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Astronomy

Types of Degrees Astronomy Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Astronomy may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	26
Bachelor’s Degree	586
Master’s Degree	132
Doctor’s Degree	132

What Astronomy Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Astronomy build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Astronomy graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Astronomy emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Astronomy program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Astronomy careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Astronomy graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Astronomy professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Astronomy graduates include:

• Clinical Trials Manager
• Clinical Project Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Geophysics Teacher
• Crystallography Teacher
• Climatology Teacher
• Oceanography Teacher
• Seismology Teacher
• Meteorology Faculty Member
• Astronomy Professor
• Volcanology Professor
• Meteorology Professor
• Hydrography Teacher
• Meteorology Teacher
• Geosciences Faculty Member

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Astronomy graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	27.8%
Master’s degree	25.3%
Doctoral degree	19.0%
Post-doctoral training	11.7%
Postsecondary certificate	4.0%
Some college courses	3.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.3%
Post-master’s certificate	1.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Astronomy?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 40.4% women and 59.6% men among Astronomy graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	354	40.4%
Men	522	59.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Astronomy graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	508	58.0%
Asian	71	8.1%
Hispanic or Latino	94	10.7%
Black or African American	22	2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	2	0.2%
Two or More Races	44	5.0%
Race Unknown	15	1.7%
International Students	120	13.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Astronomy Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Astronomy graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$41,600
4 years	$50,573
5 years	$61,687

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $61,687 — roughly 48% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Astronomy Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for Astronomy. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	3

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Astronomy Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Astronomy graduates earn a median of $50,573 four years after completion — roughly 33% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Astronomy and Astrophysics	40.02
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Other	40.0299
Astrophysics	40.0202
Planetary Astronomy and Science	40.0203
Physics and Astronomy	40.1101
Atmospheric Chemistry and Climatology	40.0402
Atmospheric Physics and Dynamics	40.0403
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General	40.0401
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Other	40.0499
Geochemistry and Petrology	40.0606
Geochemistry	40.0602

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.