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2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

14 Ranked Colleges
176 Degrees Awarded
$19,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking.

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 Great Lakes region, there were 224 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 176 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 14 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the astronomy and astrophysics program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools

The astronomy school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid.

Top 14 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 40 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $17,708 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students with aid.

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 low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 University of Wisconsin - Madison

#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 34 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid list, UIUC has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $15,880 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students with aid.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school awarded 13 degrees to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $15,336 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#4

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana University - Bloomington. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also took the #8 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $13,253 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full IU Bloomington Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#5

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Michigan State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school awarded 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan State, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State University is $19,173 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid.

The low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Michigan State

#5 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid list, Ohio State has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $17,616 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Ohio State Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#7

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Ball State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Muncie, Indiana, this large public school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid list, Ball State has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,147 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid per year to attend Ball State University.

Full Ball State Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#8

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan
#13 in overall quality

Central Michigan University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Central Michigan University is a fairly large public school situated in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It awarded 2 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid list, Central Michigan has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan is $15,981 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Central Michigan

#9

Wayne State University

Detroit, Michigan
#14 in overall quality

Wayne State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Wayne State University is a public institution located in Detroit, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wayne State also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Wayne State is $13,965 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students with aid.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Wayne State University

#9 in overall quality

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UC is a large school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 9 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

UC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is $21,843 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at UC

#6 in overall quality

Illinois Institute of Technology landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Illinois Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid list, Illinois Tech has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois Institute of Technology is $22,831 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Illinois Institute of Technology

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Ohio University - Athens Campus is located in Athens, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

OHIO Athens not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $22,906 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid per year to attend OHIO Athens.

Full Ohio University - Athens Campus Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#13

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, University of Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s astronomy degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $27,315 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Chicago Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#10 in overall quality

Case Western Reserve University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Cleveland, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s astronomy degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Case Western, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $35,428 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid per year to attend Case Western Reserve University.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Case Western

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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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