Highest-Paying Parks, Recreation & Fitness Programs
Colleges whose parks, recreation & fitness graduates earn the most one year after finishing, across all bachelor's programs in the field.
Ranked by median earnings, 1 year after completing · 626 of 2,406 institutions report this measure · Compiled 2026-09-01
Chase these schools
Top schools on this list that also show up elsewhere — hop lists without leaving the trail.
#5
American Public University System
Charles Town, WV
- 1Southern Methodist UniversityDallas, TX · Private$47,729Compare nearby
- 2Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY · Public$46,673Compare nearby
- 3California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA · Public$44,925Compare nearby
- 4University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, MA · Public$44,595Compare nearby
- 5American Public University SystemCharles Town, WV · For-profit$44,305Compare nearby
- 6University of DaytonDayton, OH · Private$43,798Compare nearby
- 7Seton Hall UniversitySouth Orange, NJ · Private$43,128Compare nearby
- 8Mount St. Mary's UniversityEmmitsburg, MD · Private$42,682Compare nearby
- 9Mercy UniversityDobbs Ferry, NY · Private$42,682Compare nearby
- 10University of South Carolina-ColumbiaColumbia, SC · Public$42,235Compare nearby
- 11San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA · Public$42,147Compare nearby
- 12University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI · Public$41,565Compare nearby
- 13Ohio University-Main CampusAthens, OH · Public$41,314Compare nearby
- 14Elon UniversityElon, NC · Private$41,007Compare nearby
- 15Kentucky Wesleyan CollegeOwensboro, KY · Private$39,729Compare nearby
- 16Endicott CollegeBeverly, MA · Private$39,729Compare nearby
- 17Drexel UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · Private$39,585Compare nearby
- 18Wilmington UniversityNew Castle, DE · Private$39,369Compare nearby
- 19Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston, SC · Public$39,369Compare nearby
- 20University of Houston-Clear LakeHouston, TX · Public$39,369Compare nearby
- 21Columbia CollegeColumbia, MO · Private$39,009Compare nearby
- 22Dickinson State UniversityDickinson, ND · Public$39,009Compare nearby
- 23University of MaryBismarck, ND · Private$39,009Compare nearby
- 24Simpson CollegeIndianola, IA · Private$38,829Compare nearby
- 25Maryville University of Saint LouisSaint Louis, MO · Private$38,829Compare nearby
How this list was built
- Measure
- Median earnings, 1 year after completing — sorted highest to lowest
- Source variable
EARN_MDN_HI_1YR- Dataset
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most-Recent-Cohorts-Field-of-Study (04-17-2025 release)
- Where a college offers several parks, recreation & fitness programs, the figure shown is the median across those programs.
- Earnings cover graduates who received federal financial aid, were working and not enrolled one year after completing, and whose highest credential is that bachelor's degree.
- 626 institutions report earnings for this field; programs with too few graduates are suppressed for privacy by the Department of Education and cannot be ranked.
A single measure is a narrow way to judge a college. Read this alongside the others, and see the methodology for what these figures do and do not capture.
Keep exploring
- Re-rank with your weightsRe-score with your weights, filtered to Parks, Recreation & Fitness
- Showdown: Southern Methodist University vs Northern Kentucky UniversityHigher-or-lower on Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Live leaderboardReshuffle Top 10–50 on one Scorecard measure
- Explore games & mapsShowdown, Name That College, sports, and more lists
- Sports at Southern Methodist UniversityEADA programs for the #1 school on this list
Keep going
Highest-Paying Psychology Programs
Colleges whose psychology graduates earn the most one year after finishing, across all bachelor's programs in the field.
Highest-Paying Homeland Security & Law Enforcement Programs
Colleges whose homeland security & law enforcement graduates earn the most one year after finishing, across all bachelor's programs in the field.
Highest-Paying Public Administration Programs
Colleges whose public administration graduates earn the most one year after finishing, across all bachelor's programs in the field.