Best Parks & Recreation Colleges in North Carolina
55 accredited institutions in North Carolina offering parks & recreation programs, ranked by annual graduates (IPEDS 2023–24).
55
Colleges
8,550
Graduates/yr
24
Public
Bachelor's
Top Degree
Ranked: Parks & Recreation Programs in North Carolina
1
PublicBachelor's
Appalachian State University
Boone
1,005
Graduates/yr
89%
Acceptance
$4,242
In-State Tuition
73%
Grad Rate
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2
PublicBachelor's
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill
861
Graduates/yr
19%
Acceptance
$7,019
In-State Tuition
92%
Grad Rate
View →
3
PublicBachelor's
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Wilmington
591
Graduates/yr
74%
Acceptance
$4,443
In-State Tuition
71%
Grad Rate
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4
PublicBachelor's
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro
579
Graduates/yr
90%
Acceptance
$4,422
In-State Tuition
58%
Grad Rate
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5
PublicBachelor's
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh
465
Graduates/yr
40%
Acceptance
$6,535
In-State Tuition
85%
Grad Rate
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6
PublicBachelor's
North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro
375
Graduates/yr
46%
Acceptance
$3,540
In-State Tuition
55%
Grad Rate
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7
PublicBachelor's
East Carolina University
Greenville
309
Graduates/yr
90%
Acceptance
$4,452
In-State Tuition
62%
Grad Rate
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8
Private NonprofitBachelor's
High Point University
High Point
306
Graduates/yr
77%
Acceptance
$38,748
Tuition
69%
Grad Rate
$31,039
Net Price <$30K
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9
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem
297
Graduates/yr
22%
Acceptance
$63,608
Tuition
91%
Grad Rate
$12,795
Net Price <$30K
View →
10
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Campbell University
Buies Creek
285
Graduates/yr
94%
Acceptance
$37,750
Tuition
55%
Grad Rate
$19,337
Net Price <$30K
View →
11
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Elon University
Elon
276
Graduates/yr
67%
Acceptance
$44,029
Tuition
83%
Grad Rate
$22,319
Net Price <$30K
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12
PublicBachelor's
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Pembroke
249
Graduates/yr
92%
Acceptance
$1,000
In-State Tuition
45%
Grad Rate
View →
13
PublicBachelor's
Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem
228
Graduates/yr
69%
Acceptance
$3,401
In-State Tuition
49%
Grad Rate
View →
14
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Wingate University
Wingate
225
Graduates/yr
85%
Acceptance
$41,631
Tuition
47%
Grad Rate
$15,847
Net Price <$30K
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15
PublicBachelor's
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee
201
Graduates/yr
87%
Acceptance
$1,000
In-State Tuition
59%
Grad Rate
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16
PublicBachelor's
North Carolina Central University
Durham
156
Graduates/yr
90%
Acceptance
$3,728
In-State Tuition
46%
Grad Rate
View →
17
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Barton College
Wilson
150
Graduates/yr
96%
Acceptance
$35,600
Tuition
52%
Grad Rate
$19,973
Net Price <$30K
View →
18
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Hickory
120
Graduates/yr
81%
Acceptance
$30,000
Tuition
51%
Grad Rate
$21,606
Net Price <$30K
View →
19
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Methodist University
Fayetteville
117
Graduates/yr
75%
Acceptance
$38,936
Tuition
40%
Grad Rate
$24,418
Net Price <$30K
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20
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Catawba College
Salisbury
114
Graduates/yr
78%
Acceptance
$33,400
Tuition
52%
Grad Rate
$15,793
Net Price <$30K
View →
21
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Belmont Abbey College
Belmont
111
Graduates/yr
90%
Acceptance
$19,500
Tuition
46%
Grad Rate
$17,915
Net Price <$30K
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22
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Chowan University
Murfreesboro
105
Graduates/yr
72%
Acceptance
$27,110
Tuition
29%
Grad Rate
$14,953
Net Price <$30K
View →
23
Private NonprofitBachelor's
University of Mount Olive
Mount Olive
102
Graduates/yr
78%
Acceptance
$24,850
Tuition
46%
Grad Rate
$15,882
Net Price <$30K
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24
PublicBachelor's
Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City
99
Graduates/yr
70%
Acceptance
$1,000
In-State Tuition
48%
Grad Rate
View →
25
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Brevard College
Brevard
96
Graduates/yr
40%
Acceptance
$29,400
Tuition
39%
Grad Rate
$17,716
Net Price <$30K
View →
26
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Shaw University
Raleigh
90
Graduates/yr
30%
Acceptance
$12,408
Tuition
20%
Grad Rate
$14,584
Net Price <$30K
View →
27
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Guilford College
Greensboro
81
Graduates/yr
84%
Acceptance
$40,400
Tuition
48%
Grad Rate
$20,697
Net Price <$30K
