Updated March 2026 · College Scorecard data
Is Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management Worth It?
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management lands in the middle with a national average ROI Score of 62/100 across 8 reporting schools — a Grade C profile where outcomes vary sharply by institution, and school choice matters more than usual. Across the field, median debt is $29K against $42K in first-year earnings — a healthy debt load — repayment falls comfortably under the 8% rule on a standard 10-year plan.
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management ROI at a Glance
lands in the middle with a national average ROI Score of 62/100 across 8 reporting schools — a Grade C profile where outcomes vary sharply by institution, and school choice matters more than usual. The graduation-weighted average across reporting institutions is the cleanest single number for the field, but it hides the spread — top programs like Appalachian State University run far ahead of the bottom of the table. School choice within Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management matters because the major-level number is a starting point, not a prediction.
Earnings rise sharply from $42K in year 1 to $58K by year 5 — 37% growth in four years. That is a strong promotion curve, common in technology, engineering, and finance tracks where early-career skill compounding pays off fast. The five-year earnings trajectory is one of the strongest signals of long-run career fit; a flat curve suggests the major leads to roles where seniority does not pay off without graduate credentials, while a steep curve indicates fast skill compounding inside the field.
Best in field: Appalachian State University leads the field with a 64/100 ROI Score (Grade C). Median debt at completion is $25K against $42K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.59x. Worst in field: Chowan University sits at the bottom of the field with a 57/100 ROI Score (Grade C). Median debt at completion is $36K against $42K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.85x.
Debt-to-Income at the Field Level
At a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69x, Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management shows a healthy debt load — repayment falls comfortably under the 8% rule on a standard 10-year plan. Federal financial-aid research uses the “8% rule” — monthly student loan payments under 8% of gross monthly income — which translates to debt below roughly 0.75x annual earnings on a standard 10-year plan. Programs running above 1.0x typically need income-driven repayment to stay current; above 1.5x, the math rarely works without forgiveness mechanics or an unusually steep career ramp. For borrower-rights and repayment guidance, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is the most accessible federal source.
Debt vs Earnings by School
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management by School
| School | State | Median Debt | Year 1 Earnings | Year 5 Earnings | ROI Grade | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State University | Nc | $25K | $42K | $58K | C | BUY |
| Belmont Abbey College | Nc | $26K | $42K | $58K | C | BUY |
| Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies | Mo | $26K | $42K | $58K | C | BUY |
| Clemson University | Sc | $26K | $42K | $58K | C | BUY |
| Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | Pa | $28K | $42K | $58K | C | BUY |
| Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Mo | $33K | $42K | $58K | C | BUY |
| Chicago State University | Il | $34K | $42K | $58K | C | CAUTION |
| Chowan University | Nc | $36K | $42K | $58K | C | CAUTION |
How Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management’s ROI Score Is Calculated
The Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management ROI Score is a weighted composite of five financial-aid signals: debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium over a high-school diploma (25%), 10-year BLS job-growth outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. the national average (10%). Each school + major combination is scored individually, then aggregated up to the field level. The grade thresholds (A ≥ 80, B ≥ 65, C ≥ 50, D ≥ 35, F < 35) are calibrated so a typical break-even degree lands in the C range. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management degree worth it?
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management lands in the middle with a national average ROI Score of 62/100 across 8 reporting schools — a Grade C profile where outcomes vary sharply by institution, and school choice matters more than usual. The dominant signal is debt-to-income: at a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69x on average, the field shows a healthy debt load — repayment falls comfortably under the 8% rule on a standard 10-year plan. Outcomes vary sharply by institution, so the school you choose within Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management usually matters more than the major label itself.
What is the average debt for a Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management degree?
Median debt at completion across the 8 U.S. schools reporting Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management data to the College Scorecard is $29K, against a national all-major average of $26K. The range across schools is wide — $25K at the top of the table to $36K at the bottom.
How much do Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management graduates earn?
Earnings rise sharply from $42K in year 1 to $58K by year 5 — 37% growth in four years. That is a strong promotion curve, common in technology, engineering, and finance tracks where early-career skill compounding pays off fast. National average first-year earnings across all 30,224 school + major combinations on the site is $58K — for context, Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management sits below that benchmark.
Which school has the best Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management program by ROI?
Appalachian State University leads the field with a 64/100 ROI Score (Grade C). Median debt at completion is $25K against $42K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.59x. On the other end, Chowan University sits at the bottom of the field with a 57/100 ROI Score (Grade C). Median debt at completion is $36K against $42K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.85x.
Where does this Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management data come from?
Every figure on this page comes from federal public datasets — the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov) for debt and earnings, IPEDS (nces.ed.gov/ipeds) for graduation rates, and BLS Employment Projections for the job-growth outlook component of the ROI Score. Borrower-rights guidance: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (consumerfinance.gov). The dataset was last refreshed March 2026.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. All federal datasets are public domain.
Last updated 2026-03-15 · 8 schools reporting for this major.