Best Recreation Management Schools Near Laurel, MS (2026)

Laurel, Mississippi has 1 accredited school offering recreation management programs, with tuition ranging from $4,095 to $7,445 per year for indexed programs. Laurel has a population of about 17,129. Median household income is $37,781 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Mississippi, the top-earning recreation management-related role is Entertainment and Recreation Manager at a median $67,670 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Recreation Management Schools to Laurel

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer recreation management programs near Laurel, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Laurel 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:

  • 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 Laurel. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

East Mississippi Community College

Scooba, MS 87.5 miles from Laurel BOC Score 57.7
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,772
Avg net price $4,608/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Mississippi

University, MS 185.6 miles from Laurel BOC Score 70.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,994
Avg net price $13,314/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Mississippi schools on the Mississippi recreation management page.


Recreation Management Wages Near Laurel

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Mississippi, statewide)
Entertainment and Recreation Manager$67,670
Recreation Worker$28,060
Lodging Manager$62,550

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.


Laurel at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population17,129Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$37,781Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+20.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Laurel-Area Cities With Recreation Management Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited recreation management schools are near Laurel, MS?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering recreation management programs near Laurel. The closest is East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, MS (87.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is East Mississippi Community College (87.4 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying recreation management roles in Mississippi?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying recreation management-related roles in Mississippi are: Entertainment and Recreation Manager ($67,670), Lodging Manager ($62,550), Recreation Worker ($28,060). Wages for Laurel workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Hattiesburg instead of Laurel?

Hattiesburg, MS is 28.7 miles from Laurel 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 Laurel an affordable place to study recreation management?

Laurel’s median household income of $37,781 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Laurel while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Mississippi 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 Laurel

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Laurel:

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.