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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics

151 Ranked Colleges
1,375 Degrees Awarded
$32,500 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 1,375 people earned their degree in astronomy and astrophysics, making the major the 219th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, astronomy and astrophysics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,221 and had an average of $24,484 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major” ranking looked at 151 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in astronomy and astrophysics. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in astronomy and astrophysics.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for astronomy students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics

1
Whitman crest
Whitman College
Walla Walla, Washington

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Whitman College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. Whitman is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Walla Walla, Washington. It awarded 19 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Whitman Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Institute of Technology. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major. California Institute of Technology is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 28 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Caltech

3
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Lycoming College
Williamsport, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lycoming College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. Located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 degrees to qualified ’s astronomy students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Lycoming

4
Agnes Scott crest
Agnes Scott College
Decatur, Georgia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Agnes Scott College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. Agnes Scott College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Decatur, Georgia. It awarded 5 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Agnes Scott College

5
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Princeton University. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major. This medium-sized school is located in Princeton, New Jersey, and it awarded 39 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Princeton University

6

With a ranking of #6, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astronomy degrees to 76 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz

7

Florida Institute of Technology came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. Located in Melbourne, Florida, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 36 diplomas to qualified ’s astronomy students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Florida Tech

8
Swarthmore crest
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Swarthmore College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. Swarthmore is located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 ’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Swarthmore

9
Haverford crest
Haverford College
Haverford, Pennsylvania

Haverford College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. Haverford College is a small school located in Haverford, Pennsylvania that handed out 4 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Haverford

10
Monterey Peninsula College crest
Monterey Peninsula College
Monterey, California

Monterey Peninsula College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Monterey, California, and it awarded 15 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Monterey Peninsula College Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

11
Wellesley crest
Wellesley College
Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. Wellesley is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wellesley, Massachusetts. It awarded 7 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Wellesley

12
Wesleyan U crest
Wesleyan University
Middletown, Connecticut

Wesleyan University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking, coming in at #12. Wesleyan U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Middletown, Connecticut. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Wesleyan U

13

University of Colorado Boulder ranked #13 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. This large school is located in Boulder, Colorado, and it awarded 73 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Colorado Boulder

14
Vassar crest
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York

Vassar College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. This small school is located in Poughkeepsie, New York, and it awarded 5 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Vassar College

15
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. Williamstown, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astronomy degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Williams Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

16
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, New York

With a ranking of #16, Colgate University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. Colgate is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hamilton, New York. It awarded 6 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Colgate University

17

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. Daytona Beach, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astronomy degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

18
Amherst crest
Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #18, Amherst College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. Amherst College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Amherst, Massachusetts. It awarded 3 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Amherst

19
Mt. Holyoke crest
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts

Mount Holyoke College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking, coming in at #19. Mt. Holyoke is a small private not-for-profit school situated in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It awarded 4 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Mount Holyoke College

20
Franklin and Marshall crest
Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Franklin and Marshall College ranked #20 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified ’s astronomy students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Franklin and Marshall

21
Stonehill crest
Stonehill College
Easton, Massachusetts

Stonehill College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking, coming in at #21. Easton, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astronomy degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Stonehill College Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

22
Valpo crest
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, Indiana

Valparaiso University ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. Valparaiso University is located in Valparaiso, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Valpo

23

University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school handed out 65 degrees to qualified ’s astronomy students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at UC Berkeley

24
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Hampshire College
Amherst, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #24, Hampshire College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. This small school is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, and it awarded 1 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Hampshire College

25
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking, coming in at #25. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 28 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full University of Chicago Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

Notes and References

References

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