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Parks and recreation manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a parks and recreation manager. Parks and recreation managers usually study business, kinesiology, or general studies. 37% of parks and recreation managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 36% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 1,206 real parks and recreation manager resumes to see exactly what parks and recreation manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for parks and recreation managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online parks and recreation manager courses to help get the education required to be a parks and recreation manager.
There are certain parks and recreation manager certifications that you should consider. These parks and recreation manager certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate and First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor.
What education do you need to become a parks and recreation manager?
What degree do you need to be a parks and recreation manager?
- Bachelor's, 37%
- High School Diploma, 36%
- Associate, 15%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a parks and recreation manager?
- Business, 24%
- Kinesiology, 9%
- General Studies, 8%
- Criminal Justice, 8%
- Other Majors, 51%
Most common colleges for parks and recreation managers
| Parks and recreation manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 10.20% |
| University of South Florida | 8.16% |
| Western Washington University | 8.16% |
| Florida International University | 6.12% |
| Purdue University | 6.12% |
Best majors for parks and recreation managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 24.4% |
| 2 | Kinesiology | 8.7% |
| 3 | General Studies | 8.3% |
| 4 | Criminal Justice | 8.3% |
| 5 | Education | 5.5% |
Best colleges for parks and recreation managers
The best colleges for parks and recreation managers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A parks and recreation manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for parks and recreation managers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become parks and recreation managers.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. University of Alaska Southeast
Juneau, AK • Private
In-state tuition
$7,092
Enrollment
1,216
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. University of Alaska Anchorage
Anchorage, AK • Private
In-state tuition
$8,580
Enrollment
10,482
6. Maine Maritime Academy
Castine, ME • Private
In-state tuition
$13,478
Enrollment
979
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
8. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
9. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
10. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,308
Enrollment
6,819
20 best online courses for parks and recreation managers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for parks and recreation managers
The most affordable schools for parks and recreation managers are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and baruch college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for parks and recreation managers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for parks and recreation managers.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
8. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
9. University of Alaska Southeast
Juneau, AK • Private
In-state tuition
$7,092
Cost of attendance
16,853
10. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Cost of attendance
22,990
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for parks and recreation managers
The hardest universities for parks and recreation managers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for parks and recreation managers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for parks and recreation managers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
8. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,338
9. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
10. Brandeis University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
31%
SAT average
1,398
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for parks and recreation managers
The easiest schools for parks and recreation managers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and holy names university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a parks and recreation manager without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for parks and recreation managers.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
6. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
7. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
8. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
9. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
10. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
Average parks and recreation manager salary by education level
| Parks and recreation manager education level | Parks and recreation manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $56,936 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,051 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,012 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $48,314 |
Parks and recreation manager education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025