25 Most Popular Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics Master’s Degree Programs

Around 145 master’s degrees are awarded each year to astronomy and astrophysics majors. Ranked in order of popularity, here are the colleges with the largest programs in the field:

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending Yale.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Yale University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$41,000	$41,000
Fees for Full-Time Students	Not Reported	Not Reported
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

Across all programs, there were 3,081 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 1,447 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,485 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Graduate students at Caltech can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at California Institute of Technology

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$48,111	$48,111
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,674	$1,674
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$446	$446

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 980. Of that number, 253 were classified as teaching assistants, and 726 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending Harvard.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Harvard University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$44,816	$44,816
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,142	$1,142
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,401	$1,401

In 2017-2018, there were 2,182 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 1,268 were classified as teaching assistants, and 867 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending Arizona.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Arizona

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,486	$31,463
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,262	$1,262
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$820	$1,746

There were 2,743 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in 2017-2018. Of that number, 1,867 were classified as teaching assistants, and 875 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at UC Berkeley.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of California - Berkeley

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,502	$26,604
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,668	$2,668
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

The school reported having 4,694 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 3,148 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,546 were classified as research assistants.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending UCLA.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of California - Los Angeles

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,502	$26,604
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,501	$1,501
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

In 2017-2018, UCLA reported having 5,296 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 2,638 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,303 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at Columbia.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Columbia University in the City of New York

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$44,864	$44,864
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,092	$2,092
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,704	$1,704

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 2,805. Of that number, 1,869 were classified as teaching assistants, and 936 were classified as research assistants.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending University of Virginia.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Virginia - Main Campus

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$15,552	$26,048
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,720	$3,402
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$866	$1,434

The school reported having 1,641 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 740 were classified as teaching assistants, and 901 were classified as research assistants.

Graduate students at Northwestern U can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Northwestern University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$52,239	$52,239
Fees for Full-Time Students	$440	$440
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$6,195	$6,195

In 2017-2018, there were 1,169 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 655 were classified as teaching assistants, and 514 were classified as research assistants.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending UHM.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Hawaii at Manoa

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$15,288	$36,768
Fees for Full-Time Students	$902	$902
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$637	$1,532

In 2017-2018, UHM reported having 1,236 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 598 were classified as teaching assistants, and 638 were classified as research assistants.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending UMCP.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Maryland - College Park

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$12,294	$26,532
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,590	$1,590
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$683	$1,474

There were 4,109 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in 2017-2018. Of that number, 2,929 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,180 were classified as research assistants.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at UW Seattle.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$15,207	$27,255
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,065	$1,065
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$724	$1,298

Across all programs, there were 2,670 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 1,017 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,574 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Graduate students at Wesleyan U can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Wesleyan University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$52,174	$52,174
Fees for Full-Time Students	$20	$20
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,631	$1,631

Across all programs, there were 117 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 107 were classified as teaching assistants, and 10 were classified as research assistants.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending Wisconsin.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$10,728	$24,054
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,260	$1,260
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$670	$1,503

There were 5,003 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in 2017-2018. Of that number, 2,223 were classified as teaching assistants, and 2,666 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending IU Bloomington.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Indiana University - Bloomington

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$8,956	$30,125
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,323	$1,323
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$373	$1,255

In 2017-2018, there were 2,613 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 1,666 were classified as teaching assistants, and 947 were classified as research assistants.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending Boston U.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Boston University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$50,980	$50,980
Fees for Full-Time Students	$736	$736
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,593	$1,593

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 2,892. Of that number, 1,211 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,151 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending U of Michigan.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$22,368	$45,156
Fees for Full-Time Students	$328	$328
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,201	$2,467

The school reported having 3,898 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 1,972 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,881 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending Michigan State.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Michigan State University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$17,436	$34,260
Fees for Full-Time Students	Not Reported	Not Reported
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$727	$1,428

In 2017-2018, Michigan State reported having 3,098 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 1,340 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,758 were classified as research assistants.

Graduate students at New Mexico State University - Main Campus can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at New Mexico State University - Main Campus

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$4,390	$15,309
Fees for Full-Time Students	$853	$853
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$244	$851

There were 973 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in 2017-2018. Of that number, 556 were classified as teaching assistants, and 340 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at RIT.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Rochester Institute of Technology

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$43,560	$43,560
Fees for Full-Time Students	$280	$280
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,815	$1,815

The school reported having 478 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 215 were classified as teaching assistants, and 62 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending Princeton.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Princeton University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$47,140	$47,140
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,800	$1,800
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

In 2017-2018, Princeton reported having 1,255 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 732 were classified as teaching assistants, and 523 were classified as research assistants.

Graduate students at CU - Boulder can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Colorado Boulder

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,160	$29,502
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,838	$1,838
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$620	$1,639

Across all programs, there were 2,669 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 1,420 were classified as teaching assistants, and 0 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending Cornell.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Cornell University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$29,500	$29,500
Fees for Full-Time Students	$85	$85
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,410	$1,410

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 2,579. Of that number, 1,486 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,093 were classified as research assistants.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at Ohio State.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Ohio State University - Main Campus

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,560	$33,032
Fees for Full-Time Students	$865	$865
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$723	$2,065

In 2017-2018, there were 4,229 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 2,035 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,903 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending SDSU.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at San Diego State University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$7,176	$16,680
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,718	$1,718
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$396	$396

In 2017-2018, there were 737 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 558 were classified as teaching assistants, and 0 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending U of F.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Florida

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$10,770	$27,335
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,967	$2,795
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$449	$1,139

The school reported having 3,901 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 1,357 were classified as teaching assistants, and 2,205 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

A note on these rankings: The colleges above are ranked by the number of graduates in the program meaning the largest programs are at the top. While program popularity does not necessarily indicate quality, it does mean that many students are successfully graduating from the program, thus, making them worthwhile programs to consider.

References

National Center for Education Statistics
Image Credit: By NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. Of Ariz. Under Public domain