Astrophysics Degree in Philadelphia, PA — Salary & ROI 2026
Astrophysics degree analysis for Philadelphia, PA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$128K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$188K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2 yrs
in Philadelphia
Cost of Living
150
index (100 = avg)
Astrophysics in Philadelphia, PA Overview
Philadelphia is one of Pennsylvania's top college towns, with 42 institutions and a student population of 116,806. Public tuition averages $18,526/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 Philadelphia is approximately $127,500.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
42
Public Tuition
$18,526/yr
Private Tuition
$59,845/yr
Room & Board
$19,639/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,866/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
52%
Astrophysics Salary in Philadelphia (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Philadelphia's cost of living index of 150 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Astrophysics salary: $85,000 starting, $125,000 mid-career, $175,000 senior level.Philadelphia adjustment factor: 1.50x based on the local cost of living index.
Astrophysics ROI Calculator for Philadelphia
Estimate your return on investment for a Astrophysics degree using local Philadelphia tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $18,526 | Private avg: $59,845
Philadelphia avg aid: $10,866/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$152,660
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$75,000
vs HS diploma in Philadelphia
ROI Payback Period
2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Philadelphia
$2,097,340
Lifetime earnings premium ($2,250,000) minus total education cost ($152,660)
Student Loan Payoff for Astrophysics in Philadelphia
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Philadelphia for Astrophysics
University of Pennsylvania
private
$63,452/yr
$253,808 total
Temple University
public
$18,526/yr
$74,104 total
Drexel University
private
$56,238/yr
$224,952 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Community College of Philadelphia
$6,378/yr
Top Employers for Astrophysics in Philadelphia
Philadelphia offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Astrophysics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Philadelphia Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Astrophysics Job Titles
Astrophysics in Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Pittsburgh, PA
$98K starting · COL 115
12 colleges
Allentown, PA
$96K starting · COL 113
5 colleges
Reading, PA
$100K starting · COL 118
3 colleges
Erie, PA
$102K starting · COL 120
4 colleges
Upper Darby, PA
$80K starting · COL 94.5
4 colleges
Scranton, PA
$102K starting · COL 120
8 colleges
Bethlehem, PA
$106K starting · COL 125
7 colleges
Lower Merion, PA
$78K starting · COL 91.4
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Philadelphia
Prompt Engineering
$75K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$143K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$128K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$132K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$123K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$75K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$120K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$75K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics Degree in Philadelphia — 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 Philadelphia.