SPACE STUDIESPROGRAMS

Alaska program rankings

Best Space Studies Programs in Alaska

Compare the best space studies programs in Alaska across 1 degree record and 1 institution. Each program is scored within its own field and degree-level peer group, then reviewed through either matched school material or its federal record.

Data reviewed August 29, 2026 · Edited by Taylor Rupe

1program record
1institution
1award recorded
1city

State program ranking

Best Space Studies Programs in Alaska, Ranked

The rank follows each program’s national peer score. Program cards lead with record-specific editorial. School-page claims link to the matching official source, while federal field, award, cost, and outcome records stay clearly labeled. The full scoring boundary is in the methodology.

Rank #1 Score 56.3

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Space Physics Ph.D.

space studies programs in Alaska · Fairbanks · Public · Space science · CIP 40.0202

Open the official program page

Program summary

UAF’s Space Physics PhD connects plasma, auroral, and magnetospheric physics with Geophysical Institute research and 18 thesis credits.

Research reaches upper atmospheres, ionospheres, planetary magnetospheres, and the interplanetary medium, supported by numerical simulations and time-series analysis in graduate study.

Work with the Geophysical Institute places the doctorate near active auroral, ionospheric, solar-terrestrial, and remote-sensing research. Students can combine plasma theory with simulation and time-series methods, then apply those tools to regions that stretch from Earth’s upper atmosphere through planetary magnetospheres and the interplanetary medium during dissertation research.

One recorded doctorate, a 56.3 score, and 13-of-13 peer position provide direct context for candidates focused on space-plasma research in Fairbanks.

Published program details
  • 18 thesis credits
  • Geophysical Institute research
  • Auroral and plasma physics
  • Numerical simulation
  • Time-series analysis
Institution context
Tuition
$8,072 in-state / $23,881 out-of-state
Graduation rate
38%
Enrollment
6,893

Official program source reviewed August 28, 2026: catalog.uaf.edu.

Continue beyond the state list

Compare Alaska programs with national rankings

Use this list of the best space studies programs in Alaska as your starting point, then move into the same subject, degree level, or career route without restarting your search.

One Alaska doctorate, examined closely

Fairbanks centers Alaska’s list on space physics research

What the doctorate studies

The University of Alaska Fairbanks entry is a Space Physics Ph.D., not a general astronomy degree. Its published scope reaches plasma and auroral physics, the ionosphere, planetary magnetospheres, and the interplanetary medium. Graduate work uses numerical simulation and time-series analysis, and the plan includes 18 thesis credits.

Why the Geophysical Institute matters

UAF places the program alongside Geophysical Institute work in auroral, ionospheric, solar-terrestrial, and remote-sensing research. That setting makes Fairbanks most relevant to applicants who want a doctorate built around space-plasma questions and who are comparing faculty projects, research methods, and dissertation fit.

How to read the Alaska numbers

IPEDS records one recent research doctorate for this field, a 56.3 ranking score, and position 13 among 13 exact peers. The public institution reports 6,893 students, $8,072 in-state tuition, and $23,881 out-of-state tuition. Those school-wide figures provide cost and scale context; they are separate from the doctorate’s requirements.

For aerospace engineers, the statewide median wage is $101,710 across 100 jobs. BLS places the 10th-to-90th-percentile range between $81,650 and $170,340.

For aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians, the statewide median wage is $105,780 across 40 jobs. BLS places the 10th-to-90th-percentile range between $104,240 and $113,500.

Statewide wage data describes the occupation across Alaska; it is separate from this program and its graduates.

Read before comparing

How to read Alaska’s program records

01

Program facts

CIP field, degree level, and awards belong to the individual program record.

02

School facts

Tuition, admission rate, graduation rate, and enrollment describe the institution, not one department.

03

Current requirements

Confirm delivery mode, laboratories, admissions, and residency rules on the school’s current program page.

Continue comparing

Compare more best space studies programs by state

These nearby or similarly sized directories use the same CIP boundary, so their record counts are comparable.

CA California 34 records CO Colorado 6 records RI Rhode Island 1 record SC South Carolina 1 record

Questions students ask

Questions about the best space studies programs in Alaska

How many space studies programs in Alaska are ranked here?
This directory lists 1 record. That record comes from 1 institution. Each field-and-level combination counts separately.
Which fields count as space studies in Alaska?
The published scope includes aerospace and astronautical engineering, astronomy, astrophysics, planetary science, and space systems operations. Broad pilot training and aviation management sit outside this degree-field boundary.
What degree levels are listed for Alaska?
Degree levels are counted separately in the summary above. A bachelor’s and a master’s at the same university appear as two records because they are different credentials.
How are the best space studies programs in Alaska ranked?
Each program receives a national peer score inside its own field and degree level. The state rank orders those scores, so an astrophysics doctorate is not scored directly against an aerospace engineering bachelor’s degree.
What do the tuition and outcome figures describe?
Tuition, admission rate, graduation rate, and enrollment describe the institution. CIP code, field, degree level, and awards belong to the individual program record. Confirm current costs and program requirements with the school before enrolling.

Primary sources

Primary sources for Alaska’s degree directory