2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
[Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/parks-recreation-leisure-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong parks, recreation & leisure studies education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for parks, recreation & leisure studies students.
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2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in parks, recreation & leisure studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked Southern Utah University the best value for a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies in the Rocky Mountains Region. Located in the town of Cedar City, Southern Utah University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $6,962 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,192. Typical student debt for parks, recreation & leisure studies graduates is $12,886. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from Southern Utah University generally make around $44,998. Set against $12,886 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Utah one of the best values for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Set in the city of Salt Lake City, University Of Utah is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,620, while out-of-state students pay about $30,860. Students borrow a median of $22,982 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure studies program here. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of University Of Utah earn a median of $37,009 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Utah admits about 86% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Brigham Young University Provo one of the best values for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Located in the city of Provo, Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $6,688 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure studies program here. Early-career parks, recreation & leisure studies graduates make about $47,596. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 68%.
Western State College Of Colorado is a great value for students pursuing a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies, landing the #4 spot this year. Western State College Of Colorado is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Gunnison. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,318, compared with $24,434 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for parks, recreation & leisure studies graduates is $19,507. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from Western State College Of Colorado generally make around $25,903. That is a strong return on a $19,507 median debt. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked 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 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
