Astronomy Degree in Bloomington, MN — Salary & ROI 2026
Astronomy degree analysis for Bloomington, MN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$50K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$88K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.6 yrs
in Bloomington
Cost of Living
100.2
index (100 = avg)
Astronomy in Bloomington, MN Overview
While Bloomington has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Astronomy students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $14,533/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Astronomy enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Astrophysics and Telescope Operation. The adjusted starting salary in Bloomington is approximately $50,100, growing to $88,176 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$14,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,533/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,264/yr
Unemployment
2.3%
Graduation Rate
75%
Astronomy Salary in Bloomington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Bloomington's cost of living index of 100.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Astronomy salary: $50,000 starting, $88,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Bloomington adjustment factor: 1.00x based on the local cost of living index.
Astronomy ROI Calculator for Bloomington
Estimate your return on investment for a Astronomy degree using local Bloomington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Bloomington avg aid: $11,264/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$114,932
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,030
vs HS diploma in Bloomington
ROI Payback Period
7.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Bloomington
$386,068
Lifetime earnings premium ($501,000) minus total education cost ($114,932)
Student Loan Payoff for Astronomy in Bloomington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Bloomington for Astronomy
Bloomington State University
public
$15,525/yr
$62,100 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Bloomington Community College
$5,519/yr
Top Employers for Astronomy in Bloomington
Bloomington offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Astronomy graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Bloomington Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Astronomy Job Titles
Astronomy in Nearby Minnesota Cities
Minneapolis, MN
$49K starting · COL 97
15 colleges
Saint Paul, MN
$51K starting · COL 101.5
11 colleges
St. Paul, MN
$54K starting · COL 108
20 colleges
Rochester, MN
$53K starting · COL 105
8 colleges
Duluth, MN
$50K starting · COL 100
5 colleges
Brooklyn Park, MN
$49K starting · COL 98.8
4 colleges
Plymouth, MN
$54K starting · COL 107.3
4 colleges
Maple Grove, MN
$54K starting · COL 107.4
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Bloomington
Prompt Engineering
$50K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$95K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$85K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$88K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$50K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$80K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$50K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astronomy Degree in Bloomington — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Astronomy ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Bloomington.