2026 Best Astronomy Schools in the Far Western Region
Astronomy is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. The schools below stand out for the quality of their astronomy programs.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 31 schools to find the best for astronomy students.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Astronomy in the Far Western Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall astronomy education in the Far Western Region.
Top Schools in Astronomy
Our analysis ranked University Of Washington Seattle Campus the best school in the country for a degree in astronomy. University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Seattle. The six-year graduation rate is 85%. There were roughly 49 astronomy students who graduated with this degree at University Of Washington Seattle Campus in the most recent data year. Astronomy graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $65,681 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $16,481 to complete this degree.
Read more about the astronomy program at University Of Washington Seattle Campus
University Of California Santa Cruz is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in astronomy, ranking #2. University Of California Santa Cruz is a very large public school located in the city of Santa Cruz. University Of California Santa Cruz graduates 75% of students within six years. University Of California Santa Cruz awarded about 12 astronomy degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their astronomy degree from University Of California Santa Cruz earn around $35,171 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $20,500.
Read more about the astronomy program at University Of California Santa Cruz
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 31 schools evaluated.
- 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.
