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Jobs in India after MS or MBA in USA – Job Opportunities ? Experience ?

As an international student, when you plan to pursue higher education like MS or MBA in the US, you need to first think of why you would like to do MS in the US and then think of those goals for making progress in those areas. Also, if your plan is to return back to your home country, which is India in this article’s context, you also need to also consider your job prospects in your home country after you get your degree. 

I have worked in both countries and will share my thoughts in this article based on how the system works and what they look for based on my personal experiences and conversations with my friends in the recruiting industry in India.

How do people perceive your  MS or MBA degree from the US in India?

I did my MS ( Master of Science) and MBA( Master of Business Administration) from reasonably decent state schools in the US…But, when I returned to India after my MS and MBA, I was under the impression that my degrees would be valued decently. I was NOT expecting that people value my degrees on par with IITs or IIMs.

I was wrong. Your typical Master’s degree from the US is not perceived as of decent value, unless you have a degree from an Ivy League School or from the top 10 schools like Harvard or Stanford Many treat an MS or MBA as just equal to yet another M.Tech or M.Sc from an average or good school or any university India.  So, if you are going to be under impression that your MS in the US is of great value and will get me a job here without any hassle, time to change that perception!

What are the Job opportunities in India after MS from the US?

If you are a freshly minted MS or an MBA graduate from a normal US university looking for a job in India without any prior experience, you are out of luck. Unfortunately, you will be considered as a fresher with M.Tech or M.Sc Degree holder in India.   Your job opportunities as a fresh MS degree holder from the USA are just like any other M.Tech or MCA degree holder who could not get a job in on-Campus selections and struggling to get a job off campus.   

Also, most of the top tier companies, select freshers by on-campus recruitment and you will not have the option to get picked by top tier companies, because you did not go to school in India. Another bad part is that you may not have any network of friends, who are freshers in India, who can help you with walk-ins and other information on job search…you are on your own. You need to just rely on online job applications and personal references.

In a nutshell, your job opportunities in India after MS in the USA, without any experience as a fresher, are very limited and you are up against a large crowd. It is not the best idea to compete against such a large pool of Masters’s degree holders in India.  Also, if you are under the impression that I worked on-campus, here is another thing to consider…most of the time, your on-campus employment is not really considered real work experience by many companies in India as you were studying full time.

When my cousin included his Research Assitant/ Graduate Assistantship experience in the US as work experience in his resume, the company just took that 1.5 years out of the overall experience and told him that you were studying full time and we cannot include this experience. It is ironic, but that’s the fact.  

Some small companies may consider it, but many do not take it, just be cautious… In any case, as a fresh MS degree holder from America, you are just like another fresher here… So, what do you need to do?

What do they look for in India for a Job?  Experience?

In India, getting a job is all about work experience…to be more specific, it is relevant work experience in that field that you are applying to work!  Recruiters just look at the number of years of work experience in a particular field.  For instance, if you are applying for an IT job as a Developer or Tester, the recruiter would look at your experience as a developer more specifically developer of that technology like Java, C++, Android, etc…

How to prepare yourself to get a job in India after MS or MBA in the US?

aDuring MS or MBA, you would have Curricular Practical Training(CPT), consider working on full-time CPT in the Summer and part-time during school as well, it will add up as experience ( of course, you may need to convince them during the interview), but what else can you do ?

After MS in the US, you would get either one year OPT or an additional 24 months ( 2+24 months), if you are from STEM Degree. You need to utilize that time and work in the US for that 1 year or 36 months to get relevant experience that you can put in your resume. It is best if you can work for 36 months because you will be out of the danger zone in India. 

Most of the fraud resumes in India are of students who have under 2 years of experience.  Also, you should get certifications done in your field. For example, in IT industry there are many certifications offered by Microsoft, Oracle, Google, AWS, Cisco, etc. Pick the one relevant to your field and complete it, you can possibly use that in your job search.  Also, if you can do any courses in your area of experience, it will help as well.

Many small companies or startups are interested in hiring trained candidates with one or two years of experience, you can easily crack the interview and get a job in such cases….

Also, it is no different for anyone who has completed B.S or any bachelor’s degree from the US and trying to return to India to get a job, they will be considered as freshers and will need to crack interviews off campus, which can be hard…so it is good to get some experience in the US and then return to your home country.

