by our College Data Analytics Team
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies is the 15th most popular major in the country with 73,813 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,423 and had an average of $24,388 in loans still to pay off.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major” ranking analyzed 1,386 colleges that offered a degree in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies. That schools that top this list have a program in parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major”.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Professional Golfers Career College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. PGCC is located in Temecula, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 40 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at PGCC
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend International Sports Sciences Association. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major. Located in Carpinteria, California, this small private for-profit school awarded 127 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend United States Sports Academy. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. The Academy is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Daphne, Alabama. It awarded 50 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at The Academy
Out of the 1,386 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Jarvis Christian College landed the #4 spot on the list. Jarvis Christian College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hawkins, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 28 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at The Bulldogs
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Concordia University, Irvine. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Concordia University, Irvine is a private not-for-profit institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 438 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Concordia University, Irvine Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
William Penn University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Located in Oskaloosa, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 58 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at William Penn University
Ottawa University - Ottawa did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #7. Ottawa, Kansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 25 students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Ottawa
Concordia University, Chicago came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Located in River Forest, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 429 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Concordia University, Chicago
Bryan University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Bryan University is a small private for-profit school situated in Tempe, Arizona. It awarded 329 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Bryan University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Emmanuel College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. This small school is located in Franklin Springs, Georgia, and it awarded 26 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Emmanuel College
Voorhees College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #11. Voorhees College is located in Denmark, South Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Voorhees College
Huntingdon College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #12. Huntingdon College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Montgomery, Alabama. It awarded 49 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Huntingdon College
Chowan University ranked #13 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Located in Murfreesboro, North Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 38 degrees to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Chowan University
Alice Lloyd College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #14. This small school is located in Pippa Passes, Kentucky, and it awarded 14 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Alice Lloyd College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Logan University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Logan University is a small school located in Chesterfield, Missouri that handed out 95 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Logan University
Ecclesia College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. This small school is located in Springdale, Arkansas, and it awarded 8 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Ecclesia College Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Bethany College Kansas came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Bethany College Kansas is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lindsborg, Kansas. It awarded 29 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Bethany College Kansas
Coker University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #18. Hartsville, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s parks and rec degrees to 45 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Coker University
Newberry College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Newberry College is located in Newberry, South Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 50 ’s parks and rec degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Newberry College
Wesley College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking, coming in at #20. Wesley College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Dover, Delaware. It awarded 51 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Wesley College
With a ranking of #21, SUNY Cortland did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. SUNY Cortland is a medium-sized school located in Cortland, New York that handed out 349 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at SUNY Cortland
Crowley’s Ridge College ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. Located in Paragould, Arkansas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 7 diplomas to qualified ’s parks and rec students in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Crowley’s Ridge College
Reinhardt University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. Reinhardt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Waleska, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 59 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Reinhardt University
Webber International University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major ranking. This small school is located in Babson Park, Florida, and it awarded 28 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Webber International University Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Report
Southwestern Christian University ranked #25 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Parks & Rec Major list. This small school is located in Bethany, Oklahoma, and it awarded 13 ’s parks and rec degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies at Southwestern Christian University
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Bridgewater College | Bridgewater, VA |
| 52 | Whittier College | Whittier, CA |
| 53 | Kansas Wesleyan University | Salina, KS |
| 54 | Belmont Abbey College | Belmont, NC |
| 55 | University of Saint Katherine | San Marcos, CA |
| 56 | Guilford College | Greensboro, NC |
| 57 | Coastal Carolina University | Conway, SC |
| 58 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | Durant, OK |
| 59 | LaGrange College | Lagrange, GA |
| 60 | Carroll University | Waukesha, WI |
| 61 | Kentucky Wesleyan College | Owensboro, KY |
| 62 | Barton College | Wilson, NC |
| 63 | Randolph College | Lynchburg, VA |
| 64 | Bethune - Cookman University | Daytona Beach, FL |
| 65 | University of Memphis | Memphis, TN |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Tabor College | Hillsboro, KS |
| 67 | Sterling College | Sterling, KS |
| 68 | Western Colorado University | Gunnison, CO |
| 69 | Allen University | Columbia, SC |
| 70 | Transylvania University | Lexington, KY |
| 71 | Hardin - Simmons University | Abilene, TX |
| 71 | University of Mount Union | Alliance, OH |
| 73 | Canisius College | Buffalo, NY |
| 74 | East Central University | Ada, OK |
| 75 | Westminster College Missouri | Fulton, MO |
| 76 | Westmont College | Santa Barbara, CA |
| 77 | Tougaloo College | Tougaloo, MS |
| 78 | Catawba College | Salisbury, NC |
| 79 | Shaw University | Raleigh, NC |
| 80 | Franklin College | Franklin, IN |
| 81 | McPherson College | McPherson, KS |
| 82 | Colby - Sawyer College | New London, NH |
| 83 | Dean College | Franklin, MA |
| 84 | Martin Methodist College | Pulaski, TN |
| 85 | Fort Lewis College | Durango, CO |
| 86 | Mt. San Antonio College | Walnut, CA |
| 87 | Lees - McRae College | Banner Elk, NC |
| 88 | Blue Mountain College | Blue Mountain, MS |
| 89 | Mitchell College | New London, CT |
| 90 | Benedict College | Columbia, SC |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 191 | Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, GA |
| 192 | Cabrillo College | Aptos, CA |
| 193 | Johnson C Smith University | Charlotte, NC |
| 194 | University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA |
| 195 | Plymouth State University | Plymouth, NH |
| 196 | Texas State University | San Marcos, TX |
| 197 | University of Northern Colorado | Greeley, CO |
| 198 | University of Antelope Valley | Lancaster, CA |
| 199 | Black Hills State University | Spearfish, SD |
| 200 | Humboldt State University | Arcata, CA |
| 201 | San Diego Christian College | Santee, CA |
| 202 | Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR |
| 203 | Hannibal - LaGrange University | Hannibal, MO |
| 204 | Angelo State University | San Angelo, TX |
| 205 | Greensboro College | Greensboro, NC |
| 206 | University of Mobile | Mobile, AL |
| 207 | Southern Nazarene University | Bethany, OK |
| 208 | Midland University | Fremont, NE |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
