2024 Best Astronomy Master's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region

When it comes to popularity, a master's degree in astronomy sits in the middle of the road, ranking #518 out of 1172 majors in the country. As such, the degree program isn't offered at every college in the United States, but there are schools that do have a program in the field that are top-notch when it comes to quality.

College Factual reviewed 2 schools in the Far Western US Region to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of astronomy. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 19 master's degrees in astronomy during the 2020-2021 academic year.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

• Best Master’s Degree Schools List

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

• Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to astronomy students as compared to other majors.
• Major Demand - The number of astronomy students who choose to seek a master's degree at the school.
• Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
• Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized astronomy related body.

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for astronomy students working on their master's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Astronomy Master's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.

Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Astronomy in the Far Western US Region

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in astronomy.

Top Far Western US Region Schools for a Master's in Astronomical Sciences

1

University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA

Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type

3 Annual Graduates

It's hard to beat University of Washington - Seattle Campus if you wish to pursue a master's degree in astronomy. UW Seattle is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Seattle.More information about a master’s in astronomy from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

1

San Diego State University
San Diego, CA

Master's Degree Highest Degree Type

6 Annual Graduates

Every student who is interested in a master's degree in astronomy needs to check out San Diego State University. Located in the city of San Diego, SDSU is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in astronomy from San Diego State University

2

University of California - Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA

Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type

5 Annual Graduates

University of California - Santa Cruz is one of the best schools in the country for getting a master's degree in astronomy. Located in the city of Santa Cruz, UC Santa Cruz is a public university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in astronomy from University of California - Santa Cruz

Best Astronomy Colleges by State

Explore the best astronomy schools for a specific state in the Far Western US Region .

State	Colleges	Degrees Awarded
California	675	11
Washington	402	3
Nevada	126	1
Hawaii	110	4

View All Rankings >

Rankings in Majors Related to Astronomical Sciences

One of 3 majors within the Astronomy & Astrophysics area of study, Astronomy has other similar majors worth exploring.

Most Popular Majors Related to Astronomical Sciences

Related Major	Annual Graduates
Astrophysics	22
Planetary Astronomy & Science	5
Other Astronomy & Astrophysics	1

Notes and References

• The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard). More about our data sources and methodologies.