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2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k

36 Ranked Colleges
765 Degrees Awarded
$19,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 765 people earned their degree in astronomy, making the major the 479th most popular in the United States.

This year’s “Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking looked at 36 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the astronomy program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 Those Making $75-$110k” 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for astronomical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Astronomy (Income $75-$110k)

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k. Northwestern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 8 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Astronomy Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $15,686 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 full report on Astronomy at Northwestern University

2
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 28 degrees to qualified ’s astronomical sciences students in 2020-2021.

UChicago also took the #2 spot in our “Best Astronomy Schools” ranking. It costs about $19,895 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Chicago.

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%. The impressive undergraduate 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Chicago Astronomy Report

3
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 36 schools in the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Florida is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 28 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

UF also took the #16 spot in our “Best Astronomy Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,874 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UF.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UF Astronomy Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k. UW Seattle is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 51 ’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

UW Seattle also took the #9 spot in our “Best Astronomy Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW Seattle is $16,894 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UW Seattle Astronomy Report

5

Out of the 36 schools in the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas at Austin landed the #5 spot on the list. The University of Texas at Austin is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 34 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UT Austin also made our “Best Astronomy Schools” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Austin is $20,425 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 UT Austin

6

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. U-M is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 25 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our astronomical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, U-M has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Astronomy Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $17,207 for astronomical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

7
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Arizona is a large public school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 32 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

University of Arizona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Astronomy Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Arizona is $18,708 for astronomical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Astronomy at University of Arizona

8

University of Maryland - College Park ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in College Park, Maryland, this large public school handed out 45 degrees to qualified ’s astronomical sciences students in 2020-2021.

UMCP also made our “Best Astronomy Schools” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend University of Maryland - College Park is $23,215 for astronomical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Astronomy at University of Maryland - College Park

9

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UIUC is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 27 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC also made our “Best Astronomy Schools” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $22,400 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Astronomy at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

10

Brigham Young University - Provo came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Brigham Young University - Provo is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 5 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at BYU, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Astronomy Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brigham Young University - Provo is $15,777 for astronomical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, 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 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Brigham Young University - Provo Astronomy Report

11
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Cornell University is located in Ithaca, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

Cornell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Astronomy Schools” list. It costs about $21,043 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Cornell.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Astronomy at Cornell

12

With a ranking of #12, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. IU Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 13 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our astronomical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, IU Bloomington has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Astronomy Schools” ranking. It costs about $20,234 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Indiana University - Bloomington.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.

Read full report on Astronomy at Indiana University - Bloomington

13

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Ohio State is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 40 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Ohio State also made our “Best Astronomy Schools” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $21,575 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Ohio State Astronomy Report

14
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

With a ranking of #14, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Charlottesville, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astronomical sciences degrees to 25 students in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia also took the #8 spot in our “Best Astronomy Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Virginia is $22,021 for astronomical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Astronomy at University of Virginia - Main Campus

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Nevada - Las Vegas did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it awarded 3 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UNLV is $15,316 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy at University of Nevada - Las Vegas

16
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #16. Athens, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astronomical sciences degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.

UGA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Astronomy Schools” list. It costs about $17,630 for astronomical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UGA.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full UGA Astronomy Report

17
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

With a ranking of #17, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 15 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Astronomy Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $18,957 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Astronomy at SDSU

18

University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 ’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Astronomy Schools” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $22,377 for astronomical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy at UW - Madison

19
NAU crest
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Flagstaff, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astronomical sciences degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend NAU is $17,920 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 full report on Astronomy at Northern Arizona University

20

University of Colorado Boulder did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Boulder, Colorado, this large public school awarded 60 degrees to qualified ’s astronomical sciences students in 2020-2021.

CU - Boulder also made our “Best Astronomy Schools” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $25,326 for astronomical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Colorado Boulder.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, 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 full report on Astronomy at University of Colorado Boulder

21
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #21. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 10 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Astronomy Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Iowa is $20,719 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Astronomy at Iowa

22

University of Massachusetts Amherst came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UMass Amherst is a large public school situated in Amherst, Massachusetts. It awarded 20 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

UMass Amherst not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Astronomy Schools” list. It costs about $23,064 for astronomical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Astronomy at UMass Amherst

23
SUNY Stony Brook crest
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York

With a ranking of #23, Stony Brook University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. SUNY Stony Brook is a public institution located in Stony Brook, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 12 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Stony Brook University is $21,214 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy at Stony Brook University

24

University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of California - Santa Cruz is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Cruz, California. It awarded 11 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Santa Cruz, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Astronomy Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Santa Cruz is $22,380 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 85%.

Read full report on Astronomy at UC Santa Cruz

25
Smith crest
Smith College
Northampton, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #25, Smith College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Smith College is a small school located in Northampton, Massachusetts that handed out 2 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our astronomical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, Smith has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Astronomy Schools” ranking. It costs about $21,748 for Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Smith.

The low undergrad 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Astronomy at Smith College

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