Colorado · Parks

Best colleges for Parks in Colorado

Ranked by graduate earnings

Colorado State University - Fort Collins, Colorado Mesa University and University of Northern Colorado award the most Parks degrees and certificates in Colorado: 84, 16 and 7 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 5 Colorado colleges offer Parks and award 116 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management program prepares students for careers in managing parks, recreational facilities, and leisure services. This program is ideal for individuals passionate about outdoor activities,…

Related programs you can study
Institutions
5
offering CIP 31.03
States offered
40
with a program page
Degrees / yr
116
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$33,161
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
2
College Scorecard
Median net price
—
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
42%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Facilities Managers
$131,060
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 2 institutions, 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.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Colorado State University - Fort Collins
Fort Collins Public · Bachelor's degree
$33,1618467%—$19,628
2University of Northern Colorado
Greeley Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$35,308751%—$24,250

Colleges awarding the most Parks degrees in Colorado

Top 4 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Colorado State University - Fort Collins
Fort Collins Public
84$33,161
2Colorado Mesa University
Grand Junction Public
16Not reported
3University of Northern Colorado
Greeley Public
7$35,308
4Red Rocks Community College
Lakewood Public
6Not reported
Show the other 1 Colorado colleges offering Parks
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Pikes Peak State CollegeColorado SpringsPublic3

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Facilities Managers (SOC 11-3013).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+3.8%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~13,200
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$104,690
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

SpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingMonitoringWriting

What Facilities Managers earn in Colorado

Jobs in Colorado
2,150
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$131,060
median $122,510
Best-paying metro
$141,380
Greeley, CO

Related careers

General and Operations Managers
$161,970 avg · 41,870 jobs
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
$46,840 avg · 21,990 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers
$64,410 avg · 4,390 jobs
Facilities Managers
$131,060 avg · 2,150 jobs
Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
$109,890 avg · 940 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Parks programs in Colorado.

Which Colorado colleges award the most Parks degrees?+

Colorado State University - Fort Collins (84 graduates a year), Colorado Mesa University (16 graduates a year) and University of Northern Colorado (7 graduates a year) award the most Parks degrees and certificates in Colorado, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 5 Colorado colleges offer Parks.

Which Parks program in Colorado has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Colorado State University - Fort Collins tops the list at $33,161. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Facilities Managers earn in Colorado?+

The average annual wage for Facilities Managers in Colorado is $131,060 (median $122,510), across about 2,150 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Parks program?+

The Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management program prepares students for careers in managing parks, recreational facilities, and leisure services. This program is ideal for individuals passionate about outdoor activities,…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, critical thinking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Facilities Managers?+

The national job outlook is about +3.8% growth with around 13,200 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

Related programs in ColoradoParksSportsOutdoor EducationParks

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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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