2026 Best Astrophysics Schools in California
Astrophysics programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best astrophysics schools.
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Best Schools for Astrophysics in California
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 astrophysics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Astrophysics
Leading the list is University Of California Berkeley, our #1 school for astrophysics. This very large public university is located in the city of Berkeley. Roughly 93% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of California Berkeley awarded about 46 astrophysics degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the astrophysics program make about $54,746 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $19,500.
See the full astrophysics program report for University Of California Berkeley
California Institute Of Technology is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in astrophysics, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Pasadena, California Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. California Institute Of Technology graduates 94% of students within six years. California Institute Of Technology awarded about 15 astrophysics degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the astrophysics program make about $173,344 in their early career.
More information about a degree in astrophysics from California Institute Of Technology
Students looking for a strong astrophysics program will find one at University Of California Los Angeles, which ranked #3. University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public school located in the city of Los Angeles. University Of California Los Angeles graduates 93% of students within six years. University Of California Los Angeles awarded about 28 astrophysics degrees in the most recent data year. Astrophysics graduates of University Of California Los Angeles earn a median of $63,833 early in their careers. University Of California Los Angeles graduates carry a median of $16,097 in student loans.
See the full astrophysics program report for University Of California Los Angeles
University Of California Santa Cruz came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best astrophysics schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Santa Cruz. University Of California Santa Cruz graduates 75% of students within six years. University Of California Santa Cruz awarded about 34 astrophysics degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their astrophysics degree from University Of California Santa Cruz earn around $35,171 in the first couple years of their career. University Of California Santa Cruz graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans.
Get the full astrophysics details for University Of California Santa Cruz
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, 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.
