2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in Maine
[Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies students.
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2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in Maine
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
Our analysis ranked University Of Southern Maine the best value for a degree in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies in Maine. Located in the city of Portland, University Of Southern Maine is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,090, while out-of-state students pay about $29,940. Students borrow a median of $25,500 to complete the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program here. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from University Of Southern Maine generally make around $29,478. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Students looking for strong value in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies will find it at Husson University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Bangor, Husson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,304. Students borrow a median of $28,769 to complete the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program here. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $37,993. Set against $28,769 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Students looking for strong value in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies will find it at Saint Josephs College Of Maine, which ranked #3. Located in the rural area of Standish, Saint Josephs College Of Maine is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $44,420. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from Saint Josephs College Of Maine generally make around $35,341. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 84%.
University Of New England came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies schools. Located in the suburb of Biddeford, University Of New England is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $44,210. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program here. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $31,749. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 9 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.
