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2026 Best Value Physics And Astronomy Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physics and astronomy, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Physics And Astronomy Schools
Northern Arizona University earned the #1 spot for value among physics and astronomy schools in the United States. Located in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,619, while out-of-state students pay about $20,044. Physics And Astronomy graduates carry a median of $21,645 in student loans. Soon after graduation, physics and astronomy degree recipients from Northern Arizona University generally make around $47,056. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Other Physics And Astronomy Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Physics And Astronomy rankings across degree levels:
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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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
[Physics And Astronomy](/majors/physical-sciences/physics-and-astronomy/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
