Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies

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

The following table lists how many parks, recreation and leisure studies graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	198
Doctor’s Degree	7
Graduate Certificate	1

What Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to parks and rec and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Parks & Rec Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in parks and rec should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Parks & Rec Majors

When studying parks and rec, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Abilities for Parks & Rec Majors

As you progress with your parks and rec degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

What Can You Do With a Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with parks and rec:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Recreation and Fitness Studies Professors	9.7%	$62,620

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies?

This major is dominated by women with about 60% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of parks and rec majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	1
Black or African American	21
Hispanic or Latino	13
White	150
International Students	6
Other Races/Ethnicities	7

Geographic Diversity

Parks & Rec appeals to people across the globe. About 3.0% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• South Korea
• Japan
• Canada
• Taiwan

How Much Do Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree in parks, recreation and leisure studies made a median starting salary of $42,811 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $41,381 (25th percentile) and $44,105 (75th percentile).

We don’t know for sure if all of these people took jobs related to parks and rec so take that into consideration.

Salaries According to BLS

Parks and Rec majors often go into careers with median salaries of $72,190. This median refers to all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies

Some degrees associated with parks and rec may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for parks and rec careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree	5.1%
Master’s Degree	21.0%
Doctoral Degree	74.9%

Online Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 167 schools offered some type of parks, recreation and leisure studies program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	10	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	36	5
Bachelor’s Degree	3	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	27	3
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	6	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	1	0

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

The median salary for a parks and rec grad is $72,190 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 81% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $645,800 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to parks and rec.

Major	Number of Grads
Health & Physical Education	9,742
Recreation Administration	441
Other Parks, Recreation & Leisure Studies	35
Outdoor Education	28

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.