Why Major in Astronomy & Astrophysics?
 
One of the answers is, apparently, "To get a job!" A recent study by the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce reveals that the unemployment rate for those whose undergraduate major was Astronomy and Astrophysics is 0% (that’s zero percent)! An earlier study by the Georgetown Center also showed that science and engineering graduates generally have significantly higher earnings over the course of their working careers than those with other majors. So where do Astronomy and Astrophysics majors end up working? A survey of Villanova’s own Astronomy and Astrophysics alumni shows them to be placed in all areas of the business sector (technical and non-technical), in education, working for government agencies, and doing astronomy. The attributes of an Astronomy and Astrophysics education that makes majors so employable are several: the work ethic developed through completion of a challenging major, strong problem solving skills, mathematical literacy, computer programming skills, and a broad base of knowledge that results from completion of a technical major in a Liberal Arts university like Villanova. The results of the Georgetown Centers study can be found here.