2026 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in New York
[Recreation Administration](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/recreation-administration/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for recreation administration students.
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2026 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in recreation administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Recreation Administration Schools
Leading the list is Herkimer County Community College, our #1 best value for recreation administration in New York. Located in the town of Herkimer, Herkimer County Community College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,776. Typical student debt for recreation administration graduates is $16,400. Recreation Administration graduates of Herkimer County Community College earn a median of $31,468 early in their careers. Set against $16,400 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Suny College At Brockport came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value recreation administration schools. Set in the town of Brockport, Suny College At Brockport is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,752, while out-of-state students pay about $15,822. Typical student debt for recreation administration graduates is $25,000. Early-career recreation administration graduates make about $30,388. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Suny College At Brockport admits about 71% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in recreation administration will find it at Saint Josephs College New York, which ranked #3. Saint Josephs College New York is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Brooklyn. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $36,550. Typical student debt for recreation administration graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, recreation administration degree recipients from Saint Josephs College New York generally make around $36,847. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% 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 · 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.
