2026 Best Value Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies Schools in North Dakota
[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 14 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 North Dakota
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
Minot State University tops our 2026 list of the best value parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies schools in North Dakota. Located in the city of Minot, Minot State University is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $8,702 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $25,788. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $50,645. Set against $25,788 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Minot State University admits about 65% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies will find it at Dickinson State University, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Dickinson, Dickinson State University is a small public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,118. Students borrow a median of $27,266 to complete the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program here. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates of Dickinson State University earn a median of $51,049 early in their careers. Set against $27,266 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 37% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes North Dakota State University Main Campus one of the best values for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. Set in the city of Fargo, North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,910, compared with $15,564 for out-of-state students. Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness Studies graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Early-career parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates make about $36,646. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Students looking for strong value in parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies will find it at University Of Mary, which ranked #4. Located in the rural area of Bismarck, University Of Mary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $22,356. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from University Of Mary generally make around $65,565. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Mary admits about 75% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes University Of North Dakota one of the best values for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies. University Of North Dakota is a large public school located in the city of Grand Forks. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,951, compared with $15,570 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,110 to complete the parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies program here. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from University Of North Dakota generally make around $64,378. Set against $25,110 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of North Dakota admits about 77% of applicants.
Jamestown College landed the #6 spot for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies value this year. Located in the town of Jamestown, Jamestown College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $24,990. Typical student debt for parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, parks, recreation, leisure & fitness studies degree recipients from Jamestown College generally make around $59,681. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Jamestown College admits about 88% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 14 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.
