Astrophysics Degree in Chicago, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Astrophysics degree analysis for Chicago, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$93K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$136K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.8 yrs
in Chicago
Cost of Living
109
index (100 = avg)
Astrophysics in Chicago, IL Overview
Chicago is one of Illinois's top college towns, with 98 institutions and a student population of 177,322. Public tuition averages $14,816/year here — near the national average for public universities. Astrophysics enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Cosmology and Spectroscopy. The adjusted starting salary in Chicago is approximately $92,650.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
98
Public Tuition
$14,816/yr
Private Tuition
$62,666/yr
Room & Board
$9,117/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,009/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
63%
Astrophysics Salary in Chicago (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Chicago's cost of living index of 109 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Astrophysics salary: $85,000 starting, $125,000 mid-career, $175,000 senior level.Chicago adjustment factor: 1.09x based on the local cost of living index.
Astrophysics ROI Calculator for Chicago
Estimate your return on investment for a Astrophysics degree using local Chicago tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,816 | Private avg: $62,666
Chicago avg aid: $16,009/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,732
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$54,500
vs HS diploma in Chicago
ROI Payback Period
1.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Chicago
$1,539,268
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,635,000) minus total education cost ($95,732)
Student Loan Payoff for Astrophysics in Chicago
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Chicago for Astrophysics
University of Chicago
private
$62,940/yr
$251,760 total
Northwestern University
private
$62,391/yr
$249,564 total
University of Illinois at Chicago
public
$14,816/yr
$59,264 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
City Colleges of Chicago
$3,918/yr
Top Employers for Astrophysics in Chicago
Chicago offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Astrophysics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Chicago Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Astrophysics Job Titles
Astrophysics in Nearby Illinois Cities
Aurora, IL
$79K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$92K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$87K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$77K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$67K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$78K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$88K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$77K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Chicago
Prompt Engineering
$55K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$104K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$93K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$96K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$89K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$55K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$87K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$55K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics Degree in Chicago — 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 Astrophysics ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Chicago.