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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics in the Middle Atlantic Region

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

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking - to help you make that 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 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” ranking looked at 11 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 Middle Atlantic Region”.

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 for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region.

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

#1

SUNY New Paltz

New Paltz, New York
#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend SUNY New Paltz. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region. SUNY New Paltz is located in New Paltz, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

SUNY New Paltz also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for SUNY New Paltz is $17,171 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full SUNY New Paltz Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#2

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, New York
#7 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Stony Brook University landed the #2 spot on the 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.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SUNY Stony Brook, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SUNY Stony Brook is $15,160 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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 Stony Brook University

#3

Rutgers University - New Brunswick

New Brunswick, New Jersey
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Rutgers University - New Brunswick landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, this large public school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students 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 New Brunswick is $21,654 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students.

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 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Rutgers University - New Brunswick

#4

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 #4 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region. University of Maryland - College Park is a public institution located in College Park, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s degrees 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. The estimated yearly cost for University of Maryland - College Park is $19,045 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students.

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

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at UMCP

#9 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this large public school awarded 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

Pitt also took the #9 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $27,938 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students per year to attend University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus.

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 low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

#6

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Princeton University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Princeton is a medium-sized school located in Princeton, New Jersey that handed out 12 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

Princeton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Princeton is $11,317 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Princeton University

#1 in overall quality

Columbia University in the City of New York did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking, coming in at #7. Columbia University in the City of New York is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 13 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia also took the #1 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $23,306 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students per year to attend Columbia.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Columbia University in the City of New York

#8

George Washington University

Washington, District of Columbia
#10 in overall quality

George Washington University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking, coming in at #8. This large school is located in Washington, District of Columbia, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GWU, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $33,719 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students per year to attend George Washington University.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at GWU

#9

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

Carnegie Mellon University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s astronomy degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

Carnegie Mellon also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $34,508 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students per year to attend Carnegie Mellon.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The 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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Carnegie Mellon Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#10

Union College New York

Schenectady, New York
#8 in overall quality

Union College New York ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Union College New York is a small school located in Schenectady, New York that handed out 1 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

Union College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Union College New York is $34,779 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students.

The 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 88%. 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%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Union College

#11

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#4 in overall quality

Cornell University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Located in Ithaca, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

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. The yearly cost to attend Cornell is $40,126 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree astronomy students.

The 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. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Full Cornell University 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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