2026 Best Value Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
[Astronomy & Astrophysics](/majors/physical-sciences/astronomy-and-astrophysics/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value astronomy & astrophysics schools.
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2026 Best Value Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in astronomy & astrophysics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools
For return on investment in astronomy & astrophysics, no school beat Brigham Young University Provo this year. Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Provo. Students from in state pay about $6,688 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $12,184 to complete the astronomy & astrophysics program here. Soon after graduation, astronomy & astrophysics degree recipients from Brigham Young University Provo generally make around $54,507. Set against $12,184 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Colorado Boulder is a great value for students pursuing a degree in astronomy & astrophysics, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,214, while out-of-state students pay about $42,970. Astronomy & Astrophysics graduates carry a median of $22,324 in student loans. Astronomy & Astrophysics graduates of University Of Colorado Boulder earn a median of $45,066 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,324 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