Conclusion

Do not be under the impression that having a degree like MS from a US University will fetch you a job easily in India. You need relevant experience in your field of job to get a job in India, otherwise, you are competing with everyone, who is a fresh graduate in India. Try to utilize CPT, OPT and STEM OPT to get some work experience before you move back to India.

What has been your experience? Did you come back to India after MS as fresher? Did you come back after bachelor’s from the US? How was it?

   

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107 Comments

  1. Hello Sir,
    My name is Mrunmayee. I have completed my Master’s in Computer Engineering from Cal State Fullerton. I graduated in January but due to the covid situation I am yet to land a job opportunity. My family wants me back in India now that they are finding it difficult to financially support me, I am worried my degree won’t be of any use in India, as I am a fresher I did my bachelor’s and directly came for Master’s. I did do an internship for 8 months in USA while I was studying. Please guide me what will be the best decision for future.

    Reply
    • Mrunmayee,
      Sorry to hear. It may be difficult decision to take. Due to COVID, there maybe hiring freezes at many companies, so it can be difficult. Yes your degree may not help much in India as the experience is less. Try for few more days and if you get nothing, you need to make some hard decision to leave. Do not try to do any shortcuts like Day 1 CPT, it can impact you in long run….Try to see, if you can find any new opportunity in India remotely when in US…

      Reply
  2. Hi
    I have completed my graduation in 2015 , I got a job in 2019 I have a one year experience now can I do ms now , and can I get better jobs after my ms in India

    Reply
    • Navin,
      Yes, you can. Well, that will be another masters degree, so it may not matter. In India they look for experience over degree.

      Reply
  3. I have graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology. I dont have andy prior experience as after my bachelors i went for my Masters now I have to search for a job in India. What should be my CTC?

    Reply
    • Ran,
      It is not going to be any different. Your degree from RIT maybe regarded as another Masters degree. It totally depends on where you apply…some large companies pay even 5 to 10 lakhs for freshers, the trick is finding those and getting them in off campus.

      Reply
  4. Hi,
    I am currently pursuing Masters of Information Technology at RMIT University, Australia. I have done my bachelors in Computer Science in India and have a work experience of 1 year 7 months in India. I am currently in my first year and will be completing my masters in May 2021.
    I have plans to come back and work in India as a Software Engineer with a pay-scale of INR 10lakh/annum to INR15lakh/annum. I have also started working on it. What are your aspects on this?

    Reply
    • Chetan,
      Your experience is essentially still under 2 years, just getting a Masters from Australia may or may not make a big difference. If you get to work in Australia after studies or during it, that can be added up. Unless you have special skills and be able to get into some good companies, it can be a stretch for 2 years of experience.

      Reply
  5. Hello all,
    I am MBBS from India and thinking of doing MPH(masters in public health) or MHA( masters in hospital administration) from the States. Can someone please guide me about the job opportunities in the US. I don’t intend to return to India. So how probably is it looking at all the immigration law changes and all.

    Reply
  6. Hi ,

    I have 4 years of work experience as a quality analyst in India. Pursued my MIS in USA . But I am not so Keen on staying back to work here after my graduation in about 3 months What are your thoughts of me returning back and taking a job back in India to take up a job as a data analyst or a test engineer . I don’t have that much of a financial burden as I was a GA throughout my course.

    Reply
    • Well, it all depends on what you want to do with your career. If you have OPT and have option to work for couple years, it can add a lot for you as US Experience will help for your growth in India to get promotions, etc.

      Reply
      • Yes I agree on the fact that us experience will help me in promotions. But how would I stand in terms of work opportunities with 4 years of work experience and a master’s.
        Right now the plan is to stay for another 5 years in IT , then later maybe shift towards the family owned business in the silicon city in India . And look at a possible MBA down the lane. But at the same time I wanted to understand what are the trade offs in getting a job back home after graduation with respect to working here on OPT.

