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Other Astronomy & Astrophysics

Types of Degrees Other Astronomy & Astrophysics Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Other Astronomy & Astrophysics can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	97
Master’s Degree	20
Doctor’s Degree	12

What Other Astronomy & Astrophysics Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Other Astronomy & Astrophysics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Physics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set built by a Other Astronomy & Astrophysics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Other Astronomy & Astrophysics careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.0 / 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, Other Astronomy & Astrophysics graduates report doing:

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

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Other Astronomy & Astrophysics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
Learning management system LMS	Computer based training software	✓
Calendar and scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Other Astronomy & Astrophysics graduates include:

• Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Associate Professor
• Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• Adjunct Professor
• University Faculty Member
• College Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Lecturer
• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Meteorology Faculty Member
• Geochemistry Teacher

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	26.1%
Master’s degree	25.3%
Bachelor’s degree	22.1%
Post-doctoral training	13.6%
Postsecondary certificate	3.2%
Some college courses	2.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.3%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.8%
Post-master’s certificate	1.1%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Other Astronomy & Astrophysics?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 51.9% women and 48.1% men among Other Astronomy & Astrophysics graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	67	51.9%
Men	62	48.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	71	55.0%
Asian	8	6.2%
Hispanic or Latino	20	15.5%
Black or African American	4	3.1%
Two or More Races	6	4.7%
Race Unknown	7	5.4%
International Students	13	10.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Other Astronomy & Astrophysics Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Other Astronomy & Astrophysics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb 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.}

Is a Degree in Other Astronomy & Astrophysics Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Other Astronomy & Astrophysics 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	40.0201
Astrophysics	40.0202
Planetary Astronomy and Science	40.0203
Physics and Astronomy	40.1101
Acoustics	40.0809
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
Atomic/Molecular Physics	40.0802
Chemical Physics	40.0508

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.