Ranking
Best Astronomy and Astrophysics Colleges in California 2026
15 California colleges offering Astronomy and Astrophysics, ranked by EduGradify value grade.
- Schools ranked
- 15
- Cheapest net price
- $2,039
- Top earnings 10y
- $128,566
- Public / Private
- 13 / 2
Hartnell College
A+- ROI score
- 54.34
- Net price
- $2,039
- Earnings 10y
- $44,316
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
Santiago Canyon College
A+- ROI score
- 52.79
- Net price
- $2,129
- Earnings 10y
- $44,956
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
Saddleback College
A+- ROI score
- 30.63
- Net price
- $4,152
- Earnings 10y
- $50,874
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
Solano Community College
A+- ROI score
- 23.65
- Net price
- $4,669
- Earnings 10y
- $44,170
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
California Institute of Technology
A+- ROI score
- 19.99
- Net price
- $16,075
- Earnings 10y
- $128,566
- Acceptance
- 2.6%
University of California-Berkeley
A+- ROI score
- 17.14
- Net price
- $13,481
- Earnings 10y
- $92,446
- Acceptance
- 11%
University of California-Los Angeles
A+- ROI score
- 16.44
- Net price
- $12,548
- Earnings 10y
- $82,511
- Acceptance
- 9%
San Francisco State University
A- ROI score
- 13.86
- Net price
- $12,278
- Earnings 10y
- $68,077
- Acceptance
- 96.4%
Glendale Community College
A- ROI score
- 12.41
- Net price
- $8,365
- Earnings 10y
- $41,540
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
San Diego State University
B- ROI score
- 10.56
- Net price
- $15,364
- Earnings 10y
- $64,909
- Acceptance
- 36.2%
University of California-Santa Cruz
B- ROI score
- 9.56
- Net price
- $17,890
- Earnings 10y
- $68,396
- Acceptance
- 65.8%
Monterey Peninsula College
B- ROI score
- 9.27
- Net price
- $11,373
- Earnings 10y
- $42,176
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
University of Southern California
C- ROI score
- 7.06
- Net price
- $32,740
- Earnings 10y
- $92,498
- Acceptance
- 9.8%
Cabrillo College
C- ROI score
- 6.96
- Net price
- $15,843
- Earnings 10y
- $44,114
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
San Bernardino Valley College
D- ROI score
- 5.24
- Net price
- $18,943
- Earnings 10y
- $39,676
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
How we picked this list
This list starts with California schools with positive Astronomy and Astrophysics program-share evidence, then sorts by EduGradify's school-wide ROI proxy: ten-year median earnings weighed against average net price. The set's average EduGradify ROI score is 19.33 (13 public, 2 private).
Every figure comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. See our full methodology for the formulas.
FAQ
Who leads this ranking?
Hartnell College in Salinas, CA tops this ranking. EduGradify value grade is A+.
How does EduGradify pick this list?
We rank this set by roi score using the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard — see our methodology for the full formula. No paid placements, no surveys.
How many California colleges are in this list?
15 California colleges qualified for this ranking based on available federal data.
What does net price mean here?
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — not the sticker price. It is reported by each college to the U.S. Department of Education.