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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy (Income $48-$75k)

37 Ranked Colleges
495 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $48-$75k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 723 people earned their degree in astronomy, making the major the 498th most popular in the United States.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 495 astronomy graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 37 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in astronomy. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great astronomy programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the astronomy program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Astronomy Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy (Income $48-$75k)

#1 in overall quality

Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #1 spot on the list. Columbia University in the City of New York is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $48-$75k list, Columbia has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,887 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Columbia University in the City of New York.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, 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 95%.

Read full report on Astronomy at Columbia University in the City of New York

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also made our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $7,934 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Chicago.

The low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full University of Chicago Astronomy Report

#3

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Dartmouth College landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Hanover, New Hampshire, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s astronomical sciences students in 2019-2020.

Dartmouth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Dartmouth is $9,044 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Dartmouth Astronomy Report

#4

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Cornell University landed the #4 spot on the list. Cornell is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Ithaca, New York. It awarded 8 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell also made our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $11,869 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Cornell University.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full Cornell Astronomy Report

#5

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts
#17 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Williams College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. Williams is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $48-$75k list, Williams has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,134 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Williams College.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Williams Astronomy Report

#4 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $10,028 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend U-M.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#7 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $13,351 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Astronomy Report

#8

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
#18 in overall quality

University of Florida came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $48-$75k list, UF has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $8,528 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, 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 97%.

Read more about Astronomy at University of Florida

#24 in overall quality

University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. This large school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UW Seattle not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UW Seattle is $9,694 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Astronomy Report

#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $13,982 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Astronomy at Ohio State University - Main Campus

#11

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#11 in overall quality

University of Georgia landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UGA is located in Athens, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

UGA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $14,748 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UGA.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy at University of Georgia

#12

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, University of Arizona did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Tucson, Arizona, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Arizona also made our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend University of Arizona is $15,399 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Astronomy at University of Arizona

#13

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#20 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also made our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $12,060 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Astronomy at Indiana University - Bloomington

#14

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a public institution located in Charlottesville, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Virginia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Virginia is $14,671 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read full report on Astronomy at University of Virginia - Main Campus

#15

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland
#8 in overall quality

University of Maryland - College Park ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in College Park, Maryland, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UMCP did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $18,418 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UMCP.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Maryland - College Park Astronomy Report

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to 33 students in 2019-2020.

UT Austin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UT Austin is $15,757 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Astronomy at UT Austin

#17

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts
#6 in overall quality

Boston University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. Boston U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Boston U, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $20,231 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Boston U.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy at Boston University

With a ranking of #18, Brigham Young University - Provo did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. BYU is located in Provo, Utah and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $12,466 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Brigham Young University - Provo.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy at Brigham Young University - Provo

#19

University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, Colorado
#10 in overall quality

University of Colorado Boulder did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. CU - Boulder is located in Boulder, Colorado and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 64 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

CU - Boulder did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $18,979 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Colorado Boulder.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, 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 at University of Colorado Boulder

#20

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts
#15 in overall quality

Smith College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Smith College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northampton, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Smith also made our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Smith is $16,394 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy at Smith College

#21

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#23 in overall quality

San Diego State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

SDSU also took the #23 spot in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $14,730 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full SDSU Astronomy Report

#22

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, University of Massachusetts Amherst did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Massachusetts Amherst is located in Amherst, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $48-$75k list, UMass Amherst has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $18,104 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 University of Massachusetts Amherst Astronomy Report

#23

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Honolulu, Hawaii

University of Hawaii at Manoa landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UH Manoa is located in Honolulu, Hawaii and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend UH Manoa is $15,372 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UH Manoa Astronomy Report

#24

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, New York
#21 in overall quality

Stony Brook University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. SUNY Stony Brook is located in Stony Brook, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

SUNY Stony Brook also made our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $18,186 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Stony Brook University.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Astronomy at Stony Brook University

#25

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

With a ranking of #25, Ball State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. Ball State is located in Muncie, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Ball State University is $15,185 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Astronomy at Ball State University

Notes and References

References

  • 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 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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