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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region

6 Ranked Colleges
29 Degrees Awarded
$24,200 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Master's in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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 Southwest region, there were 141 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $25,179 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 29 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,078 and $37,227 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 6 colleges that offered 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.

More Ways to Rank Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools

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 Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 6 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region

#1

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 6 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Arizona landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Arizona is a large public school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 18 masters’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Arizona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Arizona are $33,399, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Arizona Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Texas A&M University - College Station. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in College Station, Texas, this large public school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified masters’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

Texas A&M College Station also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #3. Average graduate tuition and fees at Texas A&M University - College Station are $22,743, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Texas A&M College Station

#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Arizona State University - Tempe. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Arizona State University - Tempe is a public institution located in Tempe, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

ASU - Tempe not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at ASU - Tempe are $27,048, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at ASU - Tempe

#5 in overall quality

Out of the 6 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, New Mexico State University - Main Campus landed the #4 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and it awarded 2 masters’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

NMSU Main Campus did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at New Mexico State University - Main Campus are $18,275, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at NMSU Main Campus

#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas at Austin. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Austin, Texas, this large public school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified masters’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

UT Austin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Texas at Austin are $22,886.

Full UT Austin Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#6

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. NAU is a large public school situated in Flagstaff, Arizona. It awarded 1 masters’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree astronomy students whose families make $0-$30k list, NAU has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northern Arizona University are $19,489, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full NAU Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

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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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