2027 Best Value Astrophysics Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Astrophysics](/majors/physical-sciences/astronomy-and-astrophysics/astrophysics/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong astrophysics education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for astrophysics students.
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2027 Best Value Astrophysics Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the astrophysics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Astrophysics Schools
For return on investment in astrophysics, no school beat University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign this year. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, while out-of-state students pay about $40,096. Students borrow a median of $20,778 to complete the astrophysics program here. Astrophysics graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $57,461 early in their careers. Set against $20,778 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Wisconsin Madison is a great value for students pursuing a degree in astrophysics, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. Students from in state pay about $11,603 in tuition and fees, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the astrophysics program here. Astrophysics graduates of University Of Wisconsin Madison earn a median of $45,783 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Michigan State University one of the best values for astrophysics. Michigan State University is a very large public school located in the city of East Lansing. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,079, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for astrophysics graduates is $25,213. Astrophysics graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of $33,373 early in their careers. Set against $25,213 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
