Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies at Radford University

Radford's recreation program requires patience—graduates start at $30,145, roughly $4,300 below the national median, but experience solid 43% earnings growth to reach $43,089 by year four. Within Virginia's small field of four programs, this ranks at the 60th percentile, though that context matters less than the fundamental challenge: first-year earnings barely exceed $30,000 while carrying $26,000 in debt.

The debt load itself is manageable at 86% of first year earnings, and actually sits below typical borrowing for this major nationally. The real question is whether families are comfortable with the timeline—those early years will be tight, with graduates likely needing financial support or side income to meet loan payments while establishing themselves. The positive trajectory matters, but it takes time to materialize.

For families drawn to this field, understand you're investing in a career path that builds gradually rather than launching with immediate financial independence. The program works for students with realistic expectations about entry-level recreation salaries and either family support through the lean early years or a plan to supplement income initially. If your student needs to be financially self-sufficient immediately after graduation, this major at this debt level will create stress.