Astronomy Degree in Spokane Valley, WA — Salary & ROI 2026
Astronomy degree analysis for Spokane Valley, WA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$62K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$108K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6 yrs
in Spokane Valley
Cost of Living
123.1
index (100 = avg)
Astronomy in Spokane Valley, WA Overview
While Spokane Valley has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Astronomy students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,918/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 Spokane Valley is approximately $61,550, growing to $108,328 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$11,800/yr
Private Tuition
$40,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,918/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,539/yr
Unemployment
3.8%
Graduation Rate
49%
Astronomy Salary in Spokane Valley (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Spokane Valley's cost of living index of 123.1 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Astronomy salary: $50,000 starting, $88,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Spokane Valley adjustment factor: 1.23x based on the local cost of living index.
Astronomy ROI Calculator for Spokane Valley
Estimate your return on investment for a Astronomy degree using local Spokane Valley tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,800 | Private avg: $40,000
Spokane Valley avg aid: $15,539/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$110,872
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,465
vs HS diploma in Spokane Valley
ROI Payback Period
6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Spokane Valley
$504,628
Lifetime earnings premium ($615,500) minus total education cost ($110,872)
Student Loan Payoff for Astronomy in Spokane Valley
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Spokane Valley for Astronomy
Spokane Valley State University
public
$10,998/yr
$43,992 total
University of Spokane Valley
public
$12,426/yr
$49,704 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Spokane Valley Community College
$5,510/yr
Top Employers for Astronomy in Spokane Valley
Spokane Valley offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Astronomy graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Spokane Valley Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Astronomy Job Titles
Astronomy in Nearby Washington Cities
Seattle, WA
$60K starting · COL 120
16 colleges
Spokane, WA
$61K starting · COL 121
20 colleges
Tacoma, WA
$57K starting · COL 113
25 colleges
Vancouver, WA
$54K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Bellevue, WA
$89K starting · COL 178.5
6 colleges
Kent, WA
$58K starting · COL 115.8
6 colleges
Everett, WA
$59K starting · COL 118.2
5 colleges
Renton, WA
$61K starting · COL 122.5
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Spokane Valley
Prompt Engineering
$62K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$117K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$105K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$108K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$101K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$62K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$98K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$62K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astronomy Degree in Spokane Valley — 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 Spokane Valley.