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Astronomy & Astrophysics

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 40.0201 - 40.0299.

Types of Degrees Astronomy & Astrophysics Majors Are Earning

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

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	26
Bachelor’s Degree	1,096
Master’s Degree	234
Doctor’s Degree	224

What Astronomy & Astrophysics Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

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

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills developed in a Astronomy & Astrophysics 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 4.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.4 / 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 & Astrophysics careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 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 & 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
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

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

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

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Astronomy & Astrophysics graduates include:

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

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	25.7%
Master’s degree	24.8%
Doctoral degree	21.6%
Post-doctoral training	12.8%
Postsecondary certificate	3.7%
Some college courses	3.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.3%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.1%
Post-master’s certificate	1.4%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Astronomy & Astrophysics?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 41.9% women and 58.1% men among Astronomy & Astrophysics graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	662	41.9%
Men	918	58.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	888	56.2%
Asian	137	8.7%
Hispanic or Latino	197	12.5%
Black or African American	34	2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native	3	0.2%
Two or More Races	85	5.4%
Race Unknown	39	2.5%
International Students	197	12.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Astronomy & Astrophysics Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Astronomy & Astrophysics 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 & Astrophysics Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Astronomy & Astrophysics. 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
Bachelor’s	1	1

^{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 & Astrophysics Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, 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	Annual Degrees Awarded
Physical Sciences	46,659
Chemistry	19,434
Physics	12,910
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences	7,622
Physical Sciences, General	2,661
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology	1,341
Materials Sciences	650
Physical Sciences, Other	422
Physics and Astronomy	39
PHYSICAL SCIENCES	—

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.