Astronomy Degree in Stockton, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Astronomy degree analysis for Stockton, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$58K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$102K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.2 yrs
in Stockton
Cost of Living
116
index (100 = avg)
Astronomy in Stockton, CA Overview
Stockton is one of California's top college towns, with 27 institutions and a student population of 20,206. Public tuition averages $11,231/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. Astronomy enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Astrophysics and Telescope Operation. The adjusted starting salary in Stockton is approximately $58,000, growing to $102,080 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
27
Public Tuition
$11,231/yr
Private Tuition
$52,584/yr
Room & Board
$19,958/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,901/yr
Unemployment
3.4%
Graduation Rate
47%
Astronomy Salary in Stockton (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Stockton's cost of living index of 116 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Astronomy salary: $50,000 starting, $88,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Stockton adjustment factor: 1.16x based on the local cost of living index.
Astronomy ROI Calculator for Stockton
Estimate your return on investment for a Astronomy degree using local Stockton tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,231 | Private avg: $52,584
Stockton avg aid: $15,901/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$124,756
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$17,400
vs HS diploma in Stockton
ROI Payback Period
7.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Stockton
$455,244
Lifetime earnings premium ($580,000) minus total education cost ($124,756)
Student Loan Payoff for Astronomy in Stockton
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Stockton for Astronomy
University of the Pacific
private
$52,584/yr
$210,336 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
San Joaquin Delta College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Astronomy in Stockton
Stockton offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Astronomy graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Stockton Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Astronomy Job Titles
Astronomy in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$71K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$70K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$65K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$57K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$59K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$56K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$58K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$66K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Stockton
Prompt Engineering
$58K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$110K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$99K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$102K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$95K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$99K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$93K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astronomy Degree in Stockton — 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 Stockton.