Best Space Studies Schools Near Hickory, NC (2026)

Updated September 7, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Hickory, North Carolina is home to about 43,747 residents. Median household income is $63,361 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning space studies-related role is Physicists at a median $174,180 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Space Studies Schools to Hickory

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

No school data available.

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

Space Studies Wages Near Hickory

Hickory is part of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area (BLS area code 25860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Astronomers N/A NC statewide –
Physicists $174,180 NC statewide $196,814
Aerospace Engineers $122,930 NC statewide $138,904
Natural Sciences Managers $162,690 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $183,831
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $91,560 NC statewide $103,458
Engineers, All Other $125,160 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $141,424
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary $102,980 NC statewide $116,362
Physical Scientists, All Other $110,030 NC statewide $124,328

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.

Hickory at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 43,747 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $63,361 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 35.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 88.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Hickory-Area Cities With Space Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying space studies roles near Hickory?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying space studies-related roles near Hickory are: Physicists ($174,180), Natural Sciences Managers ($162,690), Engineers, All Other ($125,160). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Lincolnton instead of Hickory?

Lincolnton, NC is 19.1 miles from Hickory 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 Hickory an affordable place to study space studies?

Hickory’s median household income of $63,361 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hickory while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Hickory

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Hickory:

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.

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