2023 Best Value Colleges for Astrophysics (Income $0-$30k)
17
Ranked Colleges
460
Degrees Awarded
$12,200
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Astrophysics is the 598th most popular major in the country with 460 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
This year’s “Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 17 colleges that offered a degree in astrophysics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent astrophysics programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the astrophysics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
More Ways to Rank Astrophysics Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 17 Best Value Colleges for Astrophysics (Income $0-$30k)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Williams College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified ’s astrophysical sciences students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Williams, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. It costs about $1,451 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Williams.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Astrophysics at Williams
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. UW - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 26 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Madison is $3,981 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Astrophysics at UW - Madison
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Berkeley. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. University of California - Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 61 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Berkeley also took the #1 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Berkeley is $8,450 for Astrophysical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Astrophysics at University of California - Berkeley
Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #4 spot on the list. California Institute of Technology is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 17 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Caltech has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. It costs about $-539 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California Institute of Technology. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Astrophysics at Caltech
Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #5 spot on the list. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 32 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, UCLA has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $9,037 for Astrophysical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UCLA Astrophysics Report
With a ranking of #6, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 23 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $7,698 for Astrophysical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Astrophysics Report
Michigan State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Michigan State University is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 22 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Michigan State has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $6,927 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Michigan State University Astrophysics Report
University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of California - Santa Cruz is a public institution located in Santa Cruz, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 65 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Santa Cruz did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list. It costs about $11,038 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Full UC Santa Cruz Astrophysics Report
University of Colorado Boulder landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Colorado Boulder is a large school located in Boulder, Colorado that handed out 13 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CU - Boulder, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CU - Boulder is $13,141 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Astrophysics at CU - Boulder
Arizona State University - Tempe landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. ASU - Tempe is a large public school situated in Tempe, Arizona. It awarded 6 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at ASU - Tempe, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Arizona State University - Tempe is $8,969 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Arizona State University - Tempe Astrophysics Report
Rutgers University - New Brunswick landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Rutgers New Brunswick is a large school located in New Brunswick, New Jersey that handed out 13 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Rutgers New Brunswick not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Rutgers New Brunswick is $14,935 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Astrophysics at Rutgers New Brunswick
Illinois Institute of Technology landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois Tech, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois Tech is $18,515 for Astrophysical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Illinois Tech Astrophysics Report
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it awarded 10 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, UC has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. It costs about $15,061 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full UC Astrophysics Report
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a public institution located in Norman, Oklahoma. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Oklahoma did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is $16,103 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Astrophysics at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
Ohio University - Athens Campus ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Athens, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.
OHIO Athens also made our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend Ohio University - Athens Campus is $17,614 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Ohio University - Athens Campus Astrophysics Report
Rochester Institute of Technology ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Rochester, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at RIT, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for RIT is $28,322 for Astrophysical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Astrophysics at RIT
With a ranking of #17, Baylor University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Baylor is located in Waco, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to qualified students.
Baylor not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Baylor University is $25,980 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Astrophysics at Baylor
Focus on a Specific Degree Level
Switch to a More General Major
Switch to a Similar Major
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
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
- *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.
college factual
