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Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in California

2023 Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in California

5 Colleges
$19,734 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Astronomy & Astrophysics School for You

In 2020-2021, 251 degrees and certificates were awarded to astronomy and astrophysics students who went to a California college or university. This makes it the #175 most popular major in the state.

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in California ranking. This report analyzed 5 schools in California to see which ones offered the best programs for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in California

Check out the astronomy programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.

Top California Schools in Astronomy & Astrophysics

Our 2023 rankings named University of California - Berkeley the best school in California for astronomy and astrophysics students. Located in the city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public college with a fairly large student population.

After completing their degree, astronomy graduates from UC Berkeley carry an average student debtload of $18,967.

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#2

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend San Diego State University. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in California list. SDSU is a very large public school located in the large city of San Diego.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at San Diego State University

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The excellent programs at University of California - Santa Cruz helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best astronomy and astrophysics schools in California. UC Santa Cruz is a large public school located in the city of Santa Cruz.

On average, astronomy graduates from UC Santa Cruz take out $20,500 in student loans while working on their degree.

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Out of the 5 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Full Astronomy & Astrophysics at University of California - Los Angeles Report

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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Schools in California list. Caltech is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pasadena.

Read full report on Astronomy & Astrophysics at California Institute of Technology

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Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Astronomy & Astrophysics Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Washington 70
Nevada 3
Hawaii 19
Alaska 0

Astronomy & Astrophysics is one of 8 different types of programs to choose from.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Chemistry 21,239
Physics 13,674
Geological & Earth Sciences 7,821
General Physical Sciences 3,823
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology 1,140

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 5 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • 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 the rest 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.

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