2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Iowa
[Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/parks-recreation-leisure-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong parks, recreation & leisure studies education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 2 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value parks, recreation & leisure studies schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools
Leading the list is University Of Northern Iowa, our #1 best value for parks, recreation & leisure studies in Iowa. University Of Northern Iowa is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Falls. In-state tuition and fees average $9,936, with out-of-state students paying around $21,712. Students borrow a median of $23,907 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure studies program here. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from University Of Northern Iowa generally make around $37,233. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
University Of Iowa is a great value for students pursuing a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,283, compared with $33,371 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,691 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure studies program here. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $37,103 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
