2027 Best Astronomy Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Astronomy programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. The schools below stand out for the quality of their astronomy programs.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for astronomy students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Astronomy in the Great Lakes Region
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the astronomy degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Astronomy
University Of Chicago is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in astronomy. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit institution. About 96% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 24 astronomy students who graduated with this degree at University Of Chicago in the most recent data year. Graduates of the astronomy program make about $81,002 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,854.
Get the full astronomy details for University Of Chicago
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in astronomy, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 93%. About 34 astronomy degrees were awarded at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor in the most recent year. Students who receive their astronomy degree from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn around $66,254 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $19,137 to complete this degree.
See the full astronomy program report for University Of Michigan Ann Arbor
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in astronomy, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Roughly 85% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign awarded about 30 astronomy degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, astronomy degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $57,461. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign graduates carry a median of $20,778 in student loans.
Get the full astronomy details for University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign
Students looking for a strong astronomy program will find one at Ohio State University Main Campus, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Roughly 88% of students complete a degree within six years here. Ohio State University Main Campus awarded about 48 astronomy degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, astronomy degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus generally make around $58,088. Typical student debt for the program is $20,500.
Get the full astronomy details for Ohio State University Main Campus
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 4 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.
