2027 Best Value Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Southeast Region

[Astronomy & Astrophysics](/majors/physical-sciences/astronomy-and-astrophysics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for astronomy & astrophysics students.
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2027 Best Value Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Southeast Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the astronomy & astrophysics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools
For return on investment in astronomy & astrophysics, no school beat University Of Florida this year. University Of Florida is a very large public school located in the city of Gainesville. In-state tuition and fees average $6,381, with out-of-state students paying around $28,659. Students borrow a median of $17,669 to complete the astronomy & astrophysics program here. Soon after graduation, astronomy & astrophysics degree recipients from University Of Florida generally make around $58,388. Set against $17,669 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Florida admits about 24% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in astronomy & astrophysics will find it at University Of Virginia Main Campus, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,118, compared with $61,591 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for astronomy & astrophysics graduates is $18,627. Soon after graduation, astronomy & astrophysics degree recipients from University Of Virginia Main Campus generally make around $69,126. Set against $18,627 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Virginia Main Campus admits about 17% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Florida Institute Of Technology one of the best values for astronomy & astrophysics. Set in the city of Melbourne, Florida Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $45,900 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $32,114 to complete the astronomy & astrophysics program here. Early-career astronomy & astrophysics graduates make about $69,878. That is a strong return on a $32,114 median debt. Florida Institute Of Technology admits about 58% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in astronomy & astrophysics will find it at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Daytona Beach, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $44,074 in tuition and fees. Astronomy & Astrophysics graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, astronomy & astrophysics degree recipients from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach generally make around $70,246. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach admits about 65% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.