2026 Best Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Schools in Missouri
Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their parks, recreation & leisure studies programs.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for parks, recreation & leisure studies students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies in Missouri
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall parks, recreation & leisure studies education in Missouri.
Top Schools in Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies
Our analysis ranked University Of Missouri Columbia the best school in the country for a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies. This very large public university is located in the city of Columbia. About 75% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 70 parks, recreation & leisure studies students who graduated with this degree at University Of Missouri Columbia in the most recent data year. Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates of University Of Missouri Columbia earn a median of $38,725 early in their careers. University Of Missouri Columbia graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans.
More information about a degree in parks, recreation & leisure studies from University Of Missouri Columbia
A rank of #2 makes Northwest Missouri State University one of the top schools for parks, recreation & leisure studies. Northwest Missouri State University is a large public school located in the town of Maryville. The six-year graduation rate is 54%. Northwest Missouri State University awarded about 74 parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation & leisure studies degree recipients from Northwest Missouri State University generally make around $42,389. Students borrow a median of $25,250 to complete this degree.
Read more about the parks, recreation & leisure studies program at Northwest Missouri State University
A rank of #3 makes Missouri State University Springfield one of the top schools for parks, recreation & leisure studies. This very large public university is located in the city of Springfield. The six-year graduation rate is 58%. Missouri State University Springfield awarded about 12 parks, recreation & leisure studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the parks, recreation & leisure studies program make about $28,345 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $27,457 to complete this degree.
See the full parks, recreation & leisure studies program report for Missouri State University Springfield
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 6 schools evaluated.
- 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.
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