Bessemer, Alabama has 2 accredited schools offering recreation management programs, with tuition ranging from $4,095 to $19,576 per year for indexed programs. Bessemer has a population of about 25,655. Median household income is $37,844 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 14.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Birmingham, AL metro area, the top-earning recreation management-related role is Entertainment and Recreation Manager at a median $66,980 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Recreation Management Schools to Bessemer
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer recreation management programs near Bessemer, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Bessemer city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most
recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS).
To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the
U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked
against schools at the same credential level:
BOCSCORE
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Bessemer.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
98%
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$34,502
Avg net price
$20,435/yr
TuitionIn‑state$11,248
Out‑of‑state$19,576
Key stats- Retention rate: 65%
- Programs offered: 24
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Alabama schools on the Alabama recreation management page.
Recreation Management Wages Near Bessemer
Bessemer is part of the Birmingham, AL metro area (BLS area code 13820). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Alabama statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Entertainment and Recreation Manager | $66,980 | Birmingham, AL | $73,122 |
| Recreation Worker | $30,030 | Birmingham, AL | $32,784 |
| Lodging Manager | $65,790 | Birmingham, AL | $71,823 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Bessemer at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 25,655 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $37,844 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 14.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 91.6 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Bessemer-Area Cities With Recreation Management Programs
- Hoover, AL – 9.5 mi away (84,978 pop)
- Homewood, AL – 11.3 mi away (25,613 pop)
- Pelham, AL – 13.0 mi away (23,050 pop)
- Alabaster, AL – 13.5 mi away (32,948 pop)
- Vestavia Hills, AL – 14.2 mi away (34,688 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited recreation management schools are near Bessemer, AL?
Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering recreation management programs near Bessemer. The closest is Alabama State University in Montgomery, AL (79.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is East Mississippi Community College (95.2 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying recreation management roles near Bessemer?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying recreation management-related roles near Bessemer are: Entertainment and Recreation Manager ($66,980), Lodging Manager ($65,790), Recreation Worker ($30,030). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Alabama statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Hoover instead of Bessemer?
Hoover, AL is 9.5 miles from Bessemer and has its own set of local recreation management programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Bessemer an affordable place to study recreation management?
Bessemer’s median household income of $37,844 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bessemer while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Alabama public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Recreation Management Programs
Other Programs Available in Bessemer
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- Early Childhood Education programs in Bessemer, AL
- Elementary Education programs in Bessemer, AL
- Biology programs in Bessemer, AL
- Communications programs in Bessemer, AL
- Graphic Design programs in Bessemer, AL
- Human Services programs in Bessemer, AL
- MBA programs in Bessemer, AL
- Criminal Justice programs in Bessemer, AL
- Nursing programs in Bessemer, AL
- Business Administration programs in Bessemer, AL
- Computer Science programs in Bessemer, AL
- Psychology programs in Bessemer, AL
- Education programs in Bessemer, AL
- Engineering programs in Bessemer, AL
- Technology programs in Bessemer, AL
- Liberal Arts programs in Bessemer, AL
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- Accounting programs in Bessemer, AL
- Healthcare Administration programs in Bessemer, AL
- Social Work programs in Bessemer, AL
- Counseling programs in Bessemer, AL
Data verified: August 11, 2026.
Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
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