Astronomy Degree in Spokane, WA — Salary & ROI 2026
Astronomy degree analysis for Spokane, WA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$61K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$106K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.8 yrs
in Spokane
Cost of Living
121
index (100 = avg)
Astronomy in Spokane, WA Overview
Spokane, Washington (pop. 228,989) has 20 colleges offering Astronomy programs. The local cost of living index of 121 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,678/month. Astronomy enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Astrophysics and Telescope Operation. The adjusted starting salary in Spokane is approximately $60,500, growing to $106,480 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
20
Public Tuition
$13,119/yr
Private Tuition
$49,320/yr
Room & Board
$13,236/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,489/yr
Unemployment
4.6%
Graduation Rate
61%
Astronomy Salary in Spokane (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Spokane's cost of living index of 121 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Astronomy salary: $50,000 starting, $88,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Spokane adjustment factor: 1.21x based on the local cost of living index.
Astronomy ROI Calculator for Spokane
Estimate your return on investment for a Astronomy degree using local Spokane tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,119 | Private avg: $49,320
Spokane avg aid: $8,489/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$105,420
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,150
vs HS diploma in Spokane
ROI Payback Period
5.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Spokane
$499,580
Lifetime earnings premium ($605,000) minus total education cost ($105,420)
Student Loan Payoff for Astronomy in Spokane
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Spokane for Astronomy
Gonzaga University
private
$50,380/yr
$201,520 total
Whitworth University
private
$48,260/yr
$193,040 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Spokane Falls Community College
$4,479/yr
Top Employers for Astronomy in Spokane
Spokane offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Astronomy graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Spokane 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
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
Spokane Valley, WA
$62K starting · COL 123.1
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Spokane
Prompt Engineering
$61K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$115K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$103K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$106K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$99K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$97K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astronomy Degree in Spokane — 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.