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Astrophysical Sciences Major

Astrophysical Sciences

343 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
65 Master's Degrees Annually
#439 in Popularity

Types of Degrees Astrophysical Sciences Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many astrophysics graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 332
Doctor’s Degree 64
Master’s Degree 48

What Astrophysical Sciences Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to astrophysical sciences and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Astrophysical Sciences Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in astrophysical sciences should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

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  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Skills for Astrophysical Sciences Majors

astrophysical sciences majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

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  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Abilities for Astrophysical Sciences Majors

As a astrophysical sciences major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

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  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Astrophysical Sciences Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with astrophysical sciences:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Astronomers 10.0% $105,680
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Professors 9.9% $90,860
Natural Sciences Managers 9.9% $123,860
Physicists 14.5% $120,950

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Astrophysical Sciences?

332 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
39% Percent Women
36% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This major attracts more men than women. About 61% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of astrophysical sciences majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 42
Black or African American 10
Hispanic or Latino 40
White 173
International Students 34
Other Races/Ethnicities 33

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Astrophysical Sciences, too. About 10.2% of those with this major are international students.

Some degrees associated with astrophysical sciences may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to astrophysical sciences have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 0.3%
Some College Courses 0.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 0.6%
Bachelor’s Degree 12.5%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 3.6%
Master’s Degree 25.3%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. 1.1%
Doctoral Degree 27.9%
Post-Doctoral Training 29.1%

Online Astrophysical Sciences Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 0 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 0 0
Bachelor’s Degree 1 0
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 11 0
Post-Master’s 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 14 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to astrophysical sciences.

Major Number of Grads
Astronomy 908
Other Astronomy & Astrophysics 131
Planetary Astronomy & Science 90

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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