2026 Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Far Western Region
[Astronomy](/majors/physical-sciences/astronomy-and-astrophysics/astronomy/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong astronomy education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 31 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for astronomy students.
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2026 Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Far Western Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the astronomy degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Astronomy Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Washington Seattle Campus the best value for a degree in astronomy in the Far Western Region. Set in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,973, compared with $43,209 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,481 to complete the astronomy program here. Early-career astronomy graduates make about $65,681. That is a strong return on a $16,481 median debt. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.
University Of California Los Angeles came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value astronomy schools. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,233, compared with $46,121 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,097 to complete the astronomy program here. Astronomy graduates of University Of California Los Angeles earn a median of $63,833 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Los Angeles admits about 9% of applicants.
University Of California Berkeley came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value astronomy schools. Set in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,377, compared with $47,265 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the astronomy program here. Early-career astronomy graduates make about $70,847. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 11%.
University Of California Santa Cruz came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value astronomy schools. Located in the city of Santa Cruz, University Of California Santa Cruz is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,035, with out-of-state students paying around $46,923. Typical student debt for astronomy graduates is $20,500. Soon after graduation, astronomy degree recipients from University Of California Santa Cruz generally make around $35,171. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 66%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 31 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
