2027 Best Value Planetary Astronomy & Science Schools

[Planetary Astronomy & Science](/majors/physical-sciences/astronomy-and-astrophysics/planetary-astronomy-and-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong planetary astronomy & science education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for planetary astronomy & science students.
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Finding the Best Value Planetary Astronomy & Science School for You
Where you study planetary astronomy & science affects both what you pay and what you earn. To help, we created our Best Value Planetary Astronomy & Science Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
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We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Planetary Astronomy & Science Schools list, to help you decide. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
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2027 Best Value Planetary Astronomy & Science Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the planetary astronomy & science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Planetary Astronomy & Science Schools
For return on investment in planetary astronomy & science, no school beat University Of California Los Angeles this year. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,233, while out-of-state students pay about $46,121. Planetary Astronomy & Science graduates carry a median of $16,097 in student loans. Soon after graduation, planetary astronomy & science degree recipients from University Of California Los Angeles generally make around $63,833. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of California Berkeley one of the best values for planetary astronomy & science. Located in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,377, compared with $47,265 for out-of-state students. Planetary Astronomy & Science graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, planetary astronomy & science degree recipients from University Of California Berkeley generally make around $54,746. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 11%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at California Institute Of Technology earned it the #3 place for planetary astronomy & science. Set in the city of Pasadena, California Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,898. Early-career planetary astronomy & science graduates make about $173,344. The acceptance rate is 3%.
Students looking for strong value in planetary astronomy & science will find it at University Of Arizona, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,573 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $39,903. Typical student debt for planetary astronomy & science graduates is $25,406. Early-career planetary astronomy & science graduates make about $50,834. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Ohio State University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in planetary astronomy & science, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,244 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete the planetary astronomy & science program here. Planetary Astronomy & Science graduates of Ohio State University Main Campus earn a median of $58,088 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. Ohio State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
Harvard University earned the #6 position for value in planetary astronomy & science this year. Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. Students from in state pay about $61,676 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for planetary astronomy & science graduates is $16,616. Soon after graduation, planetary astronomy & science degree recipients from Harvard University generally make around $95,207. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
Florida Institute Of Technology came in at #7 for value in planetary astronomy & science this year. Set in the city of Melbourne, Florida Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $45,900. Typical student debt for planetary astronomy & science graduates is $32,114. Planetary Astronomy & Science graduates of Florida Institute Of Technology earn a median of $69,878 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 58% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.