by our College Data Analytics Team
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2021-2022, 765 people earned their degree in astronomy, making the major the 479th most popular in the United States.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major” ranking looked at 107 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in astronomy. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their astronomy program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major” list to help you make the college decision.
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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Monterey Peninsula College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major. Monterey Peninsula College is a medium-sized public school situated in Monterey, California. It awarded 4 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
Out of the 107 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Lycoming College landed the #2 spot on the list. Lycoming College is a small school located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania that handed out 2 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wesleyan University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major list. This small school is located in Middletown, Connecticut, and it awarded 5 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Vassar College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major. Located in Poughkeepsie, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 7 degrees to qualified ’s astronomical sciences students in 2021-2022.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Out of the 107 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Amherst College landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, and it awarded 4 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
With a ranking of #6, University of Colorado Boulder did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major list. This large school is located in Boulder, Colorado, and it awarded 58 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
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 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Mount Holyoke College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major list. Mt. Holyoke is a private not-for-profit institution located in South Hadley, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Whitman College ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major list. Located in Walla Walla, Washington, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified ’s astronomical sciences students in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Valparaiso University ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major list. Valparaiso, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astronomical sciences degrees to 1 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad 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%.
Hampshire College ranked #10 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major list. Hampshire College is located in Amherst, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 0 ’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #11. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 30 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 99%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
University of Hawaii at Hilo landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major ranking. Hilo, Hawaii is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astronomical sciences degrees to 3 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #13, SUNY New Paltz did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major list. SUNY New Paltz is a medium-sized public school situated in New Paltz, New York. It awarded 4 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
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%.
Bennington College ranked #14 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major list. Bennington is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bennington, Vermont. It awarded 0 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Maryland - College Park came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major ranking. University of Maryland - College Park is located in College Park, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 27 ’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.
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 freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Astronomy at University of Maryland - College Park
University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 38 ’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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 University of Washington - Seattle Campus Astronomy Report
University of Hawaii at Manoa did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #17. University of Hawaii at Manoa is a fairly large public school situated in Honolulu, Hawaii. It awarded 13 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
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 full report on Astronomy at University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #18. University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 29 ’s astronomical sciences degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Astronomy at University of Virginia - Main Campus
Stonehill College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major ranking. Easton, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astronomical sciences degrees to 0 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Haverford College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #20. Haverford is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Haverford, Pennsylvania. It awarded 1 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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.
With a ranking of #21, University of Arizona did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major list. This large school is located in Tucson, Arizona, and it awarded 35 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Villanova University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major ranking. Villanova University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It awarded 8 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major ranking. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astronomical sciences degrees to 40 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Astronomy at Ohio State University - Main Campus
Smith College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #24. This small school is located in Northampton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 9 ’s astronomical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Massachusetts Amherst landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Astronomical Sciences Major ranking. Amherst, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astronomical sciences degrees to 20 students in 2021-2022.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies