Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management at Henderson State University

Henderson State's Parks and Recreation Management program starts graduates at just $29,307—about $4,000 below the national median and trailing Arkansas Tech's similar program by nearly $6,000. While this places it at the 40th percentile within Arkansas (middle of the pack for the state), it lands in the 12th percentile nationally, meaning 88% of comparable programs across the country produce higher-earning graduates. The debt load of $25,000 is actually typical for this field, keeping the debt-to-earnings ratio at a manageable 0.85.

The bigger concern here is the starting salary itself. At under $30,000, graduates face tight budgets even with moderate debt—consider that this is roughly $14 per hour full-time. Given that nearly half of Henderson State students receive Pell grants, many families here are counting on solid financial returns. For students passionate about recreation management, this path could work if they're committed to the field and understand the lifestyle implications, but families should know that other Arkansas programs show it's possible to enter this career with better starting prospects.

The caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes may vary more than usual. If your student is set on this major at Henderson State, ask about internship placements and which employers typically hire graduates—that context could reveal opportunities the numbers alone don't capture.