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2024 Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Southwest Region

8 Colleges in the Southwest Region
119 Astronomy Degrees Awarded
$42,770 Avg Early-Career Salary
Astronomy & Astrophysics is about average in terms of popularity for degree programs. That is, it ranks #219 out of the 395 majors across the country that we analyze each year. As such, the degree program isn't offered at every college in the United States, but there are schools that do have a program in the field that are top-notch when it comes to quality.

For its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools in the Southwest Region to determine which ones were the best for astronomy & astrophysics students pursuing a degree. Combined, these schools handed out 119 degrees in astronomy & astrophysics to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Astronomy & Astrophysics School

Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Southwest Region Your choice of astronomy & astrophysics school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. We derive our Best Overall Astronomy & Astrophysics School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Pick Your Astronomy & Astrophysics Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Astronomy
Master's Degrees in Astronomy
Doctor's Degrees in Astronomy

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in the Southwest Region list, to help you choose the best school for you. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Astronomy & Astrophysics in the Southwest Region

The schools below may not offer all types of astronomy degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.

Top Southwest Region Schools in Astronomy

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
34 Astronomy Degrees Awarded
$42,770 Median Starting Salary

The University of Texas at Austin is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in astronomy & astrophysics. Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #36 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UT Austin is a great university overall.

There were roughly 34 astronomy & astrophysics students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, astronomy degree recipients generally earn about $42,770 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in astronomy & astrophysics from The University of Texas at Austin

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In AZ
44 Astronomy Degrees Awarded

It is difficult to beat University of Arizona if you wish to pursue a degree in astronomy & astrophysics. Located in the large city of Tucson, University of Arizona is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 26 schools for overall quality in the state of Arizona.

There were about 44 astronomy & astrophysics students who graduated with this degree at University of Arizona in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in astronomy & astrophysics from University of Arizona

3
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In TX

It's hard to beat Texas A&M University - College Station if you want to pursue a degree in astronomy & astrophysics. Located in the city of College Station, Texas A&M College Station is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #44 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Texas A&M College Station is a great university overall.

There were about 3 astronomy & astrophysics students who graduated with this degree at Texas A&M College Station in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in astronomy & astrophysics from Texas A&M University - College Station

4
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In TX

Baylor University is a great decision for students pursuing a degree in astronomy & astrophysics. Baylor is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Waco. A Best Colleges rank of #123 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Baylor is a great university overall.

There were about 3 astronomy & astrophysics students who graduated with this degree at Baylor in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in astronomy & astrophysics from Baylor University

5
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In OK

Located in the midsize suburb of Norman, University of Oklahoma is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 32 colleges for overall quality in the state of Oklahoma.

There were roughly 7 astronomy & astrophysics students who graduated with this degree at University of Oklahoma in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in astronomy & astrophysics from University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

6

Located in the rural area of Prescott, Embry-Riddle Prescott is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. This university ranks 6th out of 26 schools for overall quality in the state of Arizona.More information about a degree in astronomy & astrophysics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In AZ

ASU - Tempe is a fairly large public university located in the city of Tempe. A Best Colleges rank of #119 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means ASU - Tempe is a great university overall.

There were about 6 astronomy & astrophysics students who graduated with this degree at ASU - Tempe in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in astronomy & astrophysics from Arizona State University - Tempe

8
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In AZ

Located in the city of Flagstaff, NAU is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 5th out of 26 schools for overall quality in the state of Arizona.

There were roughly 4 astronomy & astrophysics students who graduated with this degree at NAU in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in astronomy & astrophysics from Northern Arizona University

Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Colleges by State

Explore the best astronomy & astrophysics colleges for a specific state in the Southwest Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Texas 317 45
Arizona 287 55
Oklahoma 257 7
New Mexico 219 12

View All Rankings >

One of 8 majors within the Physical Sciences area of study, Astronomy & Astrophysics has other similar majors worth exploring.

Astronomy Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Astronomy 79
Astrophysics 26
Planetary Astronomy & Science 13
Other Astronomy & Astrophysics 1

View All Astronomy Focus Areas >

Majors Similar to Astronomy

Related Major Annual Graduates
Chemistry 1,787
Physics 1,129
Geological & Earth Sciences 961
General Physical Sciences 927
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology 154
Materials Sciences 54
Other Physical Science 14

View All Astronomy Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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