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2026 Best Value Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in Ohio
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in astronomy & astrophysics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools
For return on investment in astronomy & astrophysics, no school beat Ohio State University Main Campus this year. Set in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,244, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for astronomy & astrophysics graduates is $20,500. Early-career astronomy & astrophysics graduates make about $58,088. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Ohio State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
ADBLOCK #116
[Astronomy & Astrophysics](/majors/physical-sciences/astronomy-and-astrophysics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
