by our College Data Analytics Team
[Astronomy & Astrophysics](/majors/physical-sciences/astronomy-and-astrophysics/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 19 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for astronomy & astrophysics students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in astronomy & astrophysics, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in astronomy & astrophysics, no school beat Harvard University this year. Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,676. Typical student debt for astronomy & astrophysics graduates is $16,616. Early-career astronomy & astrophysics graduates make about $95,207. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Massachusetts Amherst earned it the #2 place for astronomy & astrophysics. Located in the city of Amherst, University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,772, while out-of-state students pay about $40,449. Typical student debt for astronomy & astrophysics graduates is $25,234. Early-career astronomy & astrophysics graduates make about $53,543. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Massachusetts Amherst admits about 60% of applicants.
Yale University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in astronomy & astrophysics, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of New Haven, Yale University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,250. Typical student debt for astronomy & astrophysics graduates is $14,357. Soon after graduation, astronomy & astrophysics degree recipients from Yale University generally make around $74,578. That is a strong return on a $14,357 median debt. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
Boston University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value astronomy & astrophysics schools. Set in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $68,102. Students borrow a median of $25,232 to complete the astronomy & astrophysics program here. Soon after graduation, astronomy & astrophysics degree recipients from Boston University generally make around $63,598. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.
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This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 19 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.