by our College Data Analytics Team
[Recreation Administration](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/recreation-administration/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The schools below stand out for the salaries their recreation administration graduates go on to command.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find where recreation administration graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
The right recreation administration school can pay off in your paycheck for years to come. To help, we created our Highest Paid Recreation Administration Graduates ranking. We rank each school on the early-career earnings of its recreation administration graduates to surface the highest-paying programs.
We offer a number of rankings, including this Highest Paid Recreation Administration Graduates list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Learn more about our methodology
If you want to know which schools send recreation administration graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Texas State University San Marcos earned the #1 spot for highest-paid recreation administration graduates in the United States. Set in the city of San Marcos, Texas State University San Marcos is a public institution. Recreation Administration graduates of Texas State University San Marcos earn a median of about $53,162 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Arkansas one of the highest-paying schools for recreation administration. Set in the city of Fayetteville, University Of Arkansas is a public institution. Recreation Administration graduates of University Of Arkansas earn a median of about $56,024 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #3 makes Western Kentucky University one of the highest-paying schools for recreation administration. Set in the city of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is a public institution. After graduating, recreation administration degree recipients from Western Kentucky University typically earn about $57,770 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at Slippery Rock University Of Pennsylvania earned it the #4 place for recreation administration. Located in the town of Slippery Rock, Slippery Rock University Of Pennsylvania is a public institution. After graduating, recreation administration degree recipients from Slippery Rock University Of Pennsylvania typically earn about $53,029 annually.
A rank of #5 makes University Of North Texas one of the highest-paying schools for recreation administration. University Of North Texas is a public school located in the city of Denton. Recreation Administration graduates of University Of North Texas earn a median of about $57,681 a year early in their careers.
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Florida International University placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for recreation administration. Set in the suburb of Miami, Florida International University is a public institution. Early-career recreation administration graduates from Florida International University make a median of around $61,226 per year.
North Carolina State University At Raleigh placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for recreation administration. Located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a public institution. Recreation Administration graduates of North Carolina State University At Raleigh earn a median of about $45,117 a year early in their careers.
Clemson University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying recreation administration schools. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a public institution. Students who complete the recreation administration program here go on to a median salary of roughly $43,992.
Western Illinois University earned the #9 position for recreation administration graduate earnings this year. Western Illinois University is a public school located in the town of Macomb. Early-career recreation administration graduates from Western Illinois University make a median of around $41,854 per year.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their recreation administration graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 9 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.