Studying in the USA still worth it - here’s why

When I landed in California, it wasn't exactly as I'd imagined. I remember that first drive down 280 coming from the airport with my host family. If you're not from here, California is advertised as being really lush and green. But when I looked out the window, it was more brown. I guess I said this out loud, I'm not sure why. My host, Mrs. Jane Earle, gently corrected me. We prefer to call it golden, she said. That was Sundar Pichai at Stanford recalling his first drive through California, where dry brown hills were reframed as golden. It's a story about perspective. The same hills looked like failure or like success, depending on how you were looking at it. For most of you eyeing the US for your masters, chances are your perspective is all brown right now. Let's change that to a gold by looking at what's actually happening point by point. Number one. So if you're worried there won't be enough opportunities when you graduate, well, look at the US job market. According to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics projections, STEM employment is expected to grow 7.4% between 2025 and 2035, compared with 3.5% across all other occupations. And some of the fastest growing professions in the economy, data scientists, for example, are projected to grow by 34.6% over the same period. The market is evolving and the demand for skills in technology and STEM continues to grow. Point number two. If you're thinking about what comes after your degree, well, a US master's degree gives eligible graduates a specific advantage in the H-1B system. Alongside the regular 65,000 H-1B visa cap, there is a separate 20,000 advanced degree exemption for eligible graduates with a master's degree or higher from a US institution. Qualifying US master's holders are first entered into this 20,000 pool. And if not selected, then entered again into the regular 65,000 pool. It doesn't guarantee an H-1B, but it does give qualifying US master's graduates an extra chance in the same H-1B selection process. Point number three. If you're wondering whether the degree will actually translate into a career, well, getting to the US is only step one. What matters next is what the degree can do for your career. In 2025, STEM occupations in the US had a median annual wage of $106,360 compared with $50,000 across all occupations. But your outcome isn't determined by the country alone. It depends on the program you choose, the university you attend, the academic support around you, your access to industry, and the career resources available to you. So the question isn't whether the US comes with uncertainty. It does. But the opportunity in the US is still real. And the data we presented speaks for itself. Now the only thing left to do, finding the right program, the right university, and the right pathway to the US. That's the part where GradRight helps you get it right. So are you going to let a little noise stop you?