How does United States rank in Astronomy and Astrophysics research?

The United States ranks #1 of 51 countries on research quality in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2022–2025), with 29k works.

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Subfield · Astronomy and Astrophysics · United States

Astronomy and Astrophysics research in United States

California Institute of Technology ranks first in United States for Astronomy and Astrophysics research in 2022–2025 (#3 worldwide), followed by Princeton University and Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian.

United States's world rank: #1
Works, 2022–2025: 29k
Top-10% rate: 19.8%
Ranked institutions: 60

Research strength only: this says nothing about teaching, admissions or cost.

What is the best university for Astronomy and Astrophysics in United States?

#	Institution	World rank	Score	Top-10% rate	Works
1	California Institute of TechnologyPasadena	#3	82.0	36.5%	484
2	Princeton UniversityPrinceton	#6	70.6	42.7%	334
3	Center for Astrophysics Harvard & SmithsonianCambridge	#7	68.1	15.0%	799
4	Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge	#8	65.9	34.8%	329
5	University of ArizonaTucson	#9	63.9	22.9%	534
6	University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley	#13	57.9	14.7%	836
7	Jet Propulsion LaboratoryPasadena	#14	56.7	22.0%	535
8	Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt	#16	54.5	21.2%	550
9	Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore	#17	53.5	37.3%	225
10	Space Telescope Science InstituteBaltimore	#19	51.7	36.4%	202
11	University of California, Santa CruzSanta Cruz	#23	48.5	35.4%	201
12	University of Maryland, College ParkCollege Park	#24	47.8	31.7%	263
13	University of ChicagoChicago	#26	46.5	35.9%	236
14	The University of Texas at AustinAustin	#27	45.9	32.4%	246
15	Planetary Science InstituteTucson	#30	44.2	25.7%	394
16	Columbia UniversityNew York	#32	43.1	37.4%	200
17	University of MichiganAnn Arbor	#34	42.1	24.7%	343
18	University of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles	#38	40.3	17.8%	450
19	Institute for Advanced StudyPrinceton	#40	39.5	53.1%	103
20	Harvard UniversityCambridge	#42	38.7	38.6%	130
21	Flatiron Health (United States)New York	#44	37.9	54.7%	134
22	University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUrbana	#45	37.5	40.7%	157
23	Stanford UniversityStanford	#53	34.8	27.3%	200
24	Pennsylvania State UniversityState College	#55	34.2	29.2%	215
25	University of Colorado BoulderBoulder	#60	32.8	22.4%	343
26	Northwestern UniversityEvanston	#63	32.0	49.7%	110
27	Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and CosmologyMenlo Park	#71	30.0	41.6%	106
28	Cornell UniversityIthaca	#80	28.1	23.0%	221
29	University of WashingtonSeattle	#87	26.7	17.3%	234
30	Arizona State UniversityTempe	#92	25.8	23.5%	193
31	The Ohio State UniversityColumbus	#93	25.6	28.5%	168
32	University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara	#100	24.4	34.9%	123
33	Los Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos	#101	24.3	20.2%	209
34	Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook	#113	22.4	25.7%	140
35	Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryNorth Laurel	#115	22.1	17.9%	291
36	University of Wisconsin–MadisonMadison	#118	21.7	23.2%	219
37	University of California San DiegoSan Diego	#124	20.9	27.0%	167
38	Fermi National Accelerator LaboratoryBatavia	#125	20.8	34.0%	94
39	Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeley	#127	20.5	18.6%	176
40	Carnegie Institution for ScienceWashington	#135	19.5	39.0%	95
41	New York UniversityNew York	#136	19.4	34.8%	89
42	Ames Research CenterMountain View	#137	19.3	24.1%	160
43	Yale UniversityNew Haven	#147	18.1	27.2%	112
44	University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia	#148	18.0	33.7%	64
45	Southwest Research InstituteSan Antonio	#149	17.9	22.8%	200
46	Purdue University West LafayetteWest Lafayette	#150	17.8	5.8%	503
47	Carnegie ObservatoriesPasadena	#151	17.7	49.9%	62
48	University of FloridaGainesville	#155	17.2	26.5%	134
49	University of California, DavisDavis	#156	17.1	9.1%	294
50	University of California, RiversideRiverside	#158	16.9	28.3%	111
51	Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsBoulder	#170	15.7	21.2%	174
52	University of Nevada, Las VegasLas Vegas	#175	15.2	32.3%	87
53	University of VirginiaCharlottesville	#196	13.4	28.9%	101
54	National Radio Astronomy ObservatoryCharlottesville	#199	13.1	22.9%	122
55	Princeton Plasma Physics LaboratoryPrinceton	#206	12.6	47.8%	69
56	University of Hawaii SystemHonolulu	#217	11.7	32.5%	89
57	University of MinnesotaMinneapolis	#223	11.3	26.1%	100
58	University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherst Center	#226	11.1	18.2%	105
59	Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh	#237	10.3	37.0%	66
60	Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing	#241	10.0	3.8%	410

Institutions in United States above the floor of 40 fractional works in Astronomy and Astrophysics, ordered by their worldwide rank on research quality, 2022–2025.

Who are the top Astronomy and Astrophysics researchers in United States?

E. L. Wright, Edward J. Wollack and David N. Spergel rank highest among researchers based in United States.

1E. L. Wright#13 worldwide overall9.3k citations · 118 works
2Edward J. Wollack#83 worldwide overall7.2k citations · 146 works
3David N. Spergel#104 worldwide overall7.9k citations · 153 works
4C. L. Bennett#177 worldwide overall7.4k citations · 72 works
5S. S. Meyer#269 worldwide overall7.4k citations · 75 works
6Saul A. Teukolsky#446 worldwide overall8.4k citations · 79 works
7Lyman A. Page#931 worldwide overall6.7k citations · 59 works
8G. Fischer#971 worldwide overall3.7k citations · 75 works
9James E. Gunn#1,219 worldwide overall3.8k citations · 100 works
10Andrei Linde#1,273 worldwide overall4.2k citations · 80 works
11A. Kogut#1,477 worldwide overall6.3k citations · 58 works
12John C. Mather#1,528 worldwide overall2.1k citations · 58 works
13R. D. Blandford#1,587 worldwide overall4.8k citations · 157 works
14G. Hinshaw#1,678 worldwide overall7.1k citations · 61 works
15David H. Weinberg#1,688 worldwide overall4.7k citations · 125 works

How United States compares with other countries in Astronomy and Astrophysics