Astrophysics university rankings 2027
Swansea University is the best university for astrophysics in 2027, ahead of University of Lincoln and University of Bristol. We ranked 26 universities on teaching, support, graduate pay and what it is like to live there.
- 1Swansea University, 108 points. 99% teaching and one of the cheapest cities.
- 2University of Lincoln, 96 points. 100% academic support and one of the cheapest cities.
- 3University of Bristol, 95 points. 100% academic support and 94% teaching.
The full ranking
Showing the top 10 of 26.
-
Teaching quality99%2nd of 26Academic support97%8th of 26Student satisfaction79%4th of 26Graduate pay£27,50023rd of 26Cost of living643rd of 26City safety65.79th of 26Social life789th of 26Sustainability69.31st of 26
-
Teaching quality88%15th of 26Academic support100%1st of 26Student satisfaction78%6th of 26Graduate pay£28,50022nd of 26Cost of living631st of 26City safety74.43rd of 26Social life7615th of 26Sustainability55.011th of 26
-
Teaching quality94%7th of 26Academic support100%1st of 26Student satisfaction73%17th of 26Graduate pay£32,00010th of 26Cost of living7318th of 26City safety57.013th of 26Social life833rd of 26Sustainability62.83rd of 26
-
Teaching quality93%9th of 26Academic support100%1st of 26Student satisfaction71%21st of 26Graduate pay£30,00014th of 26Cost of living668th of 26City safety60.312th of 26Social life833rd of 26Sustainability58.07th of 26
-
Teaching quality85%18th of 26Academic support93%12th of 26Student satisfaction79%4th of 26Graduate pay£31,00013th of 26Cost of living679th of 26City safety66.78th of 26Social life789th of 26Sustainability61.25th of 26
-
Teaching quality95%6th of 26Academic support96%9th of 26Student satisfaction82%1st of 26Graduate pay£30,00014th of 26Cost of living656th of 26City safety55.214th of 26Social life7615th of 26Sustainability52.314th of 26
-
Teaching quality93%9th of 26Academic support100%1st of 26Student satisfaction81%2nd of 26Graduate pay£26,00024th of 26Cost of living643rd of 26City safety51.219th of 26Social life7419th of 26Sustainability55.59th of 26
-
Teaching quality96%5th of 26Academic support95%10th of 26Student satisfaction78%6th of 26Graduate pay£30,00014th of 26Cost of living7822nd of 26City safety74.82nd of 26Social life7419th of 26Sustainability39.524th of 26
-
Teaching quality98%3rd of 26Academic support90%17th of 26Student satisfaction74%14th of 26Graduate pay£34,0003rd of 26Cost of living679th of 26City safety38.324th of 26Social life7615th of 26Sustainability57.28th of 26
-
Teaching quality100%1st of 26Academic support100%1st of 26Student satisfaction72%19th of 26Graduate pay£34,0003rd of 26Cost of living7015th of 26City safety36.125th of 26Social life825th of 26Sustainability48.518th of 26
-
Teaching quality83%19th of 26Academic support89%19th of 26Student satisfaction74%14th of 26Graduate pay£32,00010th of 26Cost of living6811th of 26City safety54.915th of 26Social life842nd of 26Sustainability55.410th of 26
-
Teaching quality90%13th of 26Academic support91%15th of 26Student satisfaction71%21st of 26Graduate pay£29,00020th of 26Cost of living7015th of 26City safety78.31st of 26Social life7419th of 26Sustainability47.919th of 26
-
Teaching quality91%11th of 26Academic support100%1st of 26Student satisfaction76%10th of 26Graduate pay£30,00014th of 26Cost of living7318th of 26City safety63.310th of 26Social life7419th of 26Sustainability45.322nd of 26
-
Teaching quality82%21st of 26Academic support93%12th of 26Student satisfaction74%14th of 26Graduate pay£34,5002nd of 26Cost of living7521st of 26City safety69.56th of 26Social life817th of 26Sustainability43.223rd of 26
-
Teaching quality83%19th of 26Academic support81%26th of 26Student satisfaction80%3rd of 26Graduate pay£34,0003rd of 26Cost of living8224th of 26City safety73.54th of 26Social life7419th of 26Sustainability50.915th of 26
-
Teaching quality87%16th of 26Academic support93%12th of 26Student satisfaction77%8th of 26Graduate pay£33,5008th of 26Cost of living7923rd of 26City safety60.511th of 26Social life798th of 26Sustainability47.120th of 26
-
Teaching quality76%24th of 26Academic support82%25th of 26Student satisfaction77%8th of 26Graduate pay£34,0003rd of 26Cost of living7318th of 26City safety72.95th of 26Social life789th of 26Sustainability50.316th of 26
-
Teaching quality90%13th of 26Academic support94%11th of 26Student satisfaction75%12th of 26Graduate pay£30,00014th of 26Cost of living6913th of 26City safety54.816th of 26Social life825th of 26Sustainability45.721st of 26
