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2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k

49 Ranked Colleges
1,375 Degrees Awarded
$19,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking.

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.

For this year’s “Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 49 colleges that offer a degree in astronomy and astrophysics. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great astronomy and astrophysics programs and cost less that 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.

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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 Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique 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 Those Making $75-$110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $75-$110k)

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 49 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 14 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

Northwestern also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $15,686 for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Northwestern.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Northwestern University Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

2

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 For Those Making $75-$110k list. Caltech is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 28 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

Caltech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend California Institute of Technology is $20,010 for Astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Caltech Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

3
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astronomy degrees to 28 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k list, UChicago has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $19,895 for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate 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.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Chicago

4
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Williams College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified ’s astronomy students in 2020-2021.

Williams did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Williams is $14,702 for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Williams Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

5
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Florida is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 28 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

UF also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend UF is $12,874 for Astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 97%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Florida

6

University of California - Berkeley landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astronomy degrees to 65 students in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Berkeley is $21,601 for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

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.

Full UC Berkeley Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

7

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of California - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 43 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k list, UCLA has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Los Angeles is $20,697 for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at UCLA

8

University of Washington - Seattle Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 51 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UW Seattle is $16,894 for Astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at UW Seattle

9
UW crest
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming

University of Wyoming came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Laramie, Wyoming is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astronomy degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $15,178 for Astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UW.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at UW

10

With a ranking of #10, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Austin, Texas, this large public school handed out 34 diplomas to qualified ’s astronomy students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k list, UT Austin has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Austin is $20,425 for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at UT Austin

11

With a ranking of #11, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 25 degrees to qualified ’s astronomy students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $17,207 for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

12
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

With a ranking of #12, University of Arizona did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Arizona is a large school located in Tucson, Arizona that handed out 44 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Arizona, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Arizona is $18,708 for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Arizona

13

University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 30 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Madison is $22,377 for Astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UW - Madison Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

14

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 ’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

UMN Twin Cities also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $18,938 for Astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

15

University of Maryland - College Park did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #15. College Park, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astronomy degrees to 45 students in 2020-2021.

UMCP also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for University of Maryland - College Park is $23,215 for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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%.

Full University of Maryland - College Park Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

16

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 27 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k list, UIUC has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” ranking. It costs about $22,400 for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

17

Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Brigham Young University - Provo is a large school located in Provo, Utah that handed out 5 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend BYU is $15,777 for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, 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%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at BYU

18
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

With a ranking of #18, Cornell University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Ithaca, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astronomy degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k list, Cornell has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” ranking. It costs about $21,043 for Astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Cornell University.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%.

Full Cornell Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

19

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Ohio State is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 41 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

Ohio State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State is $21,575 for Astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Ohio State University - Main Campus

20

With a ranking of #20, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. IU Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 14 ’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington also took the #25 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $20,234 for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full IU Bloomington Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

21
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #21. Charlottesville, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astronomy degrees to 25 students in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus is $22,021 for Astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 97%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Virginia - Main Campus

22

With a ranking of #22, University of Nevada - Las Vegas did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Las Vegas, Nevada is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astronomy degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Nevada - Las Vegas is $15,316 for astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.9% 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%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at UNLV

23
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #23. UGA is located in Athens, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $17,630 for Astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UGA.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 94%.

Full University of Georgia Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

24
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k 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.

It costs about $18,957 for Astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend SDSU.

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

25

University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Astronomy Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astronomy degrees to 76 students in 2020-2021.

UC Santa Cruz also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for UC Santa Cruz is $22,380 for Astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz

Notes and References

References

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