by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual reviewed 71 schools in the Plains States Region to determine which ones were the best for bachelor's degree seekers in the field of parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Combined, these schools handed out 4,810 bachelor's degrees in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The parks & rec bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
The overall quality of a bachelor's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we include a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their bachelor's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their bachelor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies students working on their bachelor's degree.
The parks & rec school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region.
In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Every student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies needs to look into University of Iowa. Located in the small city of Iowa City, Iowa is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Iowa
It is hard to beat University of Minnesota - Twin Cities if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. UMN Twin Cities is a very large public university located in the large city of Minneapolis.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Saint Louis University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Located in the large city of Saint Louis, SLU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Saint Louis University
It's difficult to beat Iowa State University if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies. Iowa State is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Ames.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Iowa State University
Located in the city of Lawrence, KU is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Kansas
Minnesota State Mankato is a large public university located in the small city of Mankato.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Minnesota State University - Mankato
St. Ambrose University is a small private not-for-profit university located in the city of Davenport.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Saint Ambrose University
Located in the city of Saint Charles, Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Lindenwood University
Located in the medium-sized city of Columbia, Mizzou is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Missouri - Columbia
UNI is a medium-sized public university located in the city of Cedar Falls.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from University of Northern Iowa
Located in the city of Des Moines, Grand View University is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Grand View University
Northwest is a moderately-sized public university located in the remote town of Maryville.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Northwest Missouri State University
Located in the distant town of Winona, Winona State is a public university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Winona State University
Truman State is a small public university located in the remote town of Kirksville.More information about a bachelor’s in parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies from Truman State University
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Augustana University | Sioux Falls, SD |
| 16 | Loras College | Dubuque, IA |
| 17 | University of Mary | Bismarck, ND |
| 18 | Gustavus Adolphus College | Saint Peter, MN |
| 19 | North Dakota State University - Main Campus | Fargo, ND |
| 20 | South Dakota State University | Brookings, SD |
| 21 | University of Central Missouri | Warrensburg, MO |
| 22 | Rockhurst University | Kansas City, MO |
| 23 | University of Dubuque | Dubuque, IA |
Explore the best parks, recreation, leisure, & fitness studies colleges for a specific state in the Plains States Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 35 | 1,095 |
| Kansas | 33 | 636 |
| Minnesota | 33 | 931 |
| Iowa | 32 | 1,345 |
| South Dakota | 31 | 281 |
| Nebraska | 31 | 375 |
| North Dakota | 30 | 220 |
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health & Physical Education | 4,333 |
| Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies | 324 |
| Recreation Administration | 126 |
| Other Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies | 17 |
| Outdoor Education | 10 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Administration & Social Service | 2,527 |