---

2026 Best Value Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in New York

[Astronomy & Astrophysics](/majors/physical-sciences/astronomy-and-astrophysics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

College Factual analyzed 13 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value astronomy & astrophysics schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in New York

2026 Best Value Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in New York

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in astronomy & astrophysics, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools

1

Columbia University In The City Of New York
New York, NY

$70,517 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,258 Avg Student Debt

$102,491 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in astronomy & astrophysics, no school beat Columbia University In The City Of New York this year. Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. Students from in state pay about $70,517 in tuition and fees. Astronomy & Astrophysics graduates carry a median of $23,258 in student loans. Astronomy & Astrophysics graduates of Columbia University In The City Of New York earn a median of $86,770 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.

2

Cornell University
Ithaca, NY

$69,314 In-State Tuition & Fees

$15,005 Avg Student Debt

$104,043 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Cornell University earned it the #2 place for astronomy & astrophysics. Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Ithaca. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $69,314. Students borrow a median of $15,005 to complete the astronomy & astrophysics program here. Soon after graduation, astronomy & astrophysics degree recipients from Cornell University generally make around $75,976. That is a strong return on a $15,005 median debt. The acceptance rate is 9%.

View All Astronomy & Astrophysics Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.

• 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).

More about our data sources and methodologies.