Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies
Parks, Recreation & Fitness
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $49,418 | $42,241 to $55,229 | 60 | 95% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +2% (2025 to 2035), about 1,000 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $77,270 | +2.2% | 1,000 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a parks, recreation, and leisure studies program, of 105 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- Brigham Young University
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Indiana University-Bloomington
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
- University of Missouri-Columbia
- Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
- Northwest Missouri State University
- Northern Arizona University
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.