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2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major

54 Ranked Colleges
460 Degrees Awarded
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Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 460 people earned their degree in astrophysics, making the major the 598th most popular in the United States.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major” ranking, we looked at 54 colleges that offer a degree in astrophysics. That schools that top this list have a program in astrophysics in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for astrophysical sciences students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Astrophysics

1
Whitman crest
Whitman College
Walla Walla, Washington

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Whitman College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major list. Whitman College is located in Walla Walla, Washington and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Astrophysics at Whitman College

2

Out of the 54 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. California Institute of Technology is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 17 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full California Institute of Technology Astrophysics Report

3
Agnes Scott crest
Agnes Scott College
Decatur, Georgia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Agnes Scott College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major list. Agnes Scott College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Decatur, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Agnes Scott Astrophysics Report

4
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

Out of the 54 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Princeton University landed the #4 spot on the list. Princeton is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Princeton, New Jersey. It awarded 39 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Princeton Astrophysics Report

5
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Lycoming College
Williamsport, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Lycoming College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major. Located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 degrees to qualified ’s astrophysical sciences students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astrophysics at Lycoming College

6
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Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Swarthmore College ranked #6 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major list. Swarthmore, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%.

Read more about Astrophysics at Swarthmore College

7

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major list. UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large school located in Santa Cruz, California that handed out 65 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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 full report on Astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz

8
Haverford crest
Haverford College
Haverford, Pennsylvania

Haverford College ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major list. Haverford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Haverford, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read full report on Astrophysics at Haverford College

9
Wellesley crest
Wellesley College
Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #9. This small school is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and it awarded 6 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Astrophysics at Wellesley

10
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Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major ranking. Williamstown, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

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 full report on Astrophysics at Williams

11
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, New York

Colgate University ranked #11 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major list. This small school is located in Hamilton, New York, and it awarded 6 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%.

Read more about Astrophysics at Colgate

12
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Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #12, Franklin and Marshall College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major list. Franklin and Marshall College is a small school located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that handed out 4 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Franklin and Marshall College Astrophysics Report

13

University of California - Berkeley landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major ranking. UC Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 61 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Astrophysics at University of California - Berkeley

14
Barnard crest
Barnard College
New York, New York

Barnard College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #14. New York, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Astrophysics at Barnard College

15

Ohio Wesleyan University ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major list. Located in Delaware, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified ’s astrophysical sciences students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 Ohio Wesleyan University

16

Rochester Institute of Technology ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major list. Rochester Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rochester, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 10 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read full report on Astrophysics at RIT

17

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major ranking. UCLA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 32 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 University of California - Los Angeles Astrophysics Report

18

Illinois Institute of Technology ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major list. Illinois Institute of Technology is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Illinois Institute of Technology Astrophysics Report

19
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #19. Carnegie Mellon University is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Carnegie Mellon University Astrophysics Report

20
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #20. Michigan State is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 22 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Astrophysics at Michigan State University

21

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #21. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 23 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Astrophysics at UMN Twin Cities

22

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major ranking. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 26 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Astrophysics at University of Wisconsin - Madison

23
Lehigh crest
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Lehigh University ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 3 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full Lehigh University Astrophysics Report

24

University of Colorado Boulder did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #24. Boulder, Colorado is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Colorado Boulder Astrophysics Report

25
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

Rice University ranked #25 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astrophysical Sciences Major list. Houston, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Astrophysics at Rice University

Notes and References

References

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