Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management at Western Carolina University

Western Carolina graduates in this program earn roughly $3,000 less in their first year than peers at NC State, though they carry similar debt loads. At just over $30,000 initially, these earnings fall below both the national median ($33,161) and trail most competitive programs in the state. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73 is manageable but not exceptional—graduates will need to dedicate nearly three-quarters of their first year's earnings to cover their student loans.

The concerning element here is the national positioning: this program ranks in just the 25th percentile nationally for earnings, meaning three-quarters of similar programs produce higher-earning graduates. Within North Carolina, the ranking improves to the 40th percentile, but that's largely because the state has several lower-performing options. The 9% earnings bump over four years provides some relief, but at $33,350, graduates remain well behind peers from NC State and other flagship alternatives.

For families comfortable with a recreation management career path and its typical salary constraints, the moderate debt level prevents this from being a financial disaster. But if your child could gain admission to NC State or another higher-performing program in this field, the $5,000-8,000 annual earnings advantage would compound meaningfully over a career. This works best for students committed to recreation careers who need the access Western Carolina's high admission rate provides.