Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies at University of Toledo

Based on comparable programs across Ohio, Toledo's Parks and Recreation degree appears to deliver earnings right at the state median of $36,850—a figure that also sits at the national 75th percentile for this field. With estimated debt of $22,448, you're looking at a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61, which means your student would owe about seven months' worth of their first year's salary.

The challenge here is that recreation management isn't typically a high-earning field right out of college. While Toledo's estimated outcomes match what similar Ohio programs produce, that $36,850 starting point means you're working with tight margins financially. The debt load is manageable but not insignificant—it's actually slightly below the national median for this degree. Still, on a salary in the mid-30s, loan payments will take a meaningful bite out of early paychecks.

The practical question is whether your student is committed to this career path specifically. Recreation and park management positions often require exactly this credential, so if that's the goal, Toledo delivers comparable value to peer programs statewide. But if they're exploring options or viewing this as a general degree, understand that the earning potential starts modest and the debt, while reasonable, will matter more at this income level than it would for higher-paying fields.