View →
28
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Pfeiffer University
Misenheimer
72
Graduates/yr
95%
Acceptance
$32,580
Tuition
43%
Grad Rate
$19,384
Net Price <$30K
View →
29
Private NonprofitBachelor's
William Peace University
Raleigh
69
Graduates/yr
97%
Acceptance
$32,550
Tuition
44%
Grad Rate
$21,009
Net Price <$30K
View →
30
Private NonprofitBachelor's
North Carolina Wesleyan University
Rocky Mount
66
Graduates/yr
78%
Acceptance
$34,936
Tuition
39%
Grad Rate
$15,577
Net Price <$30K
View →
31
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Livingstone College
Salisbury
63
Graduates/yr
74%
Acceptance
$15,917
Tuition
24%
Grad Rate
$16,780
Net Price <$30K
View →
32
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Johnson C Smith University
Charlotte
60
Graduates/yr
43%
Acceptance
$18,450
Tuition
34%
Grad Rate
$19,031
Net Price <$30K
View →
33
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Lees-McRae College
Banner Elk
60
Graduates/yr
81%
Acceptance
$28,790
Tuition
44%
Grad Rate
$17,535
Net Price <$30K
View →
34
Private NonprofitBachelor's
St. Andrews University
Laurinburg
57
Graduates/yr
$29,400
Tuition
26%
Grad Rate
$29,371
Net Price <$30K
View →
35
Private NonprofitMaster's
Gardner-Webb University
Boiling Springs
54
Graduates/yr
87%
Acceptance
$32,470
Tuition
60%
Grad Rate
$17,642
Net Price <$30K
View →
36
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Queens University of Charlotte
Charlotte
51
Graduates/yr
68%
Acceptance
$40,790
Tuition
66%
Grad Rate
$23,594
Net Price <$30K
View →
37
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Greensboro College
Greensboro
42
Graduates/yr
92%
Acceptance
$20,300
Tuition
41%
Grad Rate
$15,725
Net Price <$30K
View →
38
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Meredith College
Raleigh
42
Graduates/yr
75%
Acceptance
$43,816
Tuition
65%
Grad Rate
$15,404
Net Price <$30K
View →
39
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Mars Hill University
Mars Hill
42
Graduates/yr
78%
Acceptance
$37,270
Tuition
42%
Grad Rate
$15,963
Net Price <$30K
View →
40
PublicAssociate's
Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh
39
Graduates/yr
$2,076
In-State Tuition
View →
41
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Saint Augustine's University
Raleigh
36
Graduates/yr
59%
Acceptance
$10,968
Tuition
20%
Grad Rate
$19,029
Net Price <$30K
View →
42
PublicAssociate's
Southwestern Community College
Sylva
21
Graduates/yr
$5,472
In-State Tuition
View →
43
PublicAssociate's
Sandhills Community College
Pinehurst
21
Graduates/yr
$2,432
In-State Tuition
View →
44
PublicAssociate's
Central Carolina Community College
Sanford
18
Graduates/yr
$2,432
In-State Tuition
View →
45
PublicAssociate's
Catawba Valley Community College
Hickory
18
Graduates/yr
$2,128
In-State Tuition
View →
46
PublicAssociate's
Brunswick Community College
Bolivia
18
Graduates/yr
$2,432
In-State Tuition
View →
47
PublicAssociate's
College of the Albemarle
Elizabeth City
18
Graduates/yr
$2,102
In-State Tuition
View →
48
PublicAssociate's
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Asheville
15
Graduates/yr
$2,432
In-State Tuition
View →
49
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Warren Wilson College
Swannanoa
15
Graduates/yr
78%
Acceptance
$39,300
Tuition
43%
Grad Rate
$18,307
Net Price <$30K
View →
50
PublicAssociate's
Fayetteville Technical Community College
Fayetteville
15
Graduates/yr
$2,432
In-State Tuition
View →
51
PublicAssociate's
Gaston College
Dallas
12
Graduates/yr
$2,432
In-State Tuition
View →
52
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Montreat College
Montreat
12
Graduates/yr
66%
Acceptance
$31,460
Tuition
41%
Grad Rate
$20,689
Net Price <$30K
View →
53
PublicAssociate's
Coastal Carolina Community College
Jacksonville
9
Graduates/yr
$2,432
In-State Tuition
View →
54
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Salem College
Winston-Salem
6
Graduates/yr
87%
Acceptance
$32,236
Tuition
56%
Grad Rate
$14,974
Net Price <$30K
View →
55
PublicBachelor's
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte
6
Graduates/yr
80%
Acceptance
$3,812
In-State Tuition
68%
Grad Rate
View →
Studying Parks & Recreation in North Carolina
North Carolina has 55 accredited colleges offering parks & recreation programs, producing 8,550 graduates annually. Of these, 24 are public institutions with subsidized in-state tuition for North Carolina residents.
When evaluating programs, consider accreditation, internship placement rates, and faculty expertise. Always file the FAFSA — the net price after grants can be dramatically lower than sticker tuition, especially at public institutions.
Other Programs in North Carolina
Communications TechnologyComputer SciencePersonal & Culinary ServicesEducationEngineeringEngineering TechnologyForeign LanguagesFamily & Consumer SciencesLegal Studies / Pre-LawEnglishLiberal ArtsLibrary ScienceBiologyMathematics & StatisticsMilitary ScienceInterdisciplinary StudiesPhilosophy & Religious StudiesTheology & MinistryPhysical SciencesScience Technology
Data source: Graduate counts from IPEDS 2023–24 C2023_A Completions survey (NCES). Tuition, acceptance rate, and graduation rate from IPEDS HD2023, ADM2023, DRVGR2023.