
Cost of Studying in USA for Indian Students
Table of Content
The USA remains the No.1 destination for international students who aspire to improve and impact their lives and the ones around them. For many years the country has offered quality education and created quality engineers, doctors, scientists and still continuing to do the good work. India has given world tech leaders like Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella and Shantanu Narayen attracts more students to the USA to achieve their unique identity in this world. But in common the cost of studying in the USA for Indian students is a major concern among parents when it comes to funding their education in dollars when they earn in Indian rupees which is lesser than Dollars value.
Unlike your thoughts, affording education in the USA is easier than you think! Yes, it is possible for Indian students if they are guided in the right direction to pursue their education abroad. With numerous financial aids, scholarships, and loans offered by both public and private bodies in India, your study abroad dreams can never miss seeing the light.
The Number of Students Studying in the USA from India as of 2018:
Country |
% of students |
Total number of students |
United States |
45% |
1,35,940 |
Australia |
24% |
73,316 |
Canada |
12% |
34,806 |
United Kingdom |
7% |
19,599 |
Germany |
5% |
15,473 |
New Zealand |
4% |
11,604 |
Ukraine |
4% |
10,698 |
What is the Cost of Studying in USA for Indian students?
The cost of the tuition fees in the US differs from public to private universities. The public universities are minimal in comparison to private universities but competitive to enter. If you want to reduce the cost further, you can choose public sector colleges like city colleges or community colleges which would cost mostly less.
Let us see the average cost of studying in US universities…
Average Studying Cost in USA for Indian Students
Subjects like humanities, Culture, Social, arts, and education are commonly lesser in cost when you compare them with medicine and engineering courses. Because Engineering and medicine are lengthier courses and demand more supplies, space, tools, faculties, and facilities to enable the learning to its expected delivery and excellence.
Types of Expenses |
Cost in USD/INR |
Undergraduate Bachelors Program |
$8230 - $33450 |
Postgraduate Masters Program |
$8670 - $29960 |
Doctoral Program |
$10830 - $42920 |
Application Fees for Universities in the USA |
₹4000 - ₹11997 |
Visa Application Fee for the USA From India |
₹36660 |
Average Cost of Studying in USA for (Bachelors)
Summarized full-fledged courses in USA universities are usually four-year courses which are both online/in-person modules. Also, certain community institutions offer two year UG program as an option but most people prefer the four-year course over two years. These two-year courses are skill-based programs focussing purely on hands-on practices like the Indian education system has a diploma.
This two-year degree can be used as a credit to enter into a full-time UG course in universities. To apply for universities in the USA, you have to start the process 6 to 12 months prior to the course commencement. Here is the average annual cost of the universities in the USA domain-wise.
Programs |
Average Annual Fees (USD) |
Engineering (UG Level) |
$15164 - $51196 |
Arts (UG Level) |
$32712 - $39672 |
Medicine Courses (UG Level) |
$39150 - $64494 |
Nursing Courses (UG Level) |
$17211 - $55540 |
Dentistry (UG Level) |
$11442 - $77612 |
Law (UG Level) |
$25945 - $68112 |
Associate Courses (UG Level) |
$7627 - $35819 |
Average Cost of Studying in USA for (Masters)
Higher education has a favourite spot among all graduates and pursuing your higher studies in the USA is a dream for most of the students. The USA has the topmost universities and colleges in the world which offers quality education and research facilities helps one to create opportunities for them and solutions for everyone. The USA has 1700+ universities that offer various postgraduate courses that cater to every student's interests.
There is huge flexibility in applying to universities across the USA but students' should be aware of the institution they choose. Also, the country's government has announced a lot of scholarship schemes and community schemes for people coming from all over the world.
Programs |
Average Annual Fees (in USD) |
Engineering (PG Level) |
$13100 - $56304 |
Arts (PG Level) |
$18272 - $93358 |
Doctoral Degree |
$0 - $55000 |
$11584 - $18000 |
|
Healthcare Courses (PG Level) |
$12750 - $19620 |
Nursing Courses (PG Level) |
$11442 - $84700 |
Law (PG Level) | $65509 - $16344 |
To give you a fair understanding of the tuition fee and accommodation differences between private and public state universities in the USA. Tuition fees of Public universities are comparatively lesser than the private universities because the public universities are funded by government bodies and backed up by NGOs to support education space. In the American context, Doctorate programs are called post-graduation, whereas Master's programs are graduation. It is not the same way as it is considered in all other countries. Below is the average cost of both public and private universities in states along with the campus accommodation fees if you are considering staying in the boarding facility.
