Talking about the significance of post-graduation, which is an advanced level of education in a distinct subject or field. Certainly, it will lead you toward good financial health and career growth. You must be concerned to choose an adequate educational institute to obtain your post-graduation degree. Now you may be thinking to get it from abroad! Yes, that’s a great idea. But what are the options?
When you consider doing a master’s degree from abroad many thoughts come to your mind. The most puzzling question is about which country should you decide on. Many countries offer quality education and most of them have many different scholarships for international students as well. However, talking about the quality of education specifically for master’s degrees, UK and USA are the two most preferred countries. The universities from both countries are renowned educational institutes globally.
There are 1700 institutes in the US, which offers post-graduation programs. However, there are only 164 institutes that offer master’s degrees in the UK. The education standards of all institutions are exceptional including well-trained faculty and diverse culture.
Ranking of the US Universities
The universities in the US are much popular in terms of quality of education. The education system of the US is much more flexible. You will have a wide range of master’s programs. According to the QS world university ranking, there are 5 universities from the USA in the top 10 list.
- 1st – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- 3rd – Stanford University
- 5th – Harvard University
- 6th – California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
- 10th – University of Chicago
Ranking of the UK Universities
This is a hometown of ancient universities and colleges. It also holds the quality of education and high academic standards. According to the QS world university ranking, four universities are ranked in the top 10 universities.
- 2nd – University of Oxford
- 3rd – University of Cambridge
- 7th – Imperial College London
- 8th – University College London
UK universities and colleges are observed by Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). This is a step forward to maintaining the quality of education, to assure educational standards, performance, and subject reviews.
There is a fact that the world’s top 200 universities are situated in these countries. Both countries are highly indulged in promoting academic freedom, a learning environment, and intellectualism.
Now you are much more aware of the quality and standards of education in both countries. Probably, the next question in your mind would be how much it will cost you. Is there any variation in the fee structure? What types of expenses will be there?
Cost of studying MS in the US vs the UK
There are two types of a cost for an international student, the average tuition fees and the cost of living. Let’s compare the cost of an MS degree in both countries.
MS program in the UK will cost you around £15,000-35,000 annually. In the US, it will cost you $20,000 annually. The difference is due to the total duration of a degree. In the UK, the MS program is only one year program, while in the US it is of two years. Hence your total cost of doing an MS degree in the US will be $40,000.
The second cost that you will face is the cost of living or your monthly expenses. The minimum cost of living is £1015 in the UK and you must have this amount in your account to bear your monthly expenses. Besides, if you are living in London your cost of living will be around £1265 per month. Because London is the 4th most expensive city in the world. On other hand, the monthly cost of living in the US is estimated at around $1000-1500. Some cities in the US like New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are considered as most expensive cities. In these cities, the estimated cost of living is around $3000-4500 per month.
Now let’s discuss some post benefits of doing a master’s degree from the UK or USA
After your Master
International students have the option of a post-work visa. After a successful post-graduation, you can apply for a post-work visa. This is like getting permission to stay and work within the country. The UK system of post-work visas is much easier and will allow you to stay at least 2 years in the UK. In these two years, you can apply for jobs and get practical exposure to your learnings.
The US government also provides you with the option of a work visa after graduation. You can avail F-1 visa which will allow you to work and stay for at least one year. Including you can apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa if you are a STEM graduate (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) this visa will allow you to stay for 3 years. But in the US, it is much more complex to get a work visa due to several restrictions.
The average salary difference between the UK vs the US
There may be another question in your mind regarding the salary ranges of post-graduates from the UK vs the US. You must be concerned about the return, after accomplishment of your master’s degree. Following are the average salary ranges after MS in the US:
Business and Management Managers – $70,000 to $72,000
Math & Science Professional – $66,000 to $69,000
Computer Science Engineer – $70,000 to $72,000
Social Sciences Professional – $50,000 to $52,300
Communication and Media Professional – $50,000 to $55,700
This information will help you to make a rational decision for yourself that where to study. Now let’s see if you graduated from the UK, how much you can earn on average. For your better understanding the professions are the same:
Business and Management Managers – £44,917 to £47,718
Math & Science Professional – £20,500 to £28,000
Computer Science Engineer – £22,000 to £28,000
Social Sciences Professional – £20,000 to £26,000
Communication and Media Professional – £19,500 to £21,000
The salary ranges work as a motivating factor for choosing a particular discipline or career. Once you have a clear idea of something and its return you will put your efforts and focus on it.
Conclusion
Now you have gained much information regarding post-graduation, either from the United Kingdom or the United States of America. All the essential elements have been addressed and exemplified in a detailed manner. You have learned each aspect including the ranking of universities, cost differences, facilities after masters, and average salaries. This information will surely contribute to your decision. The education system of both countries is outstanding, and you have seen multiple pros and cons of the education system of both countries. You can consider all these things before reaching a particular decision. You can even do your research and find out all the questions that you think are not answered in this content. Besides if you need any information specifically for any university you can directly check their official website and contact their support team. Now the decision is yours, which country suits you the most, which will be more beneficial and feasible for you? Either the United States of America or the United Kingdom.
