2023 Best Value Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $30-$48k) in the Middle Atlantic Region
9
Ranked Colleges
284
Degrees Awarded
$14,700
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.
In 2020-2021, 1,375 people earned their degree in astronomy and astrophysics, making the major the 219th most popular in the United States. 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 the Middle Atlantic region, there were 284 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,362 and $27,000 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 9 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.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the astronomy and astrophysics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to 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 in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for middle atlantic region astronomy students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 9 Best Value Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $30-$48k) in the Middle Atlantic Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cornell University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Cornell is located in Ithaca, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.
Cornell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $5,133 for middle atlantic region astronomy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cornell.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Cornell University Astronomy & Astrophysics Report
Out of the 9 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Johns Hopkins University landed the #2 spot on the list. Johns Hopkins University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Johns Hopkins did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Johns Hopkins University is $4,859 for middle atlantic region astronomy students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Johns Hopkins Astronomy & Astrophysics Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Maryland - College Park. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Maryland - College Park is a large school located in College Park, Maryland that handed out 45 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMCP, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $11,567 for middle atlantic region astronomy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Maryland - College Park.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at UMCP
Out of the 9 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stony Brook University landed the #4 spot on the list. Stony Brook University is located in Stony Brook, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.
SUNY Stony Brook not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Stony Brook University is $14,163 for Middle Atlantic Region Astronomy students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 90%.
Full Stony Brook University Astronomy & Astrophysics Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Rutgers University - New Brunswick. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, this large public school awarded 13 diplomas to qualified ’s astronomy students in 2020-2021.
Rutgers New Brunswick also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Rutgers University - New Brunswick is $15,182 for Middle Atlantic Region Astronomy students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Rutgers University - New Brunswick Astronomy & Astrophysics Report
With a ranking of #6, Union College New York did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Schenectady, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astronomy degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Union College, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Union College New York is $13,769 for middle atlantic region astronomy students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Union College New York
University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this large public school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified ’s astronomy students in 2020-2021.
Pitt also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $17,691 for Middle Atlantic Region Astronomy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.
Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus
Rochester Institute of Technology landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Rochester, New York, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 10 degrees to qualified ’s astronomy students in 2020-2021.
RIT also took the #4 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $28,857 for middle atlantic region astronomy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend RIT.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full RIT Astronomy & Astrophysics Report
With a ranking of #9, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Troy, New York, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1 degrees to qualified ’s astronomy students in 2020-2021.
RPI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $20,738 for Middle Atlantic Region Astronomy students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend RPI.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 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
- *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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