Best Schools for Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies

Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies graduates earn a median of $50,389 within four years of graduating, ranking #220 out of 283 tracked majors — 19% below the median across all fields. There are 67 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 2,729 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo graduates earn $75,181 while Southern Oregon University graduates earn $36,135 — a $39,046 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap. Across all fields, though, which major you pick separates earnings more than which college does.

Early career salary growth is modest: Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies graduates see an average -1% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

Schools

$50,389

Avg. 2yr Earnings

#220

of 283 Majors

2,729

Graduates

Public vs Private: Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies

Public (56 schools)

$50,985

avg. 2yr earnings

Private (11 schools)

$46,079

avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools produce comparable or higher early earnings for Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies, often at lower tuition — making them strong value options for this major.

Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies by State

Also by state: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia

Top Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies Schools by Graduate Earnings

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA · Public

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA · Public

$68,227

4yr Earnings

26 grads · small sample

2yr: $27,669 (20)

1yr: $37,905 (33)

Acceptance: 96.8%

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, SD · Public

$64,104

4yr Earnings

23 grads · small sample

2yr: $30,650 (44)

1yr: $33,236 (27)

Acceptance: 99.0%

Brigham Young University

Provo, UT · Private

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, UT · Public

California State University-Chico

Chico, CA · Public

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA · Public

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO · Public

$57,810

4yr Earnings

21 grads · small sample

Indiana University-Bloomington

Bloomington, IN · Public

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA · Public

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA · Public

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown, PA · Public

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA · Public

University of Missouri-Columbia

Columbia, MO · Public

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public

University of Nebraska at Kearney

Kearney, NE · Public

Winona State University

Winona, MN · Public

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Public

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN · Public

$53,854

4yr Earnings

29 grads · small sample

Bowling Green State University-Main Campus

Bowling Green, OH · Public

Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX · Public

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR · Public

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ · Public

$52,355

4yr Earnings

30 grads · small sample

Arizona State University Digital Immersion

Scottsdale, AZ · Public

$52,355

4yr Earnings

30 grads · small sample

Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX · Public

$51,917

4yr Earnings

18 grads · small sample

Shepherd University

Shepherdstown, WV · Public

Gordon College

Wenham, MA · Private

$51,479

4yr Earnings

17 grads · small sample

Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA · Public

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, AZ · Public

Oklahoma State University-Main Campus

Stillwater, OK · Public

$49,468

4yr Earnings

22 grads · small sample

1yr: $30,592 (17)

Acceptance: 70.9%

#32

Ohio University-Main Campus

Athens, OH · Public

$49,369

4yr Earnings

23 grads · small sample

2yr: $28,309 (18)

Acceptance: 84.8%

#33

Radford University

Radford, VA · Public

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA · Public

Western Colorado University

Gunnison, CO · Public

East Carolina University

Greenville, NC · Public

CUNY Lehman College

Bronx, NY · Public

$47,163

4yr Earnings

22 grads · small sample

Acceptance: 55.4%

#38

University of South Alabama

Mobile, AL · Public

Emporia State University

Emporia, KS · Public

$46,887

4yr Earnings

17 grads · small sample

1yr: $31,662 (21)

Acceptance: 97.7%

#40

Oregon State University

Corvallis, OR · Public

$46,044

4yr Earnings

21 grads · small sample

Oregon State University-Cascades Campus

Bend, OR · Public

$46,044

4yr Earnings

21 grads · small sample

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Carbondale, IL · Public

Grambling State University

Grambling, LA · Public

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS · Public

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, NC · Public

Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, GA · Public

Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science

Paul Smiths, NY · Private

$41,797

4yr Earnings

25 grads · small sample

1yr: $28,309 (21)

Acceptance: 90.7%

#48

Missouri State University-Springfield

Springfield, MO · Public

Benedict College

Columbia, SC · Private

$41,372

4yr Earnings

17 grads · small sample

Acceptance: 67.3%

#50

Northern Michigan University

Marquette, MI · Public

Showing top 50 of 67 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Human Biology $30,664 East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics $30,626 Radio, Television, and Digital Communication $30,550 Culinary Arts and Related Services $30,550 Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services, Other $30,504 History $30,261

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies?

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ranks #1 for Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies with median graduate earnings of $75,181 within four years of graduating. There are 67 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.

How much do Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies graduates earn?

Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies graduates earn an average of $50,389 within four years of graduating. This is 19% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $36,135 to $75,181 depending on the school.

How hard is it to get into a top Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies program?

The average acceptance rate across Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies programs is 77.6%. The most selective program is at Grambling State University with a 23.7% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.

Is a public or private school better for Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies?

Private Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies programs average $46,079 in early earnings vs $50,985 at public schools. Public schools offer competitive earnings at typically lower cost, making them strong value options.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders, from the field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release — Scorecard publishes the two separately.

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