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2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k

59 Ranked Colleges
874 Degrees Awarded
$27,700 Avg Salary
Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $48-$75k

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 “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Astronomy & Astrophysics is the 222nd most popular major in the country with 1,268 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, astronomy and astrophysics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $27,700 and had an average of $21,346 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 874 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 59 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in astronomy and astrophysics. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great astronomy and astrophysics programs and cost less that 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 and astrophysics program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools

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 “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

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 Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $48-$75k)

#1

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#8 in overall quality

Out of the 59 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

Harvard did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Harvard is $3,411 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive 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. The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 Harvard Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#2

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#7 in overall quality

Out of the 59 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Princeton University landed the #2 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Princeton, New Jersey, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

Princeton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Princeton University is $7,576 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Princeton University Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#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 #3 on our 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 13 degrees to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia University in the City of New York is $5,887 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Columbia University in the City of New York

#4

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#5 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 #4 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $7,934 for bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at UChicago

#5

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 59 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #5 spot on the list. California Institute of Technology is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

Caltech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $8,042 for bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Caltech.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 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 94%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Caltech

University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UW - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 40 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $13,227 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Wisconsin - Madison

#7

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire
#3 in overall quality

Dartmouth College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Dartmouth is located in Hanover, New Hampshire and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

Dartmouth also took the #3 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Dartmouth is $9,044 for bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Dartmouth

#8

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Cornell University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. Cornell is located in Ithaca, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

Cornell also took the #10 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cornell University is $11,869 for bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at Cornell

#9

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Williams is $7,134 for bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. 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.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Williams College

#10

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
#9 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $10,028 for bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, 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 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full U-M Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 34 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k list, UIUC has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $13,351 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full UIUC Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#12

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Wellesley College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. Wellesley College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wellesley, Massachusetts. It awarded 2 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k list, Wellesley has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley is $14,229 for bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

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. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at Wellesley College

#13

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. University of Florida is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Florida is $8,528 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Florida

#14

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s astronomy degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $12,556 for bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

#15

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#14 in overall quality

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of California - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k list, UCLA has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $13,081 for bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.

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.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of California - Los Angeles

#16

University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming

University of Wyoming did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #16. This fairly large school is located in Laramie, Wyoming, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW is $11,491 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Wyoming

University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 38 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,694 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW Seattle.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at UW Seattle

#18

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California

With a ranking of #18, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school handed out 53 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UC Berkeley is $13,081 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive 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 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of California - Berkeley

#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. Ohio State is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 27 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State is $13,982 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Ohio State Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#20

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#20 in overall quality

University of Georgia ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Athens, Georgia, this large public school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

UGA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Georgia is $14,748 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 & Astrophysics at University of Georgia

#21

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona
#24 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, University of Arizona did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Tucson, Arizona, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Arizona also took the #24 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Arizona is $15,399 for bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Arizona

#22

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $12,060 for bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend IU Bloomington.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at IU Bloomington

#23

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Virginia, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia is $14,671 for bachelor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Virginia - Main Campus

#24

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland
#15 in overall quality

University of Maryland - College Park came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in College Park, Maryland, this large public school awarded 28 degrees to qualified bachelors’s astronomy students in 2019-2020.

UMCP also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend University of Maryland - College Park is $18,418 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive 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 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of Maryland - College Park

The University of Texas at Austin came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. The University of Texas at Austin is located in Austin, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 33 bachelors’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

UT Austin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Austin is $15,757 for Bachelor’s Degree Astronomy students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, 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 97%.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at UT Austin

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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