Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 57 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$198,148 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
51.3 yrsModeled economic break-even
−81%Modeled 10-year ROI
$49,799Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$49,799Median reported earnings · year 4
$47,292Average reported earnings · year 5
$25,000Median federal debt
21thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
57Reporting programs
55With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $39,043
- Federal debt
- $14,313
- Reporting programs
- 3
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $49,799
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Reporting programs
- 57
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $58,455
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 8
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$46,363National median$49,79975th percentile$53,522
55 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of Florida$64,4972University of Florida-Online$64,4973St. Joseph's University-New York$59,6164University of New Hampshire-Main Campus$59,5375Johnson & Wales University-Providence$56,2416Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte$56,2417Johnson & Wales University-Online$56,2418Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$55,7419Pennsylvania State University-World Campus$55,74110Illinois State University$55,032Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except GamblingSOC 11-9072 · 3 crosswalk linksGeneral and Operations ManagersSOC 11-1021 · 2 crosswalk linksFacilities ManagersSOC 11-3013 · 1 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersSOC 37-1012 · 1 crosswalk linksLandscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersSOC 37-3011 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of FloridaBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $64,497 | $18,606 | -5% | Negative payoff |
| 2 | University of Florida-OnlineBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $64,497 | $18,606 | -2% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | St. Joseph's University-New YorkBachelor's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $59,616 | $26,000 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | University of New Hampshire-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Durham, NH | $59,537 | $27,000 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | Johnson & Wales University-ProvidenceBachelor's Degree | Providence, RI | $56,241 | $27,000 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Johnson & Wales University-CharlotteBachelor's Degree | Charlotte, NC | $56,241 | $27,000 | -61% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Johnson & Wales University-OnlineBachelor's Degree | Providence, RI | $56,241 | $27,000 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | $55,741 | $24,410 | -66% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Pennsylvania State University-World CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | $55,741 | $24,410 | -58% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Illinois State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Normal, IL | $55,032 | $22,000 | -61% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | University of North TexasBachelor's Degree | Denton, TX | $54,621 | $26,000 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Minnesota State University-MankatoBachelor's Degree | Mankato, MN | $54,532 | $27,000 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Saint Cloud State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Saint Cloud, MN | $54,302 | $27,000 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Kean UniversityBachelor's Degree | Union, NJ | $54,232 | $27,625 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Southern Connecticut State UniversityBachelor's Degree | New Haven, CT | $53,522 | $25,000 | -68% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Colorado State University-Fort CollinsBachelor's Degree | Fort Collins, CO | $52,971 | $19,628 | -70% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Commonwealth University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Bloomsburg, PA | $52,571 | Not available | -69% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Frostburg State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Frostburg, MD | $52,488 | $25,000 | -70% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | University of Northern ColoradoBachelor's Degree | Greeley, CO | $52,363 | $24,250 | -71% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | North Carolina State University at RaleighBachelor's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $52,233 | $20,500 | -71% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | The University of MontanaBachelor's Degree | Missoula, MT | $51,426 | Not available | -74% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Old Dominion UniversityBachelor's Degree | Norfolk, VA | $51,233 | $25,000 | -74% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | Eastern Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Cheney, WA | $51,206 | $21,384 | -74% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | East Stroudsburg University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | East Stroudsburg, PA | $51,012 | $26,000 | -76% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Southwestern Oklahoma State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Weatherford, OK | $50,937 | $19,757 | -75% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Kansas State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Manhattan, KS | $50,522 | $26,000 | -79% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | University of North Carolina WilmingtonBachelor's Degree | Wilmington, NC | $50,241 | $23,000 | -80% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | University of West GeorgiaBachelor's Degree | Carrollton, GA | $49,799 | $28,750 | -79% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Indiana State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Terre Haute, IN | $49,623 | $25,000 | -79% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Eastern Illinois UniversityBachelor's Degree | Charleston, IL | $49,424 | $22,500 | -81% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | Michigan State UniversityBachelor's Degree | East Lansing, MI | $49,377 | $24,939 | -83% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Arkansas Tech UniversityBachelor's Degree | Russellville, AR | $49,034 | $23,726 | -83% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Clemson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Clemson, SC | $48,898 | $22,592 | -86% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | Florida International UniversityBachelor's Degree | Miami, FL | $48,814 | $19,000 | -82% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Northwest Missouri State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Maryville, MO | $48,600 | $26,198 | -85% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | South Dakota State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Brookings, SD | $48,319 | $25,093 | -87% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Florida State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Tallahassee, FL | $48,260 | Not available | -86% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | University of North Carolina at GreensboroBachelor's Degree | Greensboro, NC | $48,070 | Not available | -86% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Texas State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Marcos, TX | $47,752 | $23,000 | -89% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Missouri Western State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Saint Joseph, MO | $47,177 | Not available | -91% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | Middle Tennessee State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Murfreesboro, TN | $46,796 | $28,545 | -92% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Western Illinois UniversityBachelor's Degree | Macomb, IL | $46,363 | $29,000 | -94% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | University of Wisconsin-La CrosseBachelor's Degree | La Crosse, WI | $44,710 | $22,005 | -101% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | Slippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Slippery Rock, PA | $44,304 | $26,000 | -103% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | Kent State University at KentBachelor's Degree | Kent, OH | $43,686 | $21,074 | -105% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Central Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ellensburg, WA | $43,480 | $23,333 | -106% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Western Kentucky UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bowling Green, KY | $42,600 | $26,000 | -111% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | North Carolina Central UniversityBachelor's Degree | Durham, NC | $42,426 | $31,000 | -111% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | Brigham Young University-IdahoBachelor's Degree | Rexburg, ID | $41,946 | $12,567 | -114% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | Eastern Kentucky UniversityBachelor's Degree | Richmond, KY | $41,877 | $25,616 | -114% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | Western Carolina UniversityBachelor's Degree | Cullowhee, NC | $41,786 | $22,252 | -114% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | SUNY BrockportBachelor's Degree | Brockport, NY | $41,547 | $25,000 | -114% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | Appalachian State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boone, NC | $41,052 | $19,706 | -116% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | West Virginia UniversityBachelor's Degree | Morgantown, WV | $38,649 | Not available | -126% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | Lindsey Wilson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Columbia, KY | $37,436 | Not available | -131% | Negative payoff |
| 56 | Henderson State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Arkadelphia, AR | Not available | $25,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $23,405 |
| 57 | University of MississippiBachelor's Degree | University, MS | Not available | $22,213 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $13,314 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.