2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in Idaho
[Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. 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.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in Idaho
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
Brigham Young University Idaho earned the #1 spot for value among parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies schools in Idaho. Located in the town of Rexburg, Brigham Young University Idaho is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,800. Students borrow a median of $12,567 to complete the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program here. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $27,961. Set against $12,567 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
Lewis Clark State College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies schools. Lewis Clark State College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Lewiston. Students from in state pay about $7,610 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,028. Students borrow a median of $21,475 to complete the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program here. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from Lewis Clark State College generally make around $33,176. Set against $21,475 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Idaho one of the best values for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. Located in the town of Moscow, University Of Idaho is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,084, with out-of-state students paying around $28,320. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates of University Of Idaho earn a median of $27,484 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Idaho admits about 76% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies will find it at Boise State University, which ranked #4. Boise State University is a very large public school located in the city of Boise. Students from in state pay about $9,048 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $27,788. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $22,524. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $35,617. That is a strong return on a $22,524 median debt. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes The College Of Idaho one of the best values for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. The College Of Idaho is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Caldwell. Students from in state pay about $37,845 in tuition and fees. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates carry a median of $23,789 in student loans. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from The College Of Idaho generally make around $30,968. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 49%.
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Rankings
View All Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Rankings >
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 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.
