by our College Data Analytics Team
[Planetary Astronomy & Science](/majors/physical-sciences/astronomy-and-astrophysics/planetary-astronomy-and-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 16 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value planetary astronomy & science schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in planetary astronomy & science, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in planetary astronomy & science, no school beat California Institute Of Technology this year. Located in the city of Pasadena, California Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $65,898 in tuition and fees. Early-career planetary astronomy & science graduates make about $173,344. The acceptance rate is 3%.
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Planetary Astronomy & Science rankings across degree levels:
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.