MS in USA: Universities, Fees 2025, Eligibility, Jobs

An MS in USA is a great option for international students considering pursuing higher studies abroad. Home to more than 580 universities offering MS courses, the United States stands as one of the best countries for these programs due to its renowned universities and the high-quality education it provides to its students. Studying MS Degree in USA helps you get good academic experience and helps students find professional opportunities. A majority of the universities offering masters in USA have a course duration of 2 years. However, a few of the universities have a duration between 1 - 2+ years. According to an unofficial source, the average salary of an MSc in Computer Engineering degree is USD 109,000 (INR 92 L) per year.

Also read: Study in USA for international students

MS in USA: Highlights

On average, the cost of studying in the USA for an MS course ranges between INR 20 L - 40 L or more. A majority of the universities that are offering a master's in USA are located in California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts, etc. Listed below are some quick facts about MS in US highlights:

Particulars	MS in USA highlights
Number of MS Colleges in the USA	580+
MS in USA cost	INR 20 L - 40 L (Majority of the universities)
Top MS in USA Specializations	Computer Science Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Embedded Systems, Wireless Communications, Power Engineering
Admission Process (subject to university)	Bachelor’s Degree, GRE/GMAT scores, Work experience, IELTS/TOEFL score

Also check: Why Study Masters in USA?

Top 10 MS Colleges in the US

Some of the top MS in USA universities are MIT, Stanford University, Harvard University, Caltech, Cornell University, etc. Listed below are the top 10 universities in USA for MS for international students: 

University	QS World University Rankings 2025	Times Higher Education Rankings 2025
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	#1	#2
Harvard University	#4	#3
Stanford University	#6	#6
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)	#10	#7
University of Pennsylvania	#11	#=14
University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	#12	#8
Cornell University	#16	#20
University of Chicago	#21	#=14
Princeton University	#22	#4
Yale University	#23	#10

Know more about the 100 Top Universities for MS in the USA

Top 10 MS Specialisations in the US

International students get to choose between a variety of MS courses, which are offered by the best colleges for masters in USA. An MS in Computer Science & Engineering is among the popular specializations in the country for overseas students. Some popular MS specializations are MS in Computer Science; MS in Biology (sciences); MS in Mathematics, MS in Chemistry, etc. Listed below are the top MS Specialisations in the US for Indian students:

Top MS Specializations in USA
Computer Science Engineering	Biology
Mathematics	Computer Science
Electrical Engineering	Mechanical Engineering
Chemistry	Physics
Civil Engineering	Information Systems
Statistics	Biomedical Engineering

Also read: Top 10 MS specializations from the USA

Top MS Universities in the US by Specialisations

In QS world ranking, they follow six simple metrics into account that effectively capture university performances and a list of top-performing universities in the world which is derived for a particular year. The metrics on which the universities are ranked are Academic Reputation, Employer Reputation, Faculty/Student Ratio, Citations per faculty, and International Faculty Ratio. Given below is the QS World ranking subject for the Top MS universities in the US:

University	QS Rankings by Subject 2024: Computer Science and Information Systems
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	#1
Stanford University	#2
Carnegie Mellon University	#2
The University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	#5
Harvard University	#7

Top Colleges for MS in Engineering and Technology in US 2024

Listed below are the top colleges for MS in Engineering and Technology (Graduate category) in the US:

University	US News & World Report: Best Engineering Schools 2024
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	#1
Stanford University	#2
The University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	#3
California Institute of Technology	#4
Georgia Institute of Technology	#4 (Tie)
Purdue University	#6

Cost of studying MS in the US 

Listed below is a table which provides insight into the tuition fees to study an MS Degree in the USA and the approximate cost of living for several top universities. Even though the tuition fee to study MS in USA will be in the range of INR 10 L - 40 L or more, a majority of the top-ranked universities have tuition fees ranging from INR 20 L - 40 L or more. 

University Name	1st Year Tuition Fees
MIT	INR 45 L - 70 L
Stanford University	INR 30 L - 69 L
University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	INR 22 L - 55 L
Harvard University	INR 18 L - 64 L
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)	INR 44 L - 53 L
Princeton University	INR 44 L - 50 L
University of Michigan	INR 35 L - 63 L
University of California - Los Angeles	INR 22 L - 46 L
Cornell University	INR 18 L - 55 L
Georgia Institute of Technology	INR 15 L - 52 L

Living Expenses: Besides paying the tuition fees, students are required to bear the living expenses. For one year, this can be around INR 15 L or more. 

Know more about the Cost of MS in the USA for Indian Students

Student Visa Costs for the US

All international students require a USA Student Visa to study at a university in the USA. The student visas are segregated into F1 and J1 visas. The J-1 visa, also known as the J-student visa is specially designed for international students participating in exchange programs in the United States. This visa category allows students to engage in academic or cultural exchange activities. International students who are applying for a J-1 Visa must have a sponsorship.

Coming to F1 Visa is tailored for full-time academic study. One would need to possess Form I20, Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Immigrant Student Status. The F1 visa student fee is USD 535 (INR 45.2 K).

MS in USA Requirements for International Students

The students who wish to pursue MS in the US must fulfill the requirements given below:

• Statement of Purpose
• GRE score which is 290 or above
• 2-3 letters of recommendation
• Should have a 3 to 4-year bachelor’s degree in the specific field with an average GPA of 3.0 or above(might vary depending on the university student is applying for)
• Proof of English language proficiency test scores of IELTS or TOEFL

Read more about the Requirements to Study in USA for International Students

Work Permit After Studying MS Degree in USA

Students who want to stay in the USA after completing their MS need to get a post-study work visa. International students who hold an F1 Visa can complete up to one year of temporary employment directly related to a major area of study. After completing the studies, F1 visa holders can apply for Optional Practical Training (OTP).

MS Scholarships for the USA are based on the merit basis and financial needs of students, this is mainly done to make education affordable for everyone. Indian students are eligible for various scholarships in the USA for graduate Levels. Students applying to the university are also eligible for some external scholarships offered by various private entities. Given below are some of the MS in USA scholarships for Indian students:

• Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships
• JN Tata Endowment Loan Scholarship
• Aga Khan International Foundation's Scholarship Program
• International Scholarships Award by Northeastern University

MS in USA Jobs & Salaries

The Return on Investment for pursuing a master’s degree is influenced by various factors including tuition fees and potential earnings post graduation for international students. On average, the salary of an MSc in Computer Engineering degree is USD 103,000 (INR 87 L) per year. Whereas, the average salary for an MSc in CS graduate is USD 112,000 - USD 135,000 (INR 94.6 L - 1.1 Cr) per year. Listed below are the specialization-wise salaries are given below:

Average Salary	Cost in INR	Cost in INR
Software Engineer	USD 103,447	INR 87.4 L
Data Scientist	USD 101,397	INR 85.6 L
Mechanical Engineer	USD 86,839	INR 73.3 L
Data Analyst	USD 73,148	INR 61.8 L
Senior Software Engineer	USD 131,361	INR 1.1 Cr
Project Manager	USD 87,128	INR 73.6 L
Electrical Engineer	USD 91,402	INR 77.2 L

(Source: Payscale.com)

Conversion Rate: 1 USD = INR 84.50

Anushree Sinha07-29-2024 18:17