Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Colorado State's recreation management program sits squarely in the middle of the pack nationally, but lags behind its limited in-state competition—ranking in just the 40th percentile among Colorado programs and trailing University of Northern Colorado by roughly $2,000 annually. The bigger concern isn't the modest starting salary of $33,161, which matches the national median; it's the debt load. At $19,628, graduates carry 95th percentile debt levels for this field, meaning almost no other recreation management programs nationwide saddle students with this much borrowing. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 is manageable but not comfortable for a field where salaries start in the low $30,000s.

The 19% earnings growth over four years brings graduates to $39,516, which helps improve the financial picture but doesn't fundamentally change it. For an accessible program at a school with 90% admission rates, the combination of median earnings and above-average debt creates a tighter margin than many families would prefer. If your child is committed to recreation management and Colorado residency, this works—but not exceptionally well. The University of Northern Colorado offers better earnings potential with comparable debt, making it worth a serious look if location flexibility exists. This degree will likely pay for itself over time, but there's little financial cushion in those early years.