2023 Best Value Colleges for Astrophysics (Income $75-$110k)
17
Ranked Colleges
460
Degrees Awarded
$24,000
Avg Net Price*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Astrophysics is the 598th most popular major in the country with 460 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
This year’s “Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking looked at 17 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in astrophysics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality astrophysics programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the astrophysics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
More Ways to Rank Astrophysics Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k
The colleges and universities below are the best for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
Top 17 Best Value Colleges for Astrophysics (Income $75-$110k)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Institute of Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 17 diplomas to qualified ’s astrophysical sciences students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, Caltech has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. It costs about $20,010 for Astrophysical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California Institute of Technology.
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. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Astrophysics at California Institute of Technology
Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Williams College landed the #2 spot on the list. Williamstown, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, Williams has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. It costs about $14,702 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Williams College.
With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.
Full Williams College Astrophysics Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of California - Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 61 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $21,601 for Astrophysical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, 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.
Read more about Astrophysics at UC Berkeley
Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #4 spot on the list. UCLA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 32 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $20,697 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Astrophysics at University of California - Los Angeles
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 26 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $22,377 for Astrophysical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 Astrophysics at University of Wisconsin - Madison
With a ranking of #6, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. UMN Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, UMN Twin Cities has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $18,938 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Astrophysics at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to 65 students in 2020-2021.
UC Santa Cruz also took the #8 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. It costs about $22,380 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of California - Santa Cruz Astrophysics Report
With a ranking of #8, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Arizona State University - Tempe is located in Tempe, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees to qualified students.
ASU - Tempe not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list. It costs about $19,031 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Arizona State University - Tempe.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Arizona State University - Tempe Astrophysics Report
University of Colorado Boulder came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Colorado Boulder is a large public school situated in Boulder, Colorado. It awarded 13 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
CU - Boulder also made our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for University of Colorado Boulder is $25,326 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.
Full University of Colorado Boulder Astrophysics Report
With a ranking of #10, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school awarded 22 diplomas to qualified ’s astrophysical sciences students in 2020-2021.
Michigan State also made our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State is $25,297 for Astrophysical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
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 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Astrophysics at Michigan State University
Illinois Institute of Technology ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified ’s astrophysical sciences students in 2020-2021.
Illinois Tech also took the #11 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. It costs about $24,673 for Astrophysical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Illinois Institute of Technology.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Astrophysics at Illinois Institute of Technology
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it awarded 10 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
UC also took the #13 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is $24,534 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UC Astrophysics Report
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a public institution located in Norman, Oklahoma. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Oklahoma also made our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for University of Oklahoma is $25,044 for Astrophysical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Astrophysics at University of Oklahoma
Rutgers University - New Brunswick ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Rutgers New Brunswick is a large school located in New Brunswick, New Jersey that handed out 13 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Rutgers New Brunswick also made our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend Rutgers New Brunswick is $28,245 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
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 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Rutgers New Brunswick Astrophysics Report
Rochester Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Rochester, New York, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified ’s astrophysical sciences students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, RIT has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. It costs about $33,469 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Rochester Institute of Technology.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 Astrophysics at Rochester Institute of Technology
With a ranking of #16, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Athens, Ohio, this large public school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified ’s astrophysical sciences students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at OHIO Athens, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Astrophysics Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend OHIO Athens is $26,039 for astrophysical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
Full OHIO Athens Astrophysics Report
Baylor University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Astrophysical Sciences Schools For Those Making $75-$110k list. Baylor University is a large school located in Waco, Texas that handed out 3 ’s astrophysical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Baylor not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Astrophysics Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Baylor University is $34,984 for Astrophysical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Baylor University Astrophysics Report
Focus on a Specific Degree Level
Switch to a More General Major
Switch to a Similar Major
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
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
- *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.
