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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy (Income $30-$48k)

37 Ranked Colleges
495 Degrees Awarded
$9,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Astronomy is the 498th most popular major in the country with 723 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 495 astronomy graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 37 colleges that offer a degree in astronomy. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality astronomy programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the astronomy program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The astronomical sciences school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy (Income $30-$48k)

#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Columbia University in the City of New York is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $4,287 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Columbia.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy at Columbia

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

UChicago also took the #3 spot in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $2,800 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UChicago Astronomy Report

#3

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Cornell University landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Ithaca, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 8 degrees to qualified bachelors’s astronomical sciences students in 2019-2020.

Cornell also made our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $7,518 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cornell.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive 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 student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cornell Astronomy Report

#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 13 degrees to qualified bachelors’s astronomical sciences students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,887 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend U-M.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 U-M Astronomy Report

#5

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dartmouth College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Dartmouth is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Hanover, New Hampshire. It awarded 1 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Dartmouth has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Dartmouth is $4,830 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Astronomy at Dartmouth

#6

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
#18 in overall quality

University of Florida came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 21 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UF, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,069 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Florida.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Astronomy at University of Florida

#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $8,464 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%.

Read full report on Astronomy at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#8

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Williams College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Williams also took the #17 spot in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Williams College is $2,223 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 Williams College Astronomy Report

#13 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also made our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $10,037 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ohio State.

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 low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.

Full Ohio State Astronomy Report

#10

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#20 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also took the #20 spot in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend IU Bloomington is $6,192 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Astronomy at IU Bloomington

#24 in overall quality

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Seattle, Washington is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to 38 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, UW Seattle has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,467 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, 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 students.

Read full report on Astronomy at UW Seattle

#12

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#9 in overall quality

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. University of Virginia is a public institution located in Charlottesville, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Virginia also took the #9 spot in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $11,696 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Virginia.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Virginia - Main Campus Astronomy Report

#13

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts
#6 in overall quality

Boston University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. Boston University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Boston U has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Boston U is $13,256 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy at Boston University

#14

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland
#8 in overall quality

University of Maryland - College Park came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UMCP is located in College Park, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 28 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

UMCP did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMCP is $12,128 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low 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%.

Full UMCP Astronomy Report

#15

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#11 in overall quality

University of Georgia landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Georgia is a large school located in Athens, Georgia that handed out 10 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UGA, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Georgia is $10,241 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%.

Read more about Astronomy at University of Georgia

#16

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Smith College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Smith is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northampton, Massachusetts. It awarded 7 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Smith did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Smith is $10,169 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Smith Astronomy Report

#17

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona
#14 in overall quality

University of Arizona landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Arizona is located in Tucson, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

University of Arizona also made our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend University of Arizona is $11,466 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Astronomy at University of Arizona

#18

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. SDSU is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $10,594 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SDSU.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full San Diego State University Astronomy Report

#19

University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, Colorado
#10 in overall quality

University of Colorado Boulder came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Boulder, Colorado is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to 64 students in 2019-2020.

CU - Boulder not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Colorado Boulder is $14,361 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Astronomy at CU - Boulder

Brigham Young University - Provo ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Provo, Utah, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s astronomical sciences students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,425 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Brigham Young University - Provo.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Brigham Young University - Provo Astronomy Report

#21

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, University of Massachusetts Amherst did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UMass Amherst is a large public school situated in Amherst, Massachusetts. It awarded 17 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMass Amherst, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Amherst is $14,474 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 at University of Massachusetts Amherst

#12 in overall quality

The University of Texas at Austin landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Austin, Texas, this large public school handed out 33 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s astronomical sciences students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, UT Austin has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Austin is $13,575 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy at The University of Texas at Austin

#23

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, New York
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, Stony Brook University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. SUNY Stony Brook is a large school located in Stony Brook, New York that handed out 14 bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SUNY Stony Brook, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,993 for bachelor’s degree astronomical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Stony Brook University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Astronomy at SUNY Stony Brook

#24

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

With a ranking of #24, Ball State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Muncie, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astronomical sciences degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,487 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ball State University.

Read more about Astronomy at Ball State University

#25

Union College New York

Schenectady, New York
#25 in overall quality

Union College New York ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Astronomical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Union College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Schenectady, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Union College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $14,952 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Union College.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Union College New York Astronomy Report

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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