2022 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy in the Middle Atlantic Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 a Doctorate in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Astronomy is the 498th most popular major in the country with 723 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Middle Atlantic region, there were 113 astronomy graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 9 astronomy graduates with average earnings and debt of $73,944 and $116,843 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Doctorate in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking, we looked at 3 colleges that offer a degree 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Doctorate in the Middle Atlantic Region” list to help you make the college decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most 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 a Doctorate in the Middle Atlantic Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Doctorate in the Middle Atlantic Region.

Top 4 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy in the Middle Atlantic Region

#1

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

#2 in overall quality

$30,042 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cornell University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Doctorate in the Middle Atlantic Region. Located in Ithaca, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s astronomical sciences students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cornell, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Astronomy Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cornell University are $30,042.

Full Cornell Astronomy Report

#2

Pennsylvania State University - University Park

University Park, Pennsylvania

#3 in overall quality

$38,728 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Pennsylvania State University - University Park. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Doctorate in the Middle Atlantic Region.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Penn State University Park, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Astronomy Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Penn State University Park are $38,728, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Penn State University Park Astronomy Report

#2

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland

#3 in overall quality

$30,885 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 3 schools in the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Doctorate in the Middle Atlantic Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Maryland - College Park landed the #2 spot on the list. UMCP is a large school located in College Park, Maryland that handed out 1 doctorate’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UMCP also took the #3 spot in our “Best Astronomy Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Maryland - College Park are $30,885.

Read more about Astronomy at UMCP

#3

Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, New York

#1 in overall quality

$51,194 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Doctorate in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 3 degrees to qualified doctorate’s astronomical sciences students in 2019-2020.

Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Astronomy Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia University in the City of New York are $51,194, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Astronomy at Columbia

• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy

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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