Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 31.01. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 221 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 26 | 130 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Associate's degree | 37 | 123 | $30,522 | $32,310 | $8,425 1 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 122 | 1,719 | $40,789 | $50,983 | $22,820 42 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 25 | 164 | $46,102 | $56,313 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 5 | 13 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 5 | 6 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY Kingsborough Community College NY · Public · 16 graduates measured | $29,218 | $30,327 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo CA · Public · 84 graduates measured | $57,289 | $75,181 | $15,250 |
| Brigham Young University UT · Private, nonprofit · 108 graduates measured | $52,937 | $63,080 | $10,560 |
| California State University-East Bay CA · Public · 33 graduates measured | $51,430 | $68,227 | $12,750 |
| CUNY Lehman College NY · Public · 22 graduates measured | $50,397 | $47,163 | Data unavailable |
| California State University-Fresno CA · Public · 57 graduates measured | $47,020 | $56,336 | $16,250 |
| San Diego State University CA · Public · 23 graduates measured | $46,097 | $57,093 | Data unavailable |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL · Public · 78 graduates measured | $46,024 | $61,313 | $18,336 |
| University of Iowa IA · Public · 51 graduates measured | $45,819 | $57,098 | $27,000 |
| California State University-Chico CA · Public · 84 graduates measured | $45,695 | $59,765 | $19,000 |
| Oklahoma State University-Main Campus OK · Public · 27 graduates measured | $45,641 | $49,468 | Data unavailable |
| University of Missouri-Columbia MO · Public · 100 graduates measured | $45,299 | $55,280 | $19,750 |
| California State University-Sacramento CA · Public · 109 graduates measured | $45,007 | $59,041 | $12,500 |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion AZ · Public · 54 graduates measured | $44,283 | $52,355 | $21,236 |
| Arizona State University Digital Immersion AZ · Public · 54 graduates measured | $44,283 | $52,355 | $21,236 |
| Oregon State University OR · Public · 20 graduates measured | $44,179 | $46,044 | $23,167 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana University-Bloomington IN · Public · 32 graduates measured | $48,682 | $62,051 | Data unavailable |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL · Public · 52 graduates measured | $47,937 | $59,898 | Data unavailable |
| University of Toledo OH · Public · 21 graduates measured | $41,374 | $56,105 | Data unavailable |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale IL · Public · 22 graduates measured | $41,225 | $47,469 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary | $77,270 | +2.2% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (1)
- 31.0101 Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies