Astronomy Schools and Programs in The United States

Astronomy Studies in The United States

Astronomy studies planets, stars, galaxies and the universe as a whole, using physics, mathematics and increasingly large amounts of data from telescopes and space missions. In the United States it is taught at research universities, often in a department of astronomy and astrophysics or within a physics department, and at many liberal arts colleges. Some community colleges also teach astronomy.

How the degree is organised

A bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study, according to EducationUSA. Students take general education courses alongside their major, and the major is often declared only at the end of the second year. Astronomy majors come under several names: Penn State offers an Astronomy and Astrophysics major and a Planetary Science and Astronomy major, the University of Wisconsin-Madison offers an undergraduate major in Astronomy and Physics, and the University of Washington in Seattle has an undergraduate major in astronomy with a pre-major stage.

Research careers require a doctorate. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that a Ph.D. in physics, astronomy or a related field is typically required for jobs in research or academia, and that a bachelor's degree in physical science or a related field such as engineering usually is required to enter a graduate programme. Doctoral students also take mathematics such as calculus, linear algebra and statistics. EducationUSA puts the length of a US doctorate at five to eight years.

Admission, funding and language

Undergraduate applications for a September start are typically due between November and January, and US universities require an English language proficiency test before admission. Teaching is in English. Students who start at a community college can follow the "2+2" route described by EducationUSA: two years of community college followed by two years at a university to complete the bachelor's degree.

At graduate level, EducationUSA notes that working as a teaching or research assistant in exchange for a tuition waiver and/or a stipend is very common at the PhD level. International students on a degree programme normally hold an F student visa, which requires admission to an institution certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).

Where to study astronomy in the United States

The 51 schools listed for astronomy range from large research universities to small colleges and a few secondary schools. Examples include:

• The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), whose Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics has more than 45 faculty researchers and educators
• The University of Wisconsin-Madison, where the historic Washburn Observatory is still used for public observing and undergraduate instruction
• The University of Washington in Seattle, with an undergraduate major, a Ph.D. programme and the Jacobsen Observatory
• The California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where astronomy sits in the Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy and undergraduates can join Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF)
• Liberal arts colleges such as Wellesley College, Bryn Mawr College and Dartmouth College, and research universities such as Harvard University, Yale University, The University of Chicago and the University of California, Berkeley

Community colleges in the list, such as Tacoma Community College, Bellevue College and American River College, are an entry point for students who plan to transfer.

Recognition of the qualification

US higher education is not centrally organised: institutions are accredited at national or regional level by independent accrediting bodies. Students who plan to return home should check how their country recognises a US bachelor's degree or Ph.D. before enrolling.

Careers

According to the BLS, graduates with a bachelor's degree in astronomy may work as observatory assistants, and some become science teachers in middle or high schools. Ph.D. holders who go into research often begin with a postdoctoral position, typically for two to three years. Employment of physicists and astronomers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035, and the median annual wage for astronomers was $128,820 in May 2025.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Ph.D. to work as an astronomer in the United States?

For research and university jobs, yes. The BLS states that a Ph.D. in physics, astronomy or a related field is typically required for jobs in research or academia.

Can I study physics and then do a Ph.D. in astronomy?

Yes. A bachelor's degree in physical science or a related field such as engineering is usually what graduate programmes in astronomy require.

How is a Ph.D. in astronomy funded?

Many doctoral students work as teaching or research assistants in exchange for a tuition waiver and/or a stipend, which EducationUSA describes as very common at the PhD level.