2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in Delaware
[Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in Delaware
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools
For return on investment in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies, no school beat Wilmington University this year. Located in the suburb of New Castle, Wilmington University is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $12,630 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $26,054. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from Wilmington University generally make around $57,142. Set against $26,054 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Delaware State University one of the best values for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. Delaware State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Dover. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,670, while out-of-state students pay about $20,634. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates carry a median of $27,125 in student loans. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $25,704. Set against $27,125 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Delaware State University admits about 47% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Delaware earned it the #3 place for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. Located in the suburb of Newark, University Of Delaware is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,810, compared with $41,400 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $25,336. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates of University Of Delaware earn a median of $26,555 early in their careers. Set against $25,336 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 71%.
Goldey Beacom College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies schools. Goldey Beacom College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wilmington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,940. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates carry a median of $20,743 in student loans. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates of Goldey Beacom College earn a median of $57,634 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Rankings
View All Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Rankings >
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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
