Parks & Recreationat San Diego State University
Graduates earn $33,692/yr in their first year — right at the national average. Base-case 10-year earnings $584K; scenarios range from $524K to $599K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at San Diego State
Your San Diego State degree positions you uniquely in a region brimming with opportunities in leisure and recreation. San Diego's abundant natural parks, world-class beaches, and vibrant tourism industry—from Balboa Park to major resorts—create a robust local job market. You'll find pipelines into city recreation departments, large-scale event management firms, and even conservation education roles with local non-profits or attractions. While many entry-level positions in this human-centric field reflect public or non-profit sector pay structures, the program's reputation and strong local internship connections are invaluable. To truly thrive and future-proof your career, prioritize developing management and program development skills, as these leadership roles are less susceptible to automation and offer significant upward mobility.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to San Diego State's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Parks & Recreation
How San Diego State stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at San Diego State
Other highest-scoring programs offered at San Diego State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Parks & Recreation at San Diego State
How does San Diego State University's Parks & Recreation program score?
This program scores 43/100 — on the lower end for Parks & Recreation. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Parks & Recreation to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Parks & Recreation careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 56% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does San Diego State University rank so high for Parks & Recreation?
The #8 ranking out of 59 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.