Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies
CIP Code: 31.0101A parks, recreation, and leisure studies degree prepares graduates for careers in Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary. 113 colleges and universities offer this program.
Annual Degrees Awarded
2,155
Colleges Offering
113
Avg. Career Salary
$75,890
Top Career Salary
$75,890
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies Salary by College
Nationally, bachelor’s graduates in this field earn a median $50,983 four years after graduating (middle half: $37,138–$67,192). Where you study it matters: across 63 colleges with reported results, pay ranges from $36,135 to $75,181.
Sort by:
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | 1 yr after | Median debt | Outcome Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | $75,181 | $68,410 | $39,157 | $15,400 | A+ |
| 2 | California State University-East Bay Hayward, CA | $68,227 | $62,082 | $43,700 | — | B |
| 3 | University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD | $64,104 | $69,001 | — | — | C+ |
| 4 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT | $63,080 | $59,785 | $47,596 | $12,250 | A |
| 5 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL | $61,313 | $60,240 | $34,742 | $22,564 | A+ |
| 6 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT | $59,855 | $56,728 | $37,009 | $19,125 | B+ |
| 7 | California State University-Chico Chico, CA | $59,765 | $54,382 | $33,920 | $17,886 | B |
| 8 | California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA | $59,041 | $53,723 | $40,338 | $19,181 | C+ |
| 9 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO | $57,810 | $54,064 | $42,886 | — | F |
| 10 | Indiana University-Bloomington Bloomington, IN | $57,334 | $61,509 | $35,429 | $19,261 | A |
| 11 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA | $57,098 | $60,060 | $37,103 | $25,000 | A |
| 12 | San Diego State University San Diego, CA | $57,093 | $51,951 | $33,692 | $14,999 | B |
| 13 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown, PA | $56,525 | $57,486 | $36,363 | $26,875 | C |
| 14 | California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA | $56,336 | $51,262 | $32,697 | $14,061 | C+ |
| 15 | University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO | $55,280 | $59,272 | $38,725 | $20,500 | A |
| 16 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | $55,212 | $50,239 | $28,427 | $16,500 | B |
| 17 | University of Nebraska at Kearney Kearney, NE | $54,563 | $56,393 | $28,241 | $21,000 | C |
| 18 | Winona State University Winona, MN | $54,381 | $51,945 | $35,062 | $19,891 | C+ |
| 19 | California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA | $53,933 | $49,075 | $35,532 | $14,750 | B |
| 20 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN | $53,854 | $51,442 | $35,999 | $14,050 | A |
| 21 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH | $53,809 | $57,422 | $32,709 | $26,000 | C |
| 22 | Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX | $53,374 | $54,266 | — | — | A |
| 23 | University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR | $52,701 | $62,104 | $31,567 | $21,500 | B+ |
| 25 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZ | $52,355 | $53,796 | $43,149 | $20,745 | B+ |
| 24 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ | $52,355 | $53,796 | $43,149 | $20,745 | B+ |
| 26 | Midwestern State University Wichita Falls, TX | $51,917 | $52,784 | — | — | C |
| 27 | Shepherd University Shepherdstown, WV | $51,789 | $61,269 | $34,287 | $22,625 | C+ |
| 28 | Gordon College Wenham, MA | $51,479 | $45,333 | — | — | D |
| 29 | Western Washington University Bellingham, WA | $50,832 | $46,755 | $27,558 | $17,395 | C+ |
| 30 | Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ | $50,501 | $51,891 | $31,672 | $20,250 | C+ |
| 31 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Stillwater, OK | $49,468 | $55,541 | $37,393 | $18,131 | B+ |
| 37 | Ohio University-Zanesville Campus Zanesville, OH | $49,369 | $52,684 | $36,850 | — | B |
| 36 | Ohio University-Main Campus Athens, OH | $49,369 | $52,684 | $36,850 | — | C+ |
| 35 | Ohio University-Lancaster Campus Lancaster, OH | $49,369 | $52,684 | $36,850 | — | C |
| 34 | Ohio University-Southern Campus Ironton, OH | $49,369 | $52,684 | $36,850 | — | B |
| 33 | Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus Chillicothe, OH | $49,369 | $52,684 | $36,850 | — | B |
| 32 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, OH | $49,369 | $52,684 | $36,850 | — | C |
| 38 | Radford University Radford, VA | $48,743 | $44,385 | $30,145 | $25,000 | D |
| 39 | University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA | $48,506 | $51,022 | $37,233 | $20,000 | B |
| 40 | Western Colorado University Gunnison, CO | $48,109 | $44,991 | $25,903 | $14,753 | F |
| 41 | East Carolina University Greenville, NC | $47,336 | $50,798 | $34,751 | $15,667 | B |
| 42 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx, NY | $47,163 | $44,889 | $41,484 | — | C |
| 43 | University of South Alabama Mobile, AL | $46,912 | $53,249 | $33,557 | $26,500 | C+ |
| 44 | Emporia State University Emporia, KS | $46,887 | $48,676 | — | — | D |
| 46 | Oregon State University-Cascades Campus Bend, OR | $46,044 | $46,315 | $34,451 | $20,104 | B |
| 45 | Oregon State University Corvallis, OR | $46,044 | $46,315 | $34,451 | $20,104 | B+ |
| 47 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, IL | $45,623 | $44,824 | $32,357 | $20,000 | C |
| 48 | Grambling State University Grambling, LA | $45,159 | $52,275 | $19,830 | $34,750 | F |
| 49 | University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS | $45,056 | $54,667 | $25,354 | $27,518 | C |
| 50 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC | $42,838 | $45,971 | $31,561 | $24,250 | C |
| 51 | Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA | $42,573 | $44,072 | $31,086 | $22,125 | C |
| 52 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science Paul Smiths, NY | $41,797 | $39,782 | $27,543 | $20,500 | F |
| 53 | Missouri State University-Springfield Springfield, MO | $41,550 | $44,550 | $28,345 | $21,250 | C |
| 54 | Benedict College Columbia, SC | $41,372 | $45,875 | $17,324 | $40,000 | F |
| 55 | Northern Michigan University Marquette, MI | $40,825 | $43,045 | $28,890 | $20,000 | D |
| 56 | York College of Pennsylvania York, PA | $40,692 | $41,384 | — | — | B |
| 57 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt Arcata, CA | $40,566 | $36,912 | $26,224 | — | F |
| 58 | University of Minnesota-Duluth Duluth, MN | $40,452 | $38,640 | — | — | B |
| 59 | Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO | $40,266 | $43,174 | — | — | D |
| 60 | Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI | $39,947 | $42,119 | $27,511 | — | C+ |
| 61 | Utah State University Logan, UT | $39,091 | $37,049 | $35,079 | — | C |
| 62 | University of Mount Olive Mount Olive, NC | $38,052 | $40,835 | $27,219 | — | D |
| 63 | Southern Oregon University Ashland, OR | $36,135 | $36,348 | $19,139 | — | D |
Bachelor’s degrees. Wage-adjusted = pay ÷ √(state wage index). Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data.
What Can You Do With a Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies Degree?
Graduates with this degree pursue careers in the following fields:
$75,890
Average Salary Across Careers
$75,890
Highest Paying Career
1
Career Paths Available
Best Colleges for Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies
Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees awarded. These are the top-rated colleges that produce the most graduates in parks, recreation, and leisure studies.
Largest Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies Programs
Schools ranked by number of graduates. These institutions produce the most parks, recreation, and leisure studies graduates annually, including online and distance learning programs.
2,155
Degrees Awarded Annually
113
Colleges Offering Program
1
Related Careers
About Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies is a degree program offered at 113 colleges and universities across the United States. Each year, approximately 2,155 students graduate with this degree.
Graduates with this degree can pursue careers such as recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary.
Program Classification
CIP Code
31.0101
Field (2-digit CIP)
31
Category (4-digit CIP)
31.01
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do with a Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies degree?
A Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies degree can lead to careers as a
recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary,
and more.
Top earners in related careers can make up to $75,890 annually.
How many colleges offer Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies?
113 colleges and universities in the United States offer
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies as a degree program. Each year, approximately 2,155
students graduate with this degree.
What are the best colleges for Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies?
The best colleges for Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies based on Repit's ratings include
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, Texas A & M University-College Station, California State University-Long Beach, Brigham Young University.
Rankings are based on the college's overall Repit grade and the number of degrees awarded in this program.
What is the salary potential with a Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies degree?
Graduates with a Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies degree can expect average salaries around $75,890
in related careers.
Actual salaries depend on the specific career path, experience level, and location.