What After Study in the USA: Post Degree Courses, Top Companies, Jobs and Salaries

Content Curator | Updated On - Nov 15, 2024

There are several available for international students post completion of degree in USA. Majority of students look for jobs in USA after graduation, while others went on to pursue master's or doctoral degrees. If you are planning to pursue higher studies in the same university, you can secure direct admissions. However, some universities may require entrance exams or competitive tests for admissions.

Those seeking employment in United States are suggested to strengthen their profile with strong academic performance, skills, research, or project work. One can connect with faculties or alumni for guidance regarding career options after graduation. Those who have recently completed a masters degree in USA can apply for an Optional Practical Training program, which allows a 1-year stay back in the USA after graduation.

Options After Studying in USA

Read More: US Student Visa Extension

Apply for Graduate School in USA

Post completion of your degree in USA, you can consider pursuing higher level degrees such as master's or a PhD level degree.

Given below are the popular master's degree for international students in USA:

Popular Master's Degrees	Top Universities/Schools	Annual Tuition Fees (USD)
Master of Business Administration	Stanford University \| UPenn \| Harvard University \| MIT Sloan \| Columbia University	$76,410 - 88,300
MS in Nursing	Harvard University \| Yale University \| Johns Hopkins University \| UPenn \| UCLA	$40,871 - $58,566
MS in Engineering Management	Stanford University \| MIT \| Johns Hopkins University \| Columbia University \| Cornell University	$43,200 - $65,082
MS in Finance	MIT \| Johns Hopkins University \| Columbia University \| University of Illinois Urbana \| UT Austin	$55,500 - $91,500
MS in Computer Science	MIT \| Harvard University \| Standard University \| UC Berkeley \| UPenn	$38,094 - $59,750
MS in Healthcare Management	University of Kentucky \| Florida International University \| University of Delaware \| New Jersey Institute of Technology \| UT Arlington	$11,044 - $35,460

Note: 1 USD = 84.39 INR as of November 12, 2024

Explore Jobs in USA

Students who wish to work in USA after graduation can look for jobs relevant to their field. Master's degree graduates with relevant work experience and skills have higher chances of securing jobs in USA. Those with no prior experience or skills are suggested to look for entry level positions or internships in their field of study. There is a high career prospect for STEM master's degrees in USA compared to other degrees. One can expect below-mentioned job roles with the following degrees in USA:

Master of Business Administration

MBA is one of the highly employable degree in the USA with over 90% employment rate across top universities like Harvard University, MIT and Stanford. The average salary offered to graduates with an MBA in USA is $98,000 per annum.

Job Roles	Average Annual Salary (USD)	Average Annual Salary (INR)
Chief Financial Officer	$161,032	1.35 crs
Marketing Director	$119,923	1.01 crs
Director of Operations	$119,788	1.01 crs
Senior Financial Analyst	$90,288	76.19 lakhs
Financial Analyst	$70,976	59.89 lakhs

Also Check: Jobs After MBA in USA

MS in Computer Science

The graduates of MS in Computer Science in USA typically earn an average salary of $113,000 (95.36 lakhs INR) per year. Given below are top paying job roles in USA for MS computer science graduates:

Job Roles	Average Annual Salary (USD)	Average Annual Salary (INR)
Senior Software Engineer	$133,408	1.12 crs
Senior Developer	$121,100	1.02 crs
Machine Learning Engineer	$113,175	95.51 lakhs
Software Engineer	$104,570	88.24 lakhs
Data Engineer	$103,959	87.73 lakhs

Check Out: Top Universities for MS Computer Science in USA

MS/Meng in Mechanical Engineering

The job growth for mechanical engineering in USA is projected to grow by 11% between 2023 to 2033. The graduates with MS in Mechanical Engineering in USA can earn an average salary of $93,000 (78.49 lakhs INR) per annum.

Job Roles	Average Annual Salary (USD)	Average Annual Salary (INR)
Senior System Engineer	$114,571	96.68 lakhs
Senior Mechanical Engineer	$108,860	91.87 lakhs
Mechanical Design Engineer	$87,679	73.99 lakhs
Manufacturing Engineer	$85,240	71.93 lakhs
Mechanical Engineer	$84,970	71,70 lakhs

Also Check: Jobs After MS Mechanical Engineering in USA

Post Study Work Visa in USA

You can get a post study work visa in USA by applying for an Optional Practical Training. The Optional Practical Training program allows international students to extend their stay up to 1 year for work and training purposes.

Students with a STEM designated degree are eligible for visa extension up to an additional 2 years after graduation.
To be eligible for the OPT program, one must complete at least 1 year of full-time study in the USA.
Your Optional Practical Training program must be related to the field of study that you have recently completed.

Also Read: STEM courses in USA

Before planning to stay in the USA, one must be aware of visa requirements and restrictions in USA. Those planning to extend their stay in the USA for graduate level study will be required to apply for visa renewal from your home country. Graduates seeking employment can extend their visa through an OPT program in USA which allows stay back of 1 year and can be extended for additional 2 year for STEM graduates.

FAQs

Ques. Can I settle in the USA after study?

Ans. One can permanently settle in USA if they are eligible to stay for at least 5 years in the country. After completing a degree in the USA, you can apply for the OPT program, which allows a stay back of 1 year in the USA. Additionally, those with a STEM designated degree can get an additional 2 years visa extension in USA. During this period, you may apply for a full-time job in the USA to get at least 2 years of visa extension. Post completion of 5 years in the USA, you can easily apply for PR in USA.

Ques. Can I work in USA after studying?

Ans. You need to apply for a post study visa or OPT program in the USA to get a visa extension of 1 year. Graduates with STEM are eligible for an additional 2 years visa extension with OPT program.