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Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies

Instructional content is defined in code 31.0101.

Types of Degrees Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Majors Are Earning

Those studying Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	24
Associate’s Degree	123
Bachelor’s Degree	1,719
Master’s Degree	276
Doctor’s Degree	13

What Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Majors Need to Know

Programs in Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Education and Training — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.2 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Learning Strategies — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.5 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Calendar and scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Dartfish ProSuite	Video creation and editing software	—
Learning management system LMS	Computer based training software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
DOC Cop	Information retrieval or search software	—
Student record software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Softworks Global PESoftOne	Computer based training software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates include:

• Fitness and Wellness Instructor
• Health Fitness Professional
• Leisure Studies Professor
• Instructor
• Exercise Instructor
• Teacher
• Kinesiology Professor
• Health and Physical Education Professor (HPE Professor)
• Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Professor (HPER Professor)
• College Faculty Member
• Professor
• Physical Education Instructor (PE Instructor)
• Recreation Teacher
• Athletic Instructor
• Education Programs Professional

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	74.2%
Master’s degree	20.8%
Bachelor’s degree	5.0%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 52.2% women and 47.8% men among Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,124	52.2%
Men	1,031	47.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,403	65.1%
Asian	73	3.4%
Hispanic or Latino	275	12.8%
Black or African American	202	9.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	8	0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	8	0.4%
Two or More Races	89	4.1%
Race Unknown	56	2.6%
International Students	41	1.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$34,839
4 years	$45,076
5 years	$51,746

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $51,746 — roughly 49% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	6	2
Bachelor’s	4	6
Master’s	2	4

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies graduates earn a median of $45,076 four years after completion — roughly 19% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Parks Recreation Fitness	70,398
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness	65,261
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management	2,291
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology, Other	355
Outdoor Education	336
PARKS, RECREATION, LEISURE, FITNESS, AND KINESIOLOGY	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.