Astronomy Degree in Minneapolis, MN — Salary & ROI 2026
Astronomy degree analysis for Minneapolis, MN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$49K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$85K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.6 yrs
in Minneapolis
Cost of Living
97
index (100 = avg)
Astronomy in Minneapolis, MN Overview
Minneapolis, Minnesota (pop. 429,954) has 15 colleges offering Astronomy programs. The local cost of living index of 97 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $805/month. Astronomy enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Astrophysics and Telescope Operation. The adjusted starting salary in Minneapolis is approximately $48,500, growing to $85,360 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
15
Public Tuition
$15,142/yr
Private Tuition
$45,823/yr
Room & Board
$12,394/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,033/yr
Unemployment
4.4%
Graduation Rate
61%
Astronomy Salary in Minneapolis (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Minneapolis's cost of living index of 97 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Astronomy salary: $50,000 starting, $88,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Minneapolis adjustment factor: 0.97x based on the local cost of living index.
Astronomy ROI Calculator for Minneapolis
Estimate your return on investment for a Astronomy degree using local Minneapolis tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $15,142 | Private avg: $45,823
Minneapolis avg aid: $14,033/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$110,144
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$14,550
vs HS diploma in Minneapolis
ROI Payback Period
7.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Minneapolis
$374,856
Lifetime earnings premium ($485,000) minus total education cost ($110,144)
Student Loan Payoff for Astronomy in Minneapolis
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Minneapolis for Astronomy
University of Minnesota
public
$15,142/yr
$60,568 total
University of St. Thomas
private
$49,716/yr
$198,864 total
Augsburg University
private
$41,930/yr
$167,720 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Minneapolis College
$5,772/yr
Top Employers for Astronomy in Minneapolis
Minneapolis offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Astronomy graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Minneapolis Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Astronomy Job Titles
Astronomy in Nearby Minnesota Cities
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
Bloomington, MN
$50K starting · COL 100.2
4 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 Minneapolis
Prompt Engineering
$49K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$92K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$82K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$85K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$80K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$78K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astronomy Degree in Minneapolis — 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 Minneapolis.