Best colleges for Parks in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
California State University - Sacramento, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo and California State University - Long Beach are the top bachelor's Parks programs in California by graduate earnings. California State University - Sacramento leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $40,338, College Scorecard. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, California State University - Sacramento and California State University - Long Beach award the most Parks degrees in California: 106, 58 and 49 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 21 California colleges offer Parks and award 400 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies program focuses on the study of parks, recreation, leisure, fitness, and kinesiology. It is designed for students interested in promoting healthy lifestyles and enhancing community well-being…
Top 9 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,338 | 58 | 56% | — | $20,024 |
| 2 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,157 | 106 | 86% | — | $16,369 |
| 3 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,532 | 49 | 69% | — | $14,500 |
| 4 | California State University - Chico Chico Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,920 | 29 | 63% | — | $18,179 |
| 5 | San Diego State University San Diego Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,692 | 25 | 76% | — | $14,999 |
| 6 | California State University - Fresno Fresno Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,697 | 22 | 57% | — | $14,061 |
| 7 | California State University - East Bay Hayward Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $43,700 | 13 | 48% | — | $20,306 |
| 8 | San Francisco State University San Francisco Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $28,427 | 12 | 50% | — | $16,797 |
| 9 | California State Polytechnic University - Humboldt Arcata Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $26,224 | 11 | 49% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Parks degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo Public | 106 | $39,157 |
| 2 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public | 58 | $40,338 |
| 3 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 49 | $35,532 |
| 4 | California State University - Chico Chico Public | 29 | $33,920 |
| 5 | San Diego State University San Diego Public | 25 | $33,692 |
| 6 | California State University - Fresno Fresno Public | 22 | $32,697 |
| 7 | San Jose State University San Jose Public | 21 | Not reported |
| 8 | Sierra College Rocklin Public | 15 | Not reported |
| 9 | California State University - East Bay Hayward Public | 13 | $43,700 |
| 10 | San Francisco State University San Francisco Public | 12 | $28,427 |
ShowHide the other 11 California colleges offering Parks
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allan Hancock College | Santa Maria | Public | 19 |
| California State Polytechnic University - Humboldt | Arcata | Public | 11 |
| Fresno City College | Fresno | Public | 8 |
| Feather River Community College District | Quincy | Public | 3 |
| American River College | Sacramento | Public | 2 |
| Simpson University | Redding | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| College of the Canyons | Santa Clarita | Public | 1 |
| Cuesta College | San Luis Obispo | Public | 1 |
| Cypress College | Cypress | Public | 1 |
| Diablo Valley College | Pleasant Hill | Public | 1 |
| El Camino Community College District | Torrance | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1193).
Top skills
What Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Parks programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Parks degrees?+
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo (106 graduates a year), California State University - Sacramento (58 graduates a year) and California State University - Long Beach (49 graduates a year) award the most Parks degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 21 California colleges offer Parks.
What is the best college for Parks in California?+
By graduate earnings, California State University - Sacramento leads among bachelor's Parks programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $40,338, College Scorecard. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo and California State University - Long Beach follow. By degrees awarded, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is the largest, with 106 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Parks program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, California State University - Sacramento tops the list at $40,338. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary in California is $125,840 (median $127,780), across about 1,950 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Parks program?+
The Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies program focuses on the study of parks, recreation, leisure, fitness, and kinesiology. It is designed for students interested in promoting healthy lifestyles and enhancing community well-being…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop speaking, active listening, writing, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary?+
The national job outlook is about +2.4% growth with around 1,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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