Category |
Private |
Public, State Universities |
Tuition/Academic fees |
$35087 |
$21184 |
Room/Boarding |
$10680 |
$10140 |
Total |
$47767 |
$32324 |
In general, there are so many factors which you need to consider while estimating the cost of studying in the USA for students from India. Primarily its accommodation can be availed inside of the campus or off-campus offered by the university/colleges. Staying on the college campus is the safest option out there in the USA. In Spite of being on the campus, it doesn't come with the tuition fee, you need to apply for it separately well in advance to secure a facility. This space is called the "Dorm Room" where it is publicly referred to as Dormitory.
Dormitories have the necessary facilities like water, electricity, internet, a common playing area, and clean study rooms. But it is expensive as compared to your own off-campus accommodation. Off-campus is like you and your group of friends renting a place and taking care of all your necessities and bills. According to different places and localities in the USA, there is variation in their accommodation cost. Check out the detailed breakout of on and off-campus accommodation expenses for International students:
General Entrance Examination Costs for the US
Planning to study in the USA has an important task to complete other than VISA processing and admission procedures. To understand the lectures, to seek more information and get your doubts clarified, to socialize with the student community, to make friends - students need to know the language to connect with other students, lecturers and to make opportunities for their potential. Since the application process also requires certain criteria like good scores in language tests and other tests like GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, GRE, SAT/ACT depending on the universities requirements.
These are accustomed procedures for all international students from different educational backgrounds to enter into Universities in the USA. Few of the universities have exceptions for entrance examinations but most of the universities prefer students to have these exams cleared to know their student's ability to understand their modules. Let's see the kinds of exams present for students which are recognized by universities in the USA.
Type of Expense |
Cost in INR (as of 7th September 2021 - 1 USD = 73.19 INR |
TOEFL Fees (One time) |
₹14500 |
GRE Fees |
₹14600 |
₹14700 |
|
GMAT |
US$250 = ₹18297.5 |
SAT or ACT |
₹ 6200 - ₹ 7000 / ₹ 7700 |
Yearly Cost of Living in the states of USA
Each state has varying costs depending on the population, opportunities, amenities, etc., This list has the average cost of living expenses for an off-campus 1bhk apartment for a year.
The Southern Part of USA |
|
City |
Cost in Year (Yearly) |
Dallas (Texas) |
$ 10944 |
Houston (Texas) |
$ 9876 |
Northern Central |
|
Chicago |
$ 12276 |
Detroit |
$ 11004 |
West Coast |
|
Los Angeles |
$ 12876 |
San Francisco |
$ 14988 |
SanDiego |
$ 11856 |
East Coast |
|
Boston |
$ 14040 |
Miami |
$ 12828 |
Atlanta |
$ 12372 |
Philadelphia |
$ 12516 |
Washington DC |
$ 13440 |
Newyork City |
$ 16308 |
Central |
|
New Orleans |
$ 11676 |
Seattle |
$ 14100 |
Being the most preferred study destination among most of the students, the USA offers excellent job opportunities and openness for entrepreneurship culture among students. If you want to seek more opportunities and are open to exploring knowledge after your School or undergraduate you need to give yourself a slingshot to the USA to pursue your dreams. You can start applying today and change your days to come with AECC Global.
To choose your right course, listening to your peers and yourself - about which domain you are happy to work with and how stronger you are in that subject helps you map the right path. AECC Global International education experts guide you through every step of your decision-making to enhance the possibilities of choosing the right stream to achieve your admissions at your favourite university. You can explore undergraduate and Top Masters Courses in the USA in our blog section which gives you a more clear understanding of how to choose and what to choose. If you want to talk to an abroad education counsellor to get your queries addressed, Contact AECC Global India. It makes a huge difference!