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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics

106 Ranked Colleges
979 Degrees Awarded
$31,221 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Astronomy Major

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major” ranking.

Astronomy & Astrophysics is the 219th most popular major in the country with 1,375 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, astronomy and astrophysics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,221 and had an average of $24,484 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 979 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major” ranking looked at 106 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in astronomy and astrophysics. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their astronomy and astrophysics program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree astronomy students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics

1
Whitman crest
Whitman College
Walla Walla, Washington

Out of the 106 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Whitman College landed the #1 spot on the list. Whitman is a small school located in Walla Walla, Washington that handed out 19 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Whitman College

2
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Lycoming College
Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Out of the 106 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Lycoming College landed the #2 spot on the list. Williamsport, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s astronomy degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Lycoming College Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

3
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Agnes Scott College
Decatur, Georgia

Out of the 106 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Agnes Scott College landed the #3 spot on the list. Agnes Scott is a small school located in Decatur, Georgia that handed out 5 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad 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%.

Full Agnes Scott College Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

4
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Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Swarthmore College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. Swarthmore is located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Swarthmore Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Florida Institute of Technology. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Melbourne, Florida, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Florida Institute of Technology

6
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Haverford College
Haverford, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #6, Haverford College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. Haverford is located in Haverford, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Haverford College

7

University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking, coming in at #7. University of California - Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 65 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 UC Santa Cruz

8

California Institute of Technology came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. California Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at California Institute of Technology

9
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Wellesley College
Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. Wellesley, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s astronomy degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Wellesley College Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

10
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Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York

Vassar College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking, coming in at #10. Vassar College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Poughkeepsie, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad 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 freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Vassar

11
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Wesleyan University
Middletown, Connecticut

Wesleyan University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. This small school is located in Middletown, Connecticut, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Wesleyan University Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

12
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Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #12, Williams College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. Williams is a private not-for-profit institution located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad 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 90%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Williams College

13
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, New York

Colgate University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Hamilton, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Colgate

14

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach is located in Daytona Beach, Florida and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach

15
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Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. This small school is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Amherst College Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

16

University of Colorado Boulder ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. University of Colorado Boulder is a public institution located in Boulder, Colorado. The school has a large population, and it awarded 60 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Colorado Boulder

17
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Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts

Mount Holyoke College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking, coming in at #17. Mount Holyoke College is located in South Hadley, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Mt. Holyoke Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

18
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Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Franklin and Marshall College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. Franklin and Marshall College is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate 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.

Full Franklin and Marshall Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

19
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Stonehill College
Easton, Massachusetts

Stonehill College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. Stonehill College is a small school located in Easton, Massachusetts that handed out 4 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Stonehill College Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

20
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Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, Indiana

Valparaiso University ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. Valparaiso University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Valparaiso, Indiana. It awarded 5 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Valparaiso University

21
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Hampshire College
Amherst, Massachusetts

Hampshire College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2020-2021.

Full Hampshire College Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

22

University of Hawaii at Hilo did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking, coming in at #22. University of Hawaii at Hilo is a small school located in Hilo, Hawaii that handed out 3 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Hawaii at Hilo

23
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking, coming in at #23. Princeton University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Princeton, New Jersey. It awarded 8 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Princeton

24
SUNY New Paltz crest
SUNY New Paltz
New Paltz, New York

With a ranking of #24, SUNY New Paltz did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major list. SUNY New Paltz is a medium-sized public school situated in New Paltz, New York. It awarded 9 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full SUNY New Paltz Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

25
Bennington crest
Bennington College
Bennington, Vermont

Bennington College landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Astronomy Major ranking. Bennington, Vermont is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s astronomy degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Bennington

Notes and References

References

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