2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Missouri
[Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/parks-recreation-leisure-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. 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 6 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 Missouri
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 Northwest Missouri State University the best value for a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies in Missouri. Northwest Missouri State University is a large public school located in the town of Maryville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,611, with out-of-state students paying around $17,324. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates carry a median of $25,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from Northwest Missouri State University generally make around $42,389. That is a strong return on a $25,250 median debt. Northwest Missouri State University admits about 86% of applicants.
Missouri State University Springfield is a great value for students pursuing a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,502, with out-of-state students paying around $18,770. Students borrow a median of $27,457 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure studies program here. Early-career parks, recreation & leisure studies graduates make about $28,345. That is a strong return on a $27,457 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Missouri Columbia earned it the #3 place for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,837, while out-of-state students pay about $36,056. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the parks, recreation & leisure studies program here. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia generally make around $38,725. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. University Of Missouri Columbia admits about 78% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
