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2023 Best Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans

11 Ranked Colleges
343 Degrees Awarded
$34,700 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor's

Veterans have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 343 astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 11 colleges that offered a degree in astrophysics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent astrophysics programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the astrophysics program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree vets studying astrophysical sciences.

Top 11 Best Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s astrophysical sciences degrees to qualified students.

UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.Of the 44,640 students enrolled at UW - Madison, 4 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 18 bachelors’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Twin Cities, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.Among the 52,017 students enrolled at UMN Twin Cities, 752 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 436 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,020. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UMN Twin Cities]](/colleges/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/student-life/veterans/)

3

Out of the 11 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #3 spot on the list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astrophysical sciences degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.Our most recent data shows that 7 of the 44,589 students enrolled at UCLA were GI Bill® students, of which 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,071. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 UCLA Veteran Student Life Report

4
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rutgers University - New Brunswick. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s list. Located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, this large public school awarded 13 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s astrophysical sciences students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Rutgers New Brunswick, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.According to our most recent data, Rutgers New Brunswick supports 50,411 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 3 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,625. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Rutgers University - New Brunswick]](/colleges/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/student-life/veterans/)

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is located in Norman, Oklahoma and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s astrophysical sciences degrees to qualified students.

University of Oklahoma not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.Among the 27,772 students enrolled at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus, 12 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 10 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,720. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus offers credit for military training for eligible students.

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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

6

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s astrophysical sciences degrees to qualified students.

UC also made our “Best Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #10.Among the 40,826 students enrolled at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus, 909 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 498 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,806. In addition to receiving other benefits, 15 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UC Veteran Student Life Report

7

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s list. 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 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Santa Cruz did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.Of the 19,161 students enrolled at University of California - Santa Cruz, 273 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 114 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,631. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UC Santa Cruz]](/colleges/university-of-california-santa-cruz/student-life/veterans/)

8
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #8. Williams College is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s astrophysical sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree vets studying astrophysical sciences list, Williams has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.Of the 1,987 students enrolled at Williams, 16 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $26,154. During this same period, 7 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Williams College]](/colleges/williams-college/student-life/veterans/)

9
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s list. Michigan State is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 15 bachelors’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan State, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 2 of the 49,695 students enrolled at Michigan State were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,686. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

10

With a ranking of #10, Illinois Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s astrophysical sciences students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois Tech, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 83 of the 6,325 students enrolled at Illinois Tech were GI Bill® students, of which 52 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,905. In addition to receiving other benefits, 14 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Illinois Tech offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 87%.

Full Illinois Institute of Technology Veteran Student Life Report

11

Baylor University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Astrophysical Sciences for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Waco, Texas, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 3 degrees to qualified bachelors’s astrophysical sciences students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree vets studying astrophysical sciences list, Baylor has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.Of the 19,297 students enrolled at Baylor University, 876 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 593 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,744. During this same period, 263 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Baylor University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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