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Parks at Illinois State University

Normal, IL · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
49 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
50
Optimistic
49
Base Case
45
Pessimistic
Earnings $39,104/yr (16% vs median)
AI Risk Moderate (34% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (508,800 openings/yr)
ROI 7.6x earnings multiple (4.4x out-of-state)
Ranked #22 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 $490K $490K $460K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 7.6x 7.6x 7.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.4x 4.4x 4.1x
Probability of Field Employment 42% 40% 32%
DegreeOutlook Score 50 49 45

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$64,084
Out-of-state: $112,344 (4.4x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$75,984
-19% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$19,236
5.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$47,002
20% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Illinois State University's Parks graduates start at $39,104/yr — above the $33,642 national average, though not by a wide margin.

At 7.6x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.

AI risk is moderate — 34% task exposure — and the 6% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $19,236 in median debt clears quickly against $39,104 in annual earnings.

Ranked #22 out of 45 programs, Illinois State University's Parks offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $39,104 to $47,002 shows 20% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About Illinois State University

A 89% acceptance rate means Illinois State University is accessible to most applicants, with a mid-sized student body of 18,414 in Normal, IL.

See all programs and financial aid at Illinois State University →

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

Compare this program → View all 45 schools offering Parks →

Parks at Other Schools

Southern Connecticut State University ($46,274) University of Florida ($41,046) Southwestern Oklahoma State University ($38,506) University of New Hampshire-Main Campus ($38,201) North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($38,116) South Dakota State University ($38,076) Kean University ($37,884) Kansas State University ($37,083)

Other Majors at Illinois State University

Computer Science ($81,363) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($72,709) Construction Management ($70,672) Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications ($66,801) Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions ($65,629) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($65,127) Accounting and Related Services ($62,940) Public Health ($59,207)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Parks trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

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 Illinois State University's Parks program score?
This program scores 49/100 — on the lower end for Parks. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →