Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies at Benedict College

The $17,324 first-year salary from this program is less than half the national median for Parks and Recreation degrees, placing it in the bottom 5% nationally. While it matches the South Carolina median for this field, that's misleading context—only three SC schools offer this program, making state rankings essentially meaningless. The $40,000 in typical debt means graduates owe more than twice their first-year earnings, a burden that would take years to resolve even with significant salary growth.

The real concern is what these numbers represent: graduates earning poverty-level wages while carrying substantial debt. At $17,324 annually, these graduates would struggle to make loan payments even on income-driven repayment plans while covering basic living expenses. Benedict serves a predominantly low-income population (63% receive Pell grants), so this debt burden hits students who can least afford it. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) adds uncertainty, but it doesn't change the fundamental math problem.

For families considering this program, the path forward requires brutal honesty about finances. If your child needs to borrow anywhere close to $40,000, this specific program presents serious financial risk. The field of parks and recreation can offer meaningful work, but this particular outcome—combining bottom-percentile earnings with above-average debt—creates a financial hole that's difficult to climb out of. Look for programs where typical debt stays below one year's earnings, or plan for your child to work extensively while in school to minimize borrowing.