Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies at Georgia Southern University

Georgia Southern's Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies program lands near the middle of the pack nationally but compares favorably within Georgia, where it ranks in the 60th percentile—though with only three programs statewide, your in-state options are limited regardless. The $31,086 starting salary sits about 10% below the national median for this major, but debt levels remain manageable at $24,936, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80 that keeps monthly payments workable on an entry-level recreation professional's budget.

The meaningful 24% earnings bump to $38,555 by year four suggests genuine career progression in this field, which matters since many recreation and parks positions start at modest salaries but offer steady advancement. This is one of those programs where "doing what you love" comes with real financial trade-offs—starting salaries trail the national average for all bachelor's degrees by roughly $20,000—but won't saddle your child with unmanageable debt.

If your student is passionate about outdoor education, community programming, or parks management, this program provides credible training at a reasonable price. Just recognize this career path prioritizes meaningful work over maximum earnings, and those first few years will require careful budgeting. The moderate sample size means these outcomes should be fairly reliable indicators of what to expect.