Missouri | 1,342 |
| Nebraska | 429 |
| North Dakota | 266 |
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Rankings in Minnesota
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 18 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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