        Reply
  7. Hi sir
    I am shraddha. I am living in US on H4 (dependent visa)I was working as a software engineer back in India before 2 years then I quit my job bcoz I had to come here with my husband.
    Now after few years I have to get back to India and in order to get job I was thinking to do something here .
    Are there any other options except MS. My educational qualification is MCM from PUNE University.
    Also plz guide me with all the exams that needed for the respective course that you suggest. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Shraddha,
      If you already worked for couple of years, then it is logical to pick up where you left and use that experience. See, if you can do any courses related to the field and then position accordingly…You can always say that you could not work in US due to H4, but you have done some courses on Udacity, Coursera, etc and got certifications, so that you can get back to working…

      Reply
  8. Hello sir,
    I am Deepika I completed my engineering in Pune , now for further studies I want to pursue master degree from any reputed college from foreign.
    My 1st que is, is it worth it to do ms from any foreign clg?
    My 2nd que, if after having 3-4 years of job experience in foreign country…if I am thinking of getting back to India…then what is the scope of that degree with 3-4 yr of job experience in India?

    Reply
    • I am answering this in perspective of US.
      1. It all depends on what your goals for MS. If you want to study for the experience and passion, go for it..if not, rethink. Read Should I study MS in US with H1B lottery
      2. You will be treated like a normal 3 to 4 year old experience person. But, you would have some advantage as you would have some US experience, so you may get more customer facing roles and better position.

      Reply
      • Yes I agree on the fact that us experience will help me in promotions. But how would I stand in terms of work opportunities with 4 years of work experience and a master’s.
        Right now the plan is to stay for another 5 years in IT , then later maybe shift towards the family owned business in the silicon city in India . And look at a possible MBA down the lane. But at the same time I wanted to understand what are the trade offs in getting a job back home after graduation with respect to working here on OPT.

        Reply
  9. Hello Sir,
    I have completed B.E Mechanical In Bangalore,2017.
    My profile is such that I will get MS seat at average universities in the USA for Engineering Management (MEM).
    My other option is doing an MBA In India itself from a good college.
    Which would you suggest,in terms of job opportunities and learning later on,
    to work for a few years,then pursue my own business ventures in India.
    Thankyou.

    Reply
      • hello sir! my name is Kartheek.
        iam currently pursuing my b.tech in Information Technology….i want pursue masters,but my doubt is “is masters worth the money?” if so what are best countries to study at present

        Reply
        • It all depends on what you value it for….Good education maybe worth the money…but, some look at it as, if I do not get job and I cannot make that money back, it is not worth it…so it is all about perspective and what you want in life…You need to research and decide what is good for you. US always has good education, but job options are getting more stricter.

          Reply
  10. I’ll be graduating in the year 2019. My GRE score is 311(162 in quant) and my TOEFL score is 105. I want to pursue M.S. in electrical engineering. What are the factors that I need to consider? I have shortlisted few universities but I am not sure whether I am taking a big risk or not. I want to work there for atleast 4-5 years.

    Reply
    • Well, I suggest you read Study in US with H1B lottery . Working in US at the current moment with immigration changes can be tricky. If you go for STEM degree, you may be able to work on it on OPT for 36 months, but again, it is subject to many factors… Think about why you want to study in US, is it just going to US or passion for higher education, etc..Read Goals for MS in USA . Based on all these factors make an informed decision.

      Reply
  11. Hi i completed my masters in MIS. It has been 9 months still i don’t have any job. My OPT is till February 2019. I am a fresher and have a huge education loan on me. As its very difficult to survive here in US i am thinking of coming back to India. Would i be able to repay my loan by working in India

    Reply
    • Firstly, Not sure, if you are aware of the 90 day unemployment rule… you are considered out of status, if you are unemployment days exceed 90 days. Discuss with your DSO and take necessary action. You may be able to pay off loan by working in India, but it may take longer for you to repay, that’s the only difference. It totally depends on how much you get paid in your new job.

      Reply
      • Hi i have taken an offer letter from consultancy to stop my opt period. But is getting difficult here to manage my expenses. So i am thinking of moving back to india

        Reply
  12. Hi
    I’m Sahitya
    I’m currently pursuing my Btech in EEE. My goal is to work at R&D IN DRDL OR ISRO. I want to perceive MS as it has better exposure but due to financial problems, I’ve to clear my loan and then return to India. will MS+JOB EXPERIENCE in India help me? Also, after completing my MS+Job will I have to start from scratch I.e write gate? Is mtech here better option for me or MS in US? Please guide me.

