Best Space Studies Schools Near South Lake Tahoe, CA (2026)

South Lake Tahoe, California is home to about 21,319 residents. Median household income is $73,940 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metro area, the top-earning space studies-related role is Natural Sciences Managers at a median $170,010 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Space Studies Schools to South Lake Tahoe

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer space studies programs near South Lake Tahoe, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from South Lake Tahoe city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from South Lake Tahoe. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Solano Community College

Fairfield, CA 125.4 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,170
Avg net price $4,669/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA 143.7 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
93.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 11%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,446
Avg net price $13,481/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,347
Out‑of‑state$50,547
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 127

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA 159.2 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
78.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,077
Avg net price $12,278/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 102

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA 175.6 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
71.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 66%
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,396
Avg net price $17,890/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,005
Out‑of‑state$50,205
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey, CA 192.0 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 347.0 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
93.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 9%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $82,511
Avg net price $12,548/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,203
Out‑of‑state$49,403
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 161

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA 347.4 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
82.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 95%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $128,566
Avg net price $16,075/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA 352.6 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,498
Avg net price $32,740/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 267

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California space studies page.


Space Studies Wages Near South Lake Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe is part of the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metro area (BLS area code 40900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Astronomers $123,540 CA statewide $115,783
Physicists $120,490 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $112,924
Aerospace Engineers $132,230 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $123,927
Natural Sciences Managers $170,010 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $159,335
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $124,920 CA statewide $117,076
Engineers, All Other $124,220 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $116,420
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary $127,480 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $119,475
Physical Scientists, All Other $101,070 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $94,724

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


South Lake Tahoe at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 21,319 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $73,940 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 34.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 106.7 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other South Lake Tahoe-Area Cities With Space Studies Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying space studies roles near South Lake Tahoe?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying space studies-related roles near South Lake Tahoe are: Natural Sciences Managers ($170,010), Aerospace Engineers ($132,230), Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary ($127,480). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Carson City instead of South Lake Tahoe?

Carson City, NV is 19.3 miles from South Lake Tahoe and has its own set of local space studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is South Lake Tahoe an affordable place to study space studies?

South Lake Tahoe’s median household income of $73,940 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in South Lake Tahoe while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Space Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in South Lake Tahoe

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for South Lake Tahoe:

Data verified: September 7, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.