2026 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in the Southwest Region
[Recreation Administration](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/recreation-administration/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value recreation administration schools.
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2026 Best Value Recreation Administration Schools in the Southwest Region
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
For return on investment in recreation administration, no school beat University Of North Texas this year. Located in the city of Denton, University Of North Texas is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,309 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,149. Typical student debt for recreation administration graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, recreation administration degree recipients from University Of North Texas generally make around $39,969. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Students looking for strong value in recreation administration will find it at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, which ranked #2. Southwestern Oklahoma State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Weatherford. Students from in state pay about $8,469 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,499. Students borrow a median of $19,757 to complete the recreation administration program here. Recreation Administration graduates of Southwestern Oklahoma State University earn a median of $38,506 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in recreation administration will find it at Texas State University San Marcos, which ranked #3. Set in the city of San Marcos, Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,450, compared with $22,930 for out-of-state students. Recreation Administration graduates carry a median of $23,000 in student loans. Recreation Administration graduates of Texas State University San Marcos earn a median of $32,620 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,000 median debt. Texas State University San Marcos admits about 89% of applicants.
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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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
