Astronomy: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Exploring the vast mysteries of the universe, this program delves into the dynamic processes shaping planets, stars, galaxies, and the cosmos at large. Students engage in rigorous scientific inquiry to understand the physical laws governing celestial bodies and the origins of the universe.
- Celestial mechanics: The study of motion and gravitational interactions among astronomical objects, including orbits, stability, and orbital resonance.
- Cosmology: The scientific exploration of the universe’s origin, structure, evolution, and ultimate fate, grounded in observational and theoretical models.
- Stellar physics: Investigation into the internal structure, energy production, life cycles, and eventual demise of stars through nuclear fusion and gravitational collapse.
- Galactic evolution: Analysis of how galaxies form, interact, merge, and change over billions of years, including the role of dark matter and star formation rates.
- Quasars and active galactic nuclei: Study of extremely luminous cores powered by supermassive black holes, serving as probes of early universe conditions.
- Stellar distribution and motion: Examination of how stars are arranged and move within galaxies, revealing insights into galactic dynamics and mass distribution.
- Interstellar medium: Research into the gas, dust, and magnetic fields that fill the space between stars, influencing star formation and chemical evolution.
- Atomic and molecular constituents: Analysis of the chemical composition of celestial objects, including spectral signatures and the role of elements in astrophysical processes.
- Planetary science: In-depth exploration of planetary bodies, including formation, surface features, atmospheres, and internal structure.
- Solar system evolution: Investigation into the history and development of the solar system, from protoplanetary disks to current planetary configurations.
- Observational methodologies: Hands-on training in optical astronomy, radioastronomy, and theoretical modeling to collect, interpret, and simulate astronomical data.
Astronomy Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Astronomy Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Astronomy degrees, including Natural Sciences Managers, Astronomers and Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 113,910 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Sciences Managers 11-9121 | $161,180 | $79,830 - $239,200 | 100,870 | $77.49 |
| Astronomers 19-2011 | $132,170 | $70,730 - $191,880 | 1,560 | $63.54 |
| Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1051 | $101,390 | $53,310 - $199,260 | 11,480 | N/A |
Astronomy Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $78,465 in Florida to $170,190 in Massachusetts—a 117% difference. The highest-paying states include Massachusetts, District of Columbia, and California. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 113,910 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Astronomy by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 83 institutions offering Astronomy programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Astronomy is found at University of Colorado Boulder (CU) (63 graduates), University of Washington (UW), Seattle Campus (49 graduates), Pennsylvania State University, Main Campus (48 graduates), The University of Texas, Austin (43 graduates), and University of Maryland (UMCP), College Park (41 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 876 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado Boulder (CU) |
Bachelor's
|
63 | Boulder, Colorado | Public | colorado.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
49 | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
48 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
43 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMCP) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
41 | College Park, Maryland | Public | umd.edu |
| University of Virginia (UVA) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
39 | Charlottesville, Virginia | Public | virginia.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
38 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| Ohio State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
36 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | osu.edu |
| University of Florida (UF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
35 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | ufl.edu |
| University of Chicago (UChicago) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
34 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | uchicago.edu |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
27 | Champaign, Illinois | Public | illinois.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
27 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| Boston University (BU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
25 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | bu.edu |
| Cornell University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
24 | Ithaca, New York | Private | cornell.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
19 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Public | umass.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Bachelor's
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| Brigham Young University (BYU) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Provo, Utah | Private | byu.edu |
| San Diego State University (SDSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
15 | San Diego, California | Public | sdsu.edu |
| Wesleyan University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
13 | Middletown, Connecticut | Private | wesleyan.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| University of Hawaii (UHM) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
13 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Public | manoa.hawaii.edu |
| Stony Brook University (SBU) |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Stony Brook, New York | Public | stonybrook.edu |
| University of California (UCSC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
12 | Santa Cruz, California | Public | ucsc.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
12 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| Northwestern University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | Evanston, Illinois | Private | northwestern.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| San Francisco State University (SFSU) |
Master's
|
9 | San Francisco, California | Public | sfsu.edu |
| University of Iowa |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
9 | Iowa City, Iowa | Public | uiowa.edu |
| Mount Holyoke College (MHC) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | South Hadley, Massachusetts | Private | mtholyoke.edu |
