2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in Montana
[Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 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 Montana
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
Montana State University Billings earned the #1 spot for value among parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies schools in Montana. Located in the city of Billings, Montana State University Billings is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,280, compared with $22,897 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $25,465. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from Montana State University Billings generally make around $48,764. Set against $25,465 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes The University Of Montana Western one of the best values for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. Located in the town of Dillon, The University Of Montana Western is a small public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,669, while out-of-state students pay about $20,130. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates carry a median of $22,484 in student loans. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from The University Of Montana Western generally make around $36,924. That is a strong return on a $22,484 median debt. The acceptance rate is 100%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Rocky Mountain College earned it the #3 place for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. Located in the city of Billings, Rocky Mountain College is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $35,582 in tuition and fees. 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 $30,025. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Rocky Mountain College admits about 70% of applicants.
Montana State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Bozeman, Montana State University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,460 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,287. Students borrow a median of $23,635 to complete the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program here. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from Montana State University generally make around $47,703. That is a strong return on a $23,635 median debt. Montana State University admits about 82% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Great Falls earned it the #5 place for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. University Of Great Falls is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Great Falls. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $30,448. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $23,847. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $104,670. Set against $23,847 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 50%.
More Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Rankings
View All Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 10 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.
