Parks at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Fort Collins, CO · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
50 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
50
Optimistic
50
Base Case
46
Pessimistic
Earnings $33,161/yr (-1% vs median)
AI Risk Moderate (34% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (508,800 openings/yr)
ROI 10.3x earnings multiple (3.9x out-of-state)
Ranked #18 of 45 Parks programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Parks graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $531K $529K $491K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 10.3x 10.3x 9.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.9x 3.9x 3.6x
Probability of Field Employment 42% 40% 32%
DegreeOutlook Score 50 50 46

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$51,584
Out-of-state: $135,004 (3.9x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$81,328
-58% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$19,250
7.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$52,324
58% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $33,161/yr, roughly in line with the $33,642 national median for Parks. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 10.3x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 34% task exposure — and the 7% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $19,250 debt-to-$33,161 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #18 out of 45 programs, Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Parks offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $33,161 to $52,324 over five years (58% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Colorado State University-Fort Collins accepts 90% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, one of the larger campuses at 25,148 students in Fort Collins, CO.

See all programs and financial aid at Colorado State University-Fort Collins →

Top Career Paths

Facilities managers $104,690/yr
General and operations managers $102,950/yr
Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling $77,180/yr
View all 5 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Parks at Other Schools

Other Majors at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Parks program score?
This program scores 50/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Parks graduates.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →