ProgramsParks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology
CIP31.06
30 colleges offer Outdoor Education. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
Colleges offering it, by degree level
What it covers
A program that prepares individuals to work as an educator, instructor or facilitator in parks, recreational facilities, camps and other outdoor settings. Includes instruction in leadership skills, wilderness survival skills, first aid, group processes, counseling techniques, environmental studies and instruction in recreational activities such as rock climbing, ropes courses, backpacking, kayaking and canoeing.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 31.06.
By degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 19 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Associate's | 13 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Bachelor's | 30 | $37,5884 yrs after · 2 colleges | $27,3591 college |
| Master's | 5 | Not reported | $41,4551 college |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 2 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
Durango, CO · Public · 13 graduates
$39,598
debt not reported
Randolph, VT · Public · 16 graduates
$35,579
debt not reported
Careers
Occupations linked to Outdoor Education by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
Personal care and service
High school diploma
Personal care and service
High school diploma
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this areaPublished colleges on CollegesRef report Outdoor Education at these degree levels: certificate (19 colleges), associate's (13 colleges), bachelor's (30 colleges), master's (5 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (2 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Outdoor Education earn $37,588 a year four years after finishing, across 2 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Fort Lewis College reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Outdoor Education: $39,598 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.