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2026 Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Rocky Mountains 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.

College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value astronomy schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

2026 Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in astronomy, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Astronomy Schools

1

Brigham Young University Provo
Provo, UT

$6,688 In-State Tuition & Fees

$12,184 Avg Student Debt

$75,790 Median Earnings (10yr)

Brigham Young University Provo tops our 2026 list of the best value astronomy schools in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the city of Provo, Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,688. Astronomy graduates carry a median of $12,184 in student loans. Early-career astronomy graduates make about $54,507. Set against $12,184 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 68%.

2

University Of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO

$15,214 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,324 Avg Student Debt

$69,738 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes University Of Colorado Boulder one of the best values for astronomy. University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public school located in the city of Boulder. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,214, compared with $42,970 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,324 to complete the astronomy program here. Early-career astronomy graduates make about $45,066. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.

View All Astronomy Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 5 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.