| Villanova University |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Villanova, Pennsylvania | Private | villanova.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| Yale University |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | New Haven, Connecticut | Private | yale.edu |
| University of Kansas (KU) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Lawrence, Kansas | Public | ku.edu |
| Amherst College |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Private | amherst.edu |
| New Mexico State University (NMSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Las Cruces, New Mexico | Public | nmsu.edu |
| Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Cleveland, Ohio | Private | case.edu |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Prescott, Arizona | Private | prescott.erau.edu |
| University of Hawaii (UHH) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Hilo, Hawaii | Public | hilo.hawaii.edu |
| Central Michigan University (CMU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Mount Pleasant, Michigan | Public | cmich.edu |
| Ball State University (BSU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Muncie, Indiana | Public | bsu.edu |
| Smith College |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Northampton, Massachusetts | Private | smith.edu |
| Northern Arizona University (NAU) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Flagstaff, Arizona | Public | nau.edu |
| Saddleback College |
Associate's
|
4 | Mission Viejo, California | Public | saddleback.edu |
| University of Nevada (UNLV) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Las Vegas, Nevada | Public | unlv.edu |
| Glendale Community College (GCC) |
Associate's
|
3 | Glendale, Arizona | Public | gccaz.edu |
| Orange Coast College (OCC) |
Associate's
|
3 | Costa Mesa, California | Public | orangecoastcollege.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| Georgia State University |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Atlanta, Georgia | Public | gsu.edu |
| Wayne State University (WSU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Detroit, Michigan | Public | wayne.edu |
| Dartmouth College |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Hanover, New Hampshire | Private | dartmouth.edu |
| Monterey Peninsula College (MPC) |
Associate's
|
2 | Monterey, California | Public | mpc.edu |
| Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) |
Associate's
|
2 | Santa Barbara, California | Public | sbcc.edu |
| Valdosta State University (VSU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Valdosta, Georgia | Public | valdosta.edu |
| Valparaiso University (Valpo) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Valparaiso, Indiana | Private | valpo.edu |
| Benedictine College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Atchison, Kansas | Private | benedictine.edu |
| Montana State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Bozeman, Montana | Public | montana.edu |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) |
Master's
|
2 | Troy, New York | Private | rpi.edu |
| Vassar College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Poughkeepsie, New York | Private | vassar.edu |
| Youngstown State University (YSU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Youngstown, Ohio | Public | ysu.edu |
| Bryn Mawr College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania | Private | brynmawr.edu |
| Haverford College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Haverford, Pennsylvania | Private | haverford.edu |
| Brown University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Providence, Rhode Island | Private | brown.edu |
| Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) |
Associate's
|
2 | Chandler, Arizona | Public | cgc.maricopa.edu |
| Mesa Community College (MCC) |
Associate's
|
1 | Mesa, Arizona | Public | mesacc.edu |
| Scottsdale Community College (SCC) |
Associate's
|
1 | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | scottsdalecc.edu |
| Cabrillo College |
Associate's
|
1 | Aptos, California | Public | cabrillo.edu |
| Fullerton College |
Associate's
|
1 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullcoll.edu |
| Glendale Community College (GCC) |
Associate's
|
1 | Glendale, California | Public | glendale.edu |
| Hartnell College |
Associate's
|
1 | Salinas, California | Public | hartnell.edu |
| College of San Mateo (CSM) |
Associate's
|
1 | San Mateo, California | Public | collegeofsanmateo.edu |
| Solano Community College |
Associate's
|
1 | Fairfield, California | Public | welcome.solano.edu |
| Drake University |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Des Moines, Iowa | Private | drake.edu |
| Hampshire College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Private | hampshire.edu |
| Harvard University |
Doctorate (Research)
|
1 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| Stonehill College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Easton, Massachusetts | Private | stonehill.edu |
| Wellesley College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Wellesley, Massachusetts | Private | wellesley.edu |
| Barnard College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | New York, New York | Private | barnard.edu |
| Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Delaware, Ohio | Private | owu.edu |
| University of Toledo (UToledo) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Toledo, Ohio | Public | utoledo.edu |
| Lee College |
Associate's
|
1 | Baytown, Texas | Public | lee.edu |
| Snow College |
Associate's
|
1 | Ephraim, Utah | Public | snow.edu |
| George Mason University |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Fairfax, Virginia | Public | www2.gmu.edu |
| Whitman College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Walla Walla, Washington | Private | whitman.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Astronomy programs
How much can I earn with a Astronomy degree?
Salaries for Astronomy graduates vary by role and location. Natural Sciences Managers earn a median of $161,180 annually, while Astronomers earn around $132,170. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Massachusetts average $170,190 compared to $78,465 in Florida. Approximately 113,910 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Astronomy programs?
Currently 83 accredited institutions offer Astronomy degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of Colorado Boulder (CU) (63 graduates), University of Washington (UW), Seattle Campus (49 graduates), and Pennsylvania State University, Main Campus (48 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Astronomy growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 463 in 2010 to 876 in 2023-24. This represents a 89% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Astronomy degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Natural Sciences Managers, Astronomers, and Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary. Related occupations employ approximately 113,910 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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