Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management at Eastern Kentucky University

Eastern Kentucky University's Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management program produces graduates earning $30,330 in their first year—below both the national median ($33,161) and the Kentucky median ($31,298) for this field. While the program sits at the 40th percentile among Kentucky's five programs, that still means graduates are starting nearly $2,000 behind their counterparts at Western Kentucky University and trailing most peers nationwide.

The debt burden of $25,616 creates a manageable but tight first-year ratio of 0.84, roughly equivalent to 10 months of pre-tax earnings. The concerning element isn't the debt level itself—it's close to national norms—but rather the modest earnings trajectory. Four years out, graduates reach only $33,045, barely clearing the national median for first-year earnings. That 9% growth over four years suggests this career path offers stability without significant income acceleration.

For families considering this program, understand you're looking at a decade-long timeline before typical household bills become comfortable on this salary. If your student is passionate about recreation management and accepts starting in the low $30,000s, Eastern Kentucky can get them there without crushing debt. But if earnings potential matters, Western Kentucky's program offers a $2,000 head start for similar cost, and even that represents a modest career ceiling in this field.