While about half of the astronomy bachelor’s degree recipients each year enroll in a graduate program, the other half pursue employment. The skills and knowledge these students obtain while pursuing their degrees enable them to secure employment with diverse employers. Over half of the employed astronomy bachelors worked in the private sector, most of whom worked in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) field. Colleges and universities were the next largest sector employing new astronomy bachelors, followed by civilian government positions.
All respondents in STEM private sector positions indicated that they were called upon to solve technical problems at least “monthly” on a scale that also included “daily,” “weekly,” and “rarely or never.” The most common job titles for astronomy bachelors holding private sector STEM positions included “analyst,” “engineer,” and “software developer.”
Astronomy bachelors in private sector non-STEM positions held a more diverse set of positions, ranging from retail-related...