Astronomy Degree in Franklin, TN — Salary & ROI 2026
Astronomy degree analysis for Franklin, TN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$59K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$104K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.8 yrs
in Franklin
Cost of Living
118.5
index (100 = avg)
Astronomy in Franklin, TN Overview
While Franklin has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Astronomy students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,807/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 Franklin is approximately $59,250, growing to $104,280 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,100/yr
Private Tuition
$32,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,807/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,962/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
56%
Astronomy Salary in Franklin (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Franklin's cost of living index of 118.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Astronomy salary: $50,000 starting, $88,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Franklin adjustment factor: 1.19x based on the local cost of living index.
Astronomy ROI Calculator for Franklin
Estimate your return on investment for a Astronomy degree using local Franklin tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,100 | Private avg: $32,000
Franklin avg aid: $15,962/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$103,628
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$17,775
vs HS diploma in Franklin
ROI Payback Period
5.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Franklin
$488,872
Lifetime earnings premium ($592,500) minus total education cost ($103,628)
Student Loan Payoff for Astronomy in Franklin
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Franklin for Astronomy
Franklin State University
public
$10,603/yr
$42,412 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Franklin Community College
$5,615/yr
Top Employers for Astronomy in Franklin
Franklin offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Astronomy graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Franklin Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Astronomy Job Titles
Astronomy in Nearby Tennessee Cities
Nashville, TN
$46K starting · COL 92
35 colleges
Memphis, TN
$47K starting · COL 93
22 colleges
Knoxville, TN
$43K starting · COL 85
5 colleges
Chattanooga, TN
$40K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Clarksville, TN
$45K starting · COL 90
9 colleges
Murfreesboro, TN
$46K starting · COL 91
10 colleges
Jackson, TN
$41K starting · COL 82.5
3 colleges
Johnson City, TN
$53K starting · COL 105
6 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Franklin
Prompt Engineering
$59K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$113K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$101K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$104K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$97K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$59K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$95K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$59K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astronomy Degree in Franklin — 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 Franklin.