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2026 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in Virginia

[Recreation Administration](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/recreation-administration/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong recreation administration education at a price that pays off.

College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value recreation administration schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in Virginia

2026 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in Virginia

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the recreation administration degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Recreation Administration Schools

1

Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA

$12,750 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,000 Avg Student Debt

$54,914 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is Old Dominion University, our #1 best value for recreation administration in Virginia. Old Dominion University is a very large public school located in the city of Norfolk. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,750, while out-of-state students pay about $33,780. Typical student debt for recreation administration graduates is $25,000. Recreation Administration graduates of Old Dominion University earn a median of $34,040 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.

2

George Mason University
Fairfax, VA

$14,220 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,529 Avg Student Debt

$76,343 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at George Mason University earned it the #2 place for recreation administration. Set in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,220, with out-of-state students paying around $38,688. Recreation Administration graduates carry a median of $23,529 in student loans. Recreation Administration graduates of George Mason University earn a median of $63,131 early in their careers. Set against $23,529 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. George Mason University admits about 88% of applicants.

View All Recreation Administration Rankings >

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 · 7 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.