2022 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $75-$110k) in California

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Astronomy Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

Across California, there were 153 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $14,817 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 15 astronomy and astrophysics graduates with average earnings and debt of $71,544 and $133,402 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking analyzed 4 colleges that offered a degree in astronomy and astrophysics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent astronomy and astrophysics programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the astronomy and astrophysics program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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 Doctorate in California For Those Making $75-$110k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Making $75-$110k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Making $75-$110k.

Top 4 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $75-$110k) in California

#1

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California

#1 in overall quality

$56,649 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

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 Astronomy Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Making $75-$110k. Caltech is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 doctorate’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

Caltech also made our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. Average graduate tuition and fees at California Institute of Technology are $56,649, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Astronomy & Astrophysics at California Institute of Technology

#2

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

#2 in overall quality

$28,131 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #2 spot on the list. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 2 doctorate’s astronomy degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Los Angeles are $28,131.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at UCLA

#3

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California

#3 in overall quality

$29,347 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Berkeley. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Making $75-$110k. University of California - Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 doctorate’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california doctor’s degree astronomy students whose families make $75-$110k list, UC Berkeley has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of California - Berkeley Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

#4

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California

#4 in overall quality

$28,952 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Astronomy Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #4 spot on the list. UC Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 doctorate’s astronomy degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Santa Cruz, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Santa Cruz are $28,952, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UC Santa Cruz Astronomy & Astrophysics Report

• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $75-$110k) in the Far Western US Region
• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $75-$110k)

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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