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Recreation programmer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a recreation programmer. Recreation programmers usually study kinesiology, recreation management, or health education. 77% of recreation programmers hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 257 real recreation programmer resumes to see exactly what recreation programmer education sections show.
The most common colleges for recreation programmers are the Central Michigan University and the Central Michigan University.
There are also many online recreation programmer courses to help get the education required to be a recreation programmer.
What education do you need to become a recreation programmer?
What degree do you need to be a recreation programmer?
- Bachelor's, 77%
- Associate, 13%
- Master's, 7%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 0%
What should I major in to become a recreation programmer?
- Kinesiology, 19%
- Health Education, 6%
- Criminal Justice, 6%
- Other Majors, 54%
Most common colleges for recreation programmers
| Recreation programmer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Central Michigan University | 11.29% |
| University of Nebraska - Omaha | 11.29% |
| Arizona State University | 9.68% |
| Central State University | 6.45% |
| Northwest Missouri State University | 4.84% |
Best majors for recreation programmers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kinesiology | 19.4% |
| 2 | Recreation Management | 15.5% |
| 3 | Health Education | 6.5% |
| 4 | Criminal Justice | 5.8% |
| 5 | Parks And Recreation Management | 5.2% |
Best colleges for recreation programmers
The best colleges for recreation programmers are University of Maryland - College Park, University of Tulsa, and Northeastern University.
A recreation programmer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for recreation programmers. 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 recreation programmers.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
2. Winona State University
Winona, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,425
Enrollment
7,052
3. California State University - Sacramento
Sacramento, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,310
Enrollment
28,439
4. California State University - Chico
Chico, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,608
Enrollment
16,317
5. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
6. SUNY College at Cortland
Cortland, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,536
Enrollment
6,325
7. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
8. Plymouth State University
Plymouth, NH • Private
In-state tuition
$14,099
Enrollment
4,135
9. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
10. Spring Arbor University
Spring Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$28,810
Enrollment
1,671
20 best online courses for recreation programmers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for recreation programmers
The most affordable schools for recreation programmers are California State University - Long Beach, suny farmingdale, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for recreation programmers 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 recreation programmers.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
6. California State University - Sacramento
Sacramento, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,310
Cost of attendance
19,807
7. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
8. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for recreation programmers
The hardest universities for recreation programmers to get into are University of Maryland - College Park, University of Tulsa, and Northeastern University.
Some great schools for recreation programmers 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 recreation programmers 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. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,390
2. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
3. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
4. Clemson University
Clemson, SC • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,337
5. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
Admissions rate
49%
SAT average
1,345
6. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,284
7. University of Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
56%
SAT average
1,300
8. Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,304
9. University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
59%
SAT average
1,367
10. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
Admissions rate
64%
SAT average
1,324
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for recreation programmers
The easiest schools for recreation programmers to get into are Bluefield College, wayland baptist university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a recreation programmer 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 recreation programmers.
1. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
5. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
6. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
7. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
8. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
9. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
10. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
Average recreation programmer salary by education level
| Recreation programmer education level | Recreation programmer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $46,281 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $36,039 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $43,822 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,820 |
Recreation programmer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025