Education
Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
- Median pay
- $77,270
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Doctoral or professional degree
- Instructing
- Speaking
- Active Listening
ProgramsParks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies
CIP31.01
120 colleges offer Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies. 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
- 120
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $49,418
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $19,213
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 25
- Associate's
- 36
- Bachelor's
- 120
- Master's
- 25
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 1
- Doctoral
- 5
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 5
What it covers
About Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies
A program that focuses on the principles underlying recreational and leisure activities, and the practices involved in providing indoor and outdoor recreational facilities and services for the general public.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 31.01.
By degree level
Earnings and debt 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 | 25 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Associate's | 36 | $33,8334 yrs after · 2 colleges | Not reported |
| Bachelor's | 120 | $49,4184 yrs after · 60 colleges | $19,21335 colleges |
| Master's | 25 | $58,0014 yrs after · 4 colleges | $28,8752 colleges |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 5 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 5 | 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
Where Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies graduates earn the most
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.
- 1
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · Public · 93 graduates
$75,181
debt $15,250
- 2
California State University-East Bay
Hayward, CA · Public · 30 graduates
$68,227
debt $12,500
- 3
Brigham Young University-Provo
Provo, UT · Private nonprofit · 125 graduates
$63,080
debt $10,780
- 4
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL · Public · 83 graduates
$61,313
debt $16,000
- 5
Salt Lake City, UT · Public · 31 graduates
$59,855
debt $24,750
- 6
California State University-Chico
Chico, CA · Public · 64 graduates
$59,765
debt $18,750
- 7
California State University-Sacramento
Sacramento, CA · Public · 57 graduates
$59,041
debt $12,943
- 8
Indiana University-Bloomington
Bloomington, IN · Public · 86 graduates
$57,334
debt $15,000
- 9
Iowa City, IA · Public · 12 graduates
$57,098
debt $23,250
- 10
San Diego, CA · Public · 14 graduates
$57,093
debt not reported
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
More in Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this areaQuestions about Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies
How many colleges offer Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies at these degree levels: certificate (25 colleges), associate's (36 colleges), bachelor's (120 colleges), master's (25 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (1 college), doctoral (5 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (5 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies earn $49,418 a year four years after finishing, across 60 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies graduates earn the most?
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies: $75,181 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.