Astronomy Degree in Fort Collins, CO — Salary & ROI 2026
Astronomy degree analysis for Fort Collins, CO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$63K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$111K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.8 yrs
in Fort Collins
Cost of Living
126
index (100 = avg)
Astronomy in Fort Collins, CO Overview
While Fort Collins has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Astronomy students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $19,826/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 Fort Collins is approximately $63,000, growing to $110,880 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$12,138/yr
Private Tuition
$33,574/yr
Room & Board
$19,826/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,695/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
49%
Astronomy Salary in Fort Collins (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Fort Collins's cost of living index of 126 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Astronomy salary: $50,000 starting, $88,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Fort Collins adjustment factor: 1.26x based on the local cost of living index.
Astronomy ROI Calculator for Fort Collins
Estimate your return on investment for a Astronomy degree using local Fort Collins tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,138 | Private avg: $33,574
Fort Collins avg aid: $10,695/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$127,856
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,900
vs HS diploma in Fort Collins
ROI Payback Period
6.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Fort Collins
$502,144
Lifetime earnings premium ($630,000) minus total education cost ($127,856)
Student Loan Payoff for Astronomy in Fort Collins
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Fort Collins for Astronomy
Colorado State University
public
$12,138/yr
$48,552 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Front Range Community College
$4,419/yr
Top Employers for Astronomy in Fort Collins
Fort Collins offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Astronomy graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Fort Collins Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Astronomy Job Titles
Astronomy in Nearby Colorado Cities
Denver, CO
$64K starting · COL 128
31 colleges
Colorado Springs, CO
$61K starting · COL 122
22 colleges
Aurora, CO
$56K starting · COL 111
28 colleges
Lakewood, CO
$53K starting · COL 105.8
6 colleges
Thornton, CO
$51K starting · COL 102.5
6 colleges
Arvada, CO
$53K starting · COL 105.5
5 colleges
Westminster, CO
$52K starting · COL 103.8
5 colleges
Pueblo, CO
$61K starting · COL 122
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Fort Collins
Prompt Engineering
$63K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$120K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$107K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$111K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$103K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$63K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$101K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$63K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astronomy Degree in Fort Collins — 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 Fort Collins.