2023 Best Value Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $0-$30k) in California
5
Ranked Colleges
252
Degrees Awarded
$7,000
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Astronomy Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Astronomy & Astrophysics is the 219th most popular major in the country with 1,375 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, astronomy and astrophysics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,221 and had an average of $24,484 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 252 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $19,734 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Astronomy Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 5 colleges that offer a degree in astronomy and astrophysics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent astronomy and astrophysics programs, but they also cost less that 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Astronomy Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Best Value Astronomy Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for california astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 5 Best Value Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $0-$30k) in California
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Berkeley. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 65 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Berkeley, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $8,450 for california astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.
Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at UC Berkeley
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Caltech is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 28 ’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.
Caltech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California Institute of Technology is $-539 for California Astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k. A negative average net price may seem strange, but it generally means that financial aid will more than cover the cost to attend the school.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full California Institute of Technology Astronomy & Astrophysics Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k. UCLA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 43 ’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.
UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCLA is $9,037 for California Astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 UCLA Astronomy & Astrophysics Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Santa Cruz. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Santa Cruz, California, and it awarded 76 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Santa Cruz also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Santa Cruz is $11,038 for california astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of California - Santa Cruz
Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, San Diego State University landed the #5 spot on the list. San Diego State University is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 15 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $7,169 for California Astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at San Diego State University
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