2026 Best Astronomy Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Astronomy is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for astronomy students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Astronomy in the Rocky Mountains Region
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the astronomy degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Astronomy
Brigham Young University Provo tops our 2026 ranking of the best astronomy schools. Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Provo. Roughly 81% of students complete a degree within six years here. Brigham Young University Provo awarded about 18 astronomy degrees in the most recent data year. Astronomy graduates of Brigham Young University Provo earn a median of $54,507 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $12,184 to complete this degree.
Get the full astronomy details for Brigham Young University Provo
University Of Colorado Boulder is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in astronomy, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public school located in the city of Boulder. University Of Colorado Boulder graduates 74% of students within six years. About 62 astronomy degrees were awarded at University Of Colorado Boulder in the most recent year. Students who receive their astronomy degree from University Of Colorado Boulder earn around $45,066 in the first couple years of their career. University Of Colorado Boulder graduates carry a median of $22,324 in student loans.
See the full astronomy program report for University Of Colorado Boulder
Narrow Astronomy Schools by State
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 5 schools evaluated.
- 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.
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