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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies bachelor's degree at Western Colorado University

Gunnison, CO · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$2,874 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
40.5% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−87% · Negative payoff
Available price data
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$48,109 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+20%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$25,903 → $31,184
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
18Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
29Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

55Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
21Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
15Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
15Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$39,174Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$48,109$8,935 above the preliminary benchmark

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$16,425

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$19,507

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$48,109

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$207/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$16,425Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$25,736Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE99.7%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE50.5%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$25,903Year 1
$48,109Year 4
$31,184Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

5.2% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$4,009
Estimated loan payment$207
29borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$48,109 vs. $50,983

$2,874 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary$65,730 median wageCO estimate · 180 jobs · 25-1193$39,160–$78,740 middle 50% of CO wages+2.2% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degree
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS

Where graduates work five years later

The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.

01

Educational Services

about 21.7%
02

Health Care and Social Assistance

about 18.2%
03

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

about 11.2%
04

Retail Trade

about 9.5%
05

Accommodation and Food Services

about 8.9%

How to read this: This is an observed industry mix, not a list of job titles or proof that every graduate worked in the field studied. Counts and shares are approximate because Census privacy protections add statistical noise.

Coverage is limited to institutions and states participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program. These figures do not affect DegreeVerdict ROI calculations.

Download the official Census source file →
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Denver, CO

Metropolitan State University of Denver

$9,701 higher earnings · $1,098 lower annual net price

Earnings
$57,810
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$15,327
View outcomes →
Provo, UT

Brigham Young University

$14,971 higher earnings · $7,507 less debt · $861 lower annual net price

Earnings
$63,080
Debt
$12,000
Annual net price
$15,564
View outcomes →
Chico, CA

California State University, Chico

$11,656 higher earnings · $1,328 less debt · $1,945 lower annual net price

Earnings
$59,765
Debt
$18,179
Annual net price
$14,480
View outcomes →
San Diego, CA

San Diego State University

$8,984 higher earnings · $4,508 less debt · $1,061 lower annual net price

Earnings
$57,093
Debt
$14,999
Annual net price
$15,364
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

18 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →