Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies at Ohio University-Southern Campus

First-year earnings of $36,850 place this program well above the national median for Parks and Recreation degrees—matching the 75th percentile nationally and performing solidly among Ohio programs. Based on comparable programs at similar institutions, debt levels are estimated around $22,448, which would yield a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61. This means graduates would owe roughly seven months of their first-year salary, a reasonable burden that most could handle with standard repayment plans.

What's interesting is that multiple Ohio University campuses report identical earnings figures for this program, suggesting these regional campuses may share similar employment networks or program structures. The estimated debt is actually lower than Ohio's median for Parks and Recreation programs ($26,000), which improves the value proposition. At 12% Pell enrollment, this campus serves fewer low-income students than many public institutions, though that shouldn't overshadow the core financial picture.

The caveat: because the debt figure is estimated from peer institutions rather than actual graduate outcomes, there's meaningful uncertainty here. The actual debt burden could be higher or lower. However, the strong earnings performance—verified by actual graduate data—suggests this program delivers competitive job market outcomes. For families comfortable with approximately $22K in student loans and the career paths this degree opens, the numbers suggest a workable investment.