Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies graduates earn a median $50,983 four years after finishing — $2,623/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 25.8 years. Federal data pools 109 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 2,248 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies ranks #158 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 22% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $75,181 |
| 2 | California State University-East Bay | CA | $68,227 |
| 3 | University of South Dakota | SD | $64,104 |
| 4 | Brigham Young University | UT | $63,080 |
| 5 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | $61,313 |
| 6 | University of Utah | UT | $59,855 |
| 7 | California State University-Chico | CA | $59,765 |
| 8 | California State University-Sacramento | CA | $59,041 |
| 9 | Metropolitan State University of Denver | CO | $57,810 |
| 10 | Indiana University-Bloomington | IN | $57,334 |
| 11 | University of Iowa | IA | $57,098 |
| 12 | San Diego State University | CA | $57,093 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies pay grow after graduation?
From $43,149 one year out to $50,983 four years out — a $7,834 climb, or 18% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies each year?
About 2,248 bachelor's graduates a year across 109 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.