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2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k

11 Ranked Colleges
133 Degrees Awarded
$11,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor's in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k

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 “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 1,268 people earned their degree in astronomy and astrophysics, making the major the 222nd most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, astronomy and astrophysics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $27,700 and had an average of $21,346 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Middle Atlantic region, there were 203 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 133 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,278 and $24,587 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 11 colleges that offered a degree in astronomy and astrophysics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality astronomy and astrophysics programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the astronomy and astrophysics program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 11 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $0-$30k) in the Middle Atlantic Region

#1

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Princeton University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Princeton is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Princeton, New Jersey. It awarded 12 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

Princeton also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $1,386 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Princeton.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Princeton

#2

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cornell University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Cornell University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Ithaca, New York. It awarded 8 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for Cornell is $7,484 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 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 96%.

Full Cornell University Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#1 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #3 spot on the list. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s astronomy degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

Columbia also took the #1 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia University in the City of New York is $8,916 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a 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 Astronomy & Astrophysics at Columbia University in the City of New York

#4

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Maryland - College Park. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. College Park, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astronomy degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

UMCP also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $8,054 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMCP.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UMCP Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#5

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carnegie Mellon University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Carnegie Mellon University is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Carnegie Mellon, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Carnegie Mellon University is $12,542 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.

The 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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.

Full Carnegie Mellon Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#6

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, New York
#7 in overall quality

Stony Brook University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Stony Brook University is a large school located in Stony Brook, New York that handed out 14 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

SUNY Stony Brook also took the #7 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SUNY Stony Brook is $10,683 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Stony Brook University

#7

Union College New York

Schenectady, New York
#8 in overall quality

Union College New York ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Union College New York is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Schenectady, New York. It awarded 1 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

Union College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Union College is $14,238 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Union College Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#8

Rutgers University - New Brunswick

New Brunswick, New Jersey
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Rutgers University - New Brunswick did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Rutgers University - New Brunswick is located in New Brunswick, New Jersey and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

Rutgers New Brunswick did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Rutgers University - New Brunswick is $13,545 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Rutgers University - New Brunswick

#9

SUNY New Paltz

New Paltz, New York
#11 in overall quality

SUNY New Paltz landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in New Paltz, New York, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

SUNY New Paltz did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $11,543 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SUNY New Paltz.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at SUNY New Paltz

#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is a large public school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 1 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k list, Pitt has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Pitt is $20,075 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

#11

George Washington University

Washington, District of Columbia
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, George Washington University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Washington, District of Columbia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s astronomy degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k list, GWU has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for George Washington University is $17,614 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at George Washington University

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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