Astrophysics Degree in Fort Lauderdale, FL — Salary & ROI 2026
Astrophysics degree analysis for Fort Lauderdale, FL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$78K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$115K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2 yrs
in Fort Lauderdale
Cost of Living
92
index (100 = avg)
Astrophysics in Fort Lauderdale, FL Overview
While Fort Lauderdale has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Astrophysics students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $11,777/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Astrophysics enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Cosmology and Spectroscopy. The adjusted starting salary in Fort Lauderdale is approximately $78,200.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$10,805/yr
Private Tuition
$33,650/yr
Room & Board
$11,777/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,111/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
47%
Astrophysics Salary in Fort Lauderdale (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index of 92 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Astrophysics salary: $85,000 starting, $125,000 mid-career, $175,000 senior level.Fort Lauderdale adjustment factor: 0.92x based on the local cost of living index.
Astrophysics ROI Calculator for Fort Lauderdale
Estimate your return on investment for a Astrophysics degree using local Fort Lauderdale tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,805 | Private avg: $33,650
Fort Lauderdale avg aid: $7,111/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$90,328
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$46,000
vs HS diploma in Fort Lauderdale
ROI Payback Period
2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Fort Lauderdale
$1,289,672
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,380,000) minus total education cost ($90,328)
Student Loan Payoff for Astrophysics in Fort Lauderdale
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Fort Lauderdale for Astrophysics
Nova Southeastern University
private
$33,650/yr
$134,600 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Broward College
$3,120/yr
Top Employers for Astrophysics in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Astrophysics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Fort Lauderdale Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Astrophysics Job Titles
Astrophysics in Nearby Florida Cities
Jacksonville, FL
$99K starting · COL 117
35 colleges
Miami, FL
$83K starting · COL 98
12 colleges
Tampa, FL
$86K starting · COL 101
26 colleges
Orlando, FL
$82K starting · COL 96
16 colleges
St. Petersburg, FL
$82K starting · COL 97
22 colleges
Hialeah, FL
$66K starting · COL 78
22 colleges
Port St. Lucie, FL
$84K starting · COL 98.5
8 colleges
Tallahassee, FL
$76K starting · COL 89
11 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Fort Lauderdale
Prompt Engineering
$46K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$87K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$78K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$81K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$75K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$46K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$46K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics Degree in Fort Lauderdale — 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 Fort Lauderdale.