    Reply
    • Well, each of them has their pros and cons. My view is that, if you want to get back to India and work in ISRO, getting M.Tech in India from an IIT would prepare you better for DRDL or ISRO…You can get similar experience in US as well, if you end up in top 10 schools. You can seek scholarship, if you get really good scores and see, if that is an option. Wherever you study either US or India in M.tech, start preparing on what is required for your dream work…start gathering information on what they look for and then take steps that will help you get there.

      Reply
  13. I’m currently in my first semester of Master’s in Electrical Engineering with networking as my major. I want to return to India immediately after Master’s. What type of job opportunities will be available for me in India (Bangalore specifically)?

    Reply
    • Kavya,
      With MS, you are essentially considered as any other M.Tech student in India. You will have to search job a fresher, which is not going to be easy. Location does not matter, you will be considered a fresher and need to look for jobs…

      Reply
  14. I want to pursue B.Tech from US followed by MBA.What are job opportunities in US (under Trump’s orders)?Also if I wish to return to India,what will be the worth of my degree?
    Plz advise..

    Reply
  15. I hv done my bsc in biotechnology and trying for MS in neuroscience in US or UK by 2019 through the GRE examination and by getting the scholarships for it and will b trying for jobs over there only.
    I m also doing a job currently in the same field with a 25K salary per month. Is it a right choice wat I m trying to persue for my future please guide.

    Reply
    • It is all about your passion and interest. But, you need to be clear on your goals. US has tightened rules on H1B to work, read Study in US with H1B Lottery situation . I cannot speak for US. Studying and working are two different things and you need to be clear on that…sometimes, you may have to comeback due to visa situation in these countries, so be prepared for everything and take an informed decision.

      Reply
      • If I go ahead with my decision and work over there on OPT but not the H1B visa, so will I get job in India on the basis of that experience with a worth salary because neuroscience is a complete research background, so are there any chance in it.

        Reply
  16. Hello,

    I completed my Mechanical Engineering in 2014 and went to pursue Masters in Industrial Management (2015 – 2017, Europe) with 6 months of teaching experience. I have returned to India and looking for a job. My experience so far is as follows.

    First thing I did after coming here was to apply in all MNC’s for freshers role. I was surprised to receive all rejections. Most of the companies said we recruit via campus, we only accept IIT and IIMs or according to our company policy we cannot hire foreign degree. Once I even cracked phone round and aptitude round but was rejected by the recruiter because I was not from tier1 MBA college in India.

    I started applying for internships. They didn’t want to hire me because either I was overqualified or I would leave internship mid-way (their prediction) if I get a better opportunity because of my degree. The same goes for the walk-in jobs for research analyst or even back-office jobs. The first thing that comes to the mind of recruiter seeing a foreign degree is high salary expectation.

    Also, if you are a fresher (generalized MS or MBA) you are competing with MMS and BCom students who already have at least 1-year experience of the job you are applying.

    In short, it’s very difficult to find something good unless you have some jugaad or jack with a high official in a company. Keep trying and join the first job you get in order to avoid the gap in your resume.

    Keep Hustling the struggle is real my friend!

    Best of Luck!!

    Reply
    • There is nothing Masters in the MS. What they teach in USA is as good as a computer course diploma/certificate in India. Unless you are doing from top schools it has no value. Its only to decorate your visiting card.
      I asked a student doing MS in computer science in USA about algorithm,
      he responded by saying ‘never heard of it’. But more horrifying was when he mention that he had done BE in the same from India. God only knows…how and who have him the degree?
      So bottom line is …. if u r interested in serious study(not immigration). …do it from top schools.

      Reply
      • Mr. Mahesh,

        When you say ” What they teach in the USA is as good as a computer course diploma/certificate in India”It is not true. Know the facts

        Reply
  17. I have 4 years of experience in US and also hold H1B visa status. Now i am planning to come back to India (Hyderabad). How much i can demand and where can i apply for jobs ? I am bit confused.

    Reply
    • Everything varies by role, technology, etc. There is no generic answer. You can look at some of the salaries in companies on Glassdoor to get an idea, talk to few people and then put that as offer. Again, you never put a price right away on yours, you always would need to say that you need to paid as per market rate or more for your competency and keep it right there…as you start to do research and speak to people, you will know.

      Reply
    • Hi Saikrishna,
      Indian IT job market with mix of everything. I have friends getting salary from 9 lacks to 40 lacks. All with 9 years of experience.

      It all depends on the technology stack you are on. But now it also mainly depends on how good you are with Algo’s and DS. And also design problems. I know a friend who knows core java with basics of clouds and he is getting 40+ lacks. With strong knowledge of Algo’s , system design and DS one can easily get 30+ lacks for 6+ experience.

      In India you can find lot of companies who are ready to pay heavy package if you really good with Algorithms, DS and system design and any of the programming languages like C++, java, python, c#. JS.

      Reply
    • Jobs are always there, if you try hard enough. It is immigration challenges with H1B lottery and getting a sponsor in US a challenging thing. We cannot speak about Japan.

      Reply
  18. Hello,

    I have total 6 years of experience as Database administrator.
    I am thinking to go to US for further studies , But I am confused between MS and MBA.
    Will my 6 years of experience as a DBA will help me after MS and MBA ?
    Also Which department I should take in MS ? MS in IS , MS in CS or MS in BA.

    Please advise.

    Reply
    • Ekta,
      You need to think about where you see you see yourself in 10 years and then take a call. Your education should help you get there. MS and MBA are very different. Read MS vs MBA in USA . Take some time to think and then make a decision.

      Reply
    • My daughter has done her MS in Electrical Engineering in US. She got a job as a contractor and the payment depends on the share value of the company. Since it is a start up it is not yet listed. So actually she doesnot get any remuneration and sort of voluntary service. She could not get regular job till now. Is it advisable to come back and try for admission in Ph.D since off campus jobs without experience is difficult or try for job. She is not very passionate to do PhD. Only for improving job prospects she would like to persue PhD

      Reply
      • I do not think you should encourage your daughter to do something like PhD for the sake of immigration benefit. Getting a PhD will not increase her chances for normal jobs, unless it is a professor/ research. PhD is not for everyone, you need to have passion and lot of patience to get it…

        Reply
        • I was thinking of her coming back and join for PhD in India and simultaneously try for jobs as she can gain some reasearch experience and try in research labs for job.

          Reply
          • Ah, ok…I was assuming it was in US…In any case, location does not matter…PhD is not for everyone, passion and purpose is very important..if not, they will quit during the process and it will be waste of time.I have seen many quit as they could not take it because they lacked passion and purpose.

  19. Hello,

    I am Vijay, I have done masters in Information system management in US and returned back to India due to Job opportunities which are not good and tough after trumps presidential rules. The Consultancies are not supporting OPT students and they are not being hired by any firm. So, I decided to come back. Moreover, I am looking to work here in India and do MBA ( distance ). But my interest towards Business is more when compared to Technology. Please, Tell me How does MBA help after MS in US to my career? If I work here in India since I have been to the US for my studies. Is there a possibility for H1 visa or L1 visa through the company? How do you best suggest me? and Is there a possibility for applying for jobs overseas as I have a comeback?

    thank you,
    vijay

    Reply
    • vijay,
      I can image the pain of coming back, but that’s life. You can find a job at MNC and convince them to apply for H1B or L1. Either of these can take time like a year, unless you get a great employer willing to sponsor. Of course, there could be lottery and your h1B chances are again dependent on Luck.
      Regarding MBA, I suggest you work for few years in Industry and then take up a decision on the same. You can check when to do MBA after Engineering . You need to plan out your career and then add MBA as a stepping stone to get there. I am not sure how much distance program of MBA will add value… Take time to think, find work and then make a decision.

      Reply
  20. I have Completed my bachleors degree in the stream of EEE planning to study in abroad which course will be better for me either MS or Mba .After returning to india will i get any job oppurtunities

    Reply
  21. Hi.. Got lot info on reading all these.. Am planning to study abroad,I’ll be graduating in 2018 mechanical engineering. Am planning for Masters in Canada? Is it worth going for Canada? Aftr finishing my PG, how will be the job opportunities!!?

    Reply
  22. Hi,

    I have a total work experience of 5.7 years in India. I have secured an admit for MS in Information Technology at Northwestern University, Evanston USA. The university is definitely expensive but is considered as a good university. I plan to work in US for 6-9 months after graduating and then come back to India. What are the job prospects back here in India after 5.7 years experience and a masters degree.

    Reply
  23. Hi,
    Thanks for your efforts and sharing your experience. This definitely helps people around.
    Is this the correct time to do MS in MIS now after Trump’s Presidency. I have got admits from Stevens Institute and Suny Buffalo. But I am worried about the Job scenario after MS, specially now. Is it true that now the companies are not hiring due to the H1-B rows?

    Please suggest what can be done. Thanks

    Reply
  24. Hiii
    I am pursuing MS in pharmacy in USA and thinking to go for MBA after completion. Is it a good option and worth of time and money??

    Reply
    • Well, it really depends on what your aspirations are for long term. It is always recommended to work for few years and then think about MBA…

      Reply
  25. Hello Sir,

    I did my MS in CS in Silicon Valley and I have total 4 years of experience in US and 2 years in India. I am planning to move back to India for some family reasons. Can I get job opportunity in India? How is the market in india right now for MS people?

    Please let me know.
    Thanks
    Amit

    Reply
    • Amit,
      Total you have about 6 years experience, thats a lot of experience for you to get a decent job. Just start to apply from now itself, when you are in US, it should give you a head start and be prepared.

      Reply
  26. Hello Sir ,

    I have already started my applications for my MS in Cyber Security from US this fall 2017 . Before going for such a decision , I thoroughly investigated , about the job prospects in this domain , since I am from a middle class background . Presently I am a working employee in an MNC with 3+ years of experience . Nowadays a little bit worried about the decision . I am passionate about this field , but too many uncertainties are making me more insecure . Any suggestions .

    Reply
    • Pranshu,
      Well, it all comes down your to your passion and if you can afford to take such risks. Read Should I apply to US with H1B lottery . You need to be prepared to come back home after your education, if you cannot find job or visa situation does not permit you do so…You have to be ready for it, if you plan to go to US…it is a decision that you need to make…

      Reply
  27. My son has done MS in USA and still he has not got job in USA. Because of Trups policies I do not think that he will get H1 B visa and a job. Presently he has got a job in india. My question is can he return to India and take some experience and go back to USA? If he wants to go back to USA then how he will get H1 B visa?

    Reply
    • Rajendra,
      Yes, he can come back and work for an MNC and can go back on L1 visa to work for the same company, if the MNC is willing to move him to their US office. This is purely subject to the company your son works and their L1 visas and need for them.

      Reply
  28. Hello sir,
    I have completed my B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering in 2015 and currently working in R&D (Agri Machinery),
    I have good grades, research papers and international projects.
    i want to pursue MS in USA to further up my learning and make money too!
    but current scenario in Trump administration discourages me to pursue it as i see it as a lot of financial risk.
    Please advice

    Reply
  29. haii sir , this is mahesh,
    i am completed my b.tech in mechanical eng in 2014, i got visa 2015 fall, but due to some health problems i postponed (that time i feel i’m cancelling my m.s program,due to job notifications in my state govt, i tried for it but lost in 2-5 marks) , can i go for this fall(2017 aug). and i hear from my friends there is less jobs in mechanical , so i want to my m.s in computer science , is it good idea? my gre is 299 and my ielts validity is over, so now i need to take test again…
    thanking you sir…

    Reply
  30. Hello sir this is sriram balakrishnan.now iam getting ready for my higher studies in USA as MS in networking.after my MS I need a job in USA is there any trouble in that (Trump) allso can u please suggest me to take other subjects to do in MS to maximum job opportunity and my GRE score 293 and my IELTS band 7 suggest me some universities suitable for my score

    Reply
  31. Hi
    Iam 29 ywars old I have around 6.5 years of exp and have switched 3 companies by now and currently in a product based company in Bangalore with very good package of around 21 lpa .
    I would like to go for MS in US ( mostly due to peer pressure as my relatives are doing ) .
    Please suggest me if it is worth leaving such good job and going for MS .
    My main agenda would be to stay in US for 5-6 years post MS , else i feel that there is no value of return on MS fees .

    Iam confused abt new changing Trump rules (heard that even OPT and Master degree expection is going to get scrapped) .

    Please suggest me the best solution .

    Also is 29 age on higher side for doing MS , it is also worth doing at this age .
    Iam very much confused .

    Reply
    • Ashwin,
      You will always have peer pressure everywhere…You should feel, if