Best Space Studies Schools Near Mercer Island, WA (2026)

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

Mercer Island, Washington has 1 accredited school offering space studies programs. Mercer Island has a population of about 25,282. Median household income is $202,359 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 78.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, the top-earning space studies-related role is Natural Sciences Managers at a median $203,150 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Space Studies Schools to Mercer Island

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer space studies programs near Mercer Island, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Mercer Island 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 Mercer Island. 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

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA 7.4 miles from Mercer Island
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
89.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,466
Avg net price $14,091/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 234

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Whitman College

Walla Walla, WA 211.0 miles from Mercer Island
  • 4 year
63.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,589
Avg net price $33,313/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Space Studies Wages Near Mercer Island

Mercer Island is part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (BLS area code 42660). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Washington statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Astronomers N/A WA statewide –
Physicists $140,370 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $126,346
Aerospace Engineers $163,580 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $147,237
Natural Sciences Managers $203,150 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $182,853
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $92,600 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $83,348
Engineers, All Other $137,430 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $123,699
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary $132,070 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $118,875
Physical Scientists, All Other $134,720 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $121,260

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.

Mercer Island at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 25,282 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $202,359 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 78.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 111.1 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Mercer Island-Area Cities With Space Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited space studies schools are near Mercer Island, WA?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering space studies programs near Mercer Island. The closest is University of Washington-Seattle Campus in Seattle, WA (7.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Washington-Seattle Campus (7.4 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying space studies roles near Mercer Island?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying space studies-related roles near Mercer Island are: Natural Sciences Managers ($203,150), Aerospace Engineers ($163,580), Physicists ($140,370). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Washington statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Bellevue instead of Mercer Island?

Bellevue, WA is 4.0 miles from Mercer Island 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 Mercer Island an affordable place to study space studies?

Mercer Island’s median household income of $202,359 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Mercer Island while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Washington 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 Mercer Island

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

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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