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

11 Ranked Colleges
133 Degrees Awarded
$25,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor's in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 Middle Atlantic region, there were 203 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 133 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,278 and $24,587 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 11 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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 Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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 Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid

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

Top 11 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics in the Middle Atlantic Region (With Aid)

#1

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Princeton University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid. Princeton is located in Princeton, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid list, Princeton has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $11,317 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid per year to attend Princeton University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Princeton

#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia University in the City of New York. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid. Columbia University in the City of New York is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia University in the City of New York is $23,306 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Columbia

#3

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Maryland - College Park. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid. College Park, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astronomy degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMCP, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $19,045 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students with aid per year to attend UMCP.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UMCP Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#4

Rutgers University - New Brunswick

New Brunswick, New Jersey
#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Rutgers University - New Brunswick. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid. Rutgers New Brunswick is a large public school situated in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It awarded 13 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

Rutgers New Brunswick did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Rutgers University - New Brunswick is $21,654 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students with aid.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Rutgers University - New Brunswick

#5

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, New York
#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stony Brook University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Stony Brook, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astronomy degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

SUNY Stony Brook also took the #7 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $15,160 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid per year to attend Stony Brook University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at SUNY Stony Brook

#6

SUNY New Paltz

New Paltz, New York
#11 in overall quality

SUNY New Paltz came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. SUNY New Paltz is a medium-sized school located in New Paltz, New York that handed out 4 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

SUNY New Paltz did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $17,171 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students with aid per year to attend SUNY New Paltz.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.2% 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 SUNY New Paltz

#7

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#4 in overall quality

Cornell University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Cornell University is located in Ithaca, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cornell, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $40,126 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid per year to attend Cornell.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Cornell University

#9 in overall quality

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astronomy degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid list, Pitt has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is $27,938 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Pitt

#9

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Carnegie Mellon University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

Carnegie Mellon did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Carnegie Mellon University is $34,508 for middle atlantic 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 96%. 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%. 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.

Full Carnegie Mellon Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#10

Union College New York

Schenectady, New York
#8 in overall quality

Union College New York came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Union College is located in Schenectady, New York and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

Union College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $34,779 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students with aid per year to attend Union College.

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 low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Union College New York

#11

George Washington University

Washington, District of Columbia
#10 in overall quality

George Washington University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. GWU is a large school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 4 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

GWU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for GWU is $33,719 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 88%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at George Washington University

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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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