-
Teaching quality91%11th of 26Academic support90%17th of 26Student satisfaction73%17th of 26Graduate pay£33,0009th of 26Cost of living6811th of 26City safety53.617th of 26Social life7714th of 26Sustainability50.217th of 26
-
Teaching quality73%25th of 26Academic support86%22nd of 26Student satisfaction70%24th of 26Graduate pay£34,0003rd of 26Cost of living6913th of 26City safety44.122nd of 26Social life851st of 26Sustainability59.86th of 26
-
Teaching quality94%7th of 26Academic support100%1st of 26Student satisfaction71%21st of 26Graduate pay£25,00026th of 26Cost of living643rd of 26City safety30.726th of 26Social life7226th of 26Sustainability54.312th of 26
-
Teaching quality79%23rd of 26Academic support88%20th of 26Student satisfaction72%19th of 26Graduate pay£30,00014th of 26Cost of living7015th of 26City safety68.77th of 26Social life7325th of 26Sustainability53.913th of 26
-
Teaching quality73%25th of 26Academic support91%15th of 26Student satisfaction68%25th of 26Graduate pay£36,0001st of 26Cost of living9125th of 26City safety44.420th of 26Social life789th of 26Sustainability61.64th of 26
-
Teaching quality86%17th of 26Academic support83%23rd of 26Student satisfaction67%26th of 26Graduate pay£32,00010th of 26Cost of living9125th of 26City safety44.420th of 26Social life789th of 26Sustainability65.22nd of 26
-
Teaching quality98%3rd of 26Academic support88%20th of 26Student satisfaction76%10th of 26Graduate pay£29,00020th of 26Cost of living631st of 26City safety43.823rd of 26Social life7419th of 26Sustainability25.926th of 26
-
Teaching quality81%22nd of 26Academic support83%23rd of 26Student satisfaction75%12th of 26Graduate pay£26,00024th of 26Cost of living656th of 26City safety52.118th of 26Social life7615th of 26Sustainability29.525th of 26
What the ranking shows
- Swansea University leads by 12 points. Its strongest results are 99% teaching and one of the cheapest cities.
- The best-paid graduates are not at the top. UCL (University College London) has the highest graduate pay at £36,000, but ranks 19th.
- Seven universities score 100% for academic support, including University of Lincoln and University of Bristol in the top three.
- Hull and Lincoln are the cheapest places to live, with a cost-of-living index of 63. London scores 91.
How the ranking works
We rank each university on eight measures: teaching quality, academic support, student satisfaction, graduate pay, cost of living, city safety, social life and sustainability. The ranks are added together and the highest total ranks first. Lower living costs count as better, and universities with the same total share a place. Read the full methodology.
Four things to check before you apply
- Institute of Physics accreditation. Bristol and Cardiff are accredited. Swansea's course is still seeking it, so check each course you shortlist.
- BSc or MPhys. The integrated master's adds a year and a research project, and is the usual route to a PhD.
- Telescope and data access. Ask how often undergraduates observe and what data final-year projects use.
- Maths and coding support. Most astrophysics now runs on code. Check how much programming sits in the core modules.
Questions students ask
Which is the best university for astrophysics in the UK?
Swansea University ranks first in our 2027 astrophysics ranking with a score of 108, ahead of University of Lincoln (96) and University of Bristol (95).
What A-levels do I need for astrophysics?
Almost every course asks for A-level Maths, and most also want Physics. Offers among the top four range from A*AA at Bristol to AAB–BBC at Swansea, where the standard BSc only requires Maths.
Is astrophysics different from physics at university?
The first year is usually close to a physics degree. Astronomy modules on stars, galaxies and cosmology take a bigger share from the second year onwards.
Should I choose a BSc or an MPhys?
A BSc takes three years in England and Wales. An integrated master's (MPhys or MSci) adds a year and a bigger research project, and is the usual route into a PhD.
What jobs can an astrophysics degree lead to?
Research, the space sector, data science, software, engineering, finance and teaching. Most graduates use their maths and coding skills outside astronomy.
Related rankings
Sources: university course pages for 2027 entry, the Institute of Physics, the National Careers Service and the Graduate Outcomes survey. Graduate pay is measured about 15 months after finishing.
