by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools in the Far Western US Region to determine which ones were the best for astronomy & astrophysics students pursuing a master's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 47 master's degrees in astronomy & astrophysics during the 2020-2021 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
The astronomy master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality astronomy program can vary widely even among the top schools. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their master's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for astronomy & astrophysics students working on their master's degree.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Master's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in astronomy & astrophysics.
California Institute of Technology is a wonderful option for students interested in a master's degree in astronomy & astrophysics. Caltech is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pasadena.More information about a master’s in astronomy & astrophysics from California Institute of Technology
University of California - Berkeley is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in astronomy & astrophysics. UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the city of Berkeley.More information about a master’s in astronomy & astrophysics from University of California - Berkeley
University of California - Los Angeles is a wonderful decision for individuals interested in a master's degree in astronomy & astrophysics. Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in astronomy & astrophysics from University of California - Los Angeles
It's difficult to beat University of Washington - Seattle Campus if you want to pursue a master's degree in astronomy & astrophysics. Located in the large city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in astronomy & astrophysics from University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Every student who is interested in a master's degree in astronomy & astrophysics has to look into San Diego State University. SDSU is a fairly large public university located in the large city of San Diego.More information about a master’s in astronomy & astrophysics from San Diego State University
UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large public university located in the city of Santa Cruz.More information about a master’s in astronomy & astrophysics from University of California - Santa Cruz
UNLV is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Las Vegas.More information about a master’s in astronomy & astrophysics from University of Nevada - Las Vegas
Explore the best astronomy & astrophysics colleges for a specific state in the Far Western US Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| California | 253 | 39 |
| Washington | 183 | 3 |
| Nevada | 105 | 1 |
| Hawaii | 85 | 4 |
One of 8 majors within the Physical Sciences area of study, Astronomy & Astrophysics has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Astrophysics | 22 |
| Astronomy | 19 |
| Planetary Astronomy & Science | 5 |
| Other Astronomy & Astrophysics | 1 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 356 |
| Physics | 345 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 325 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 64 |
| Materials Sciences | 53 |
| General Physical Sciences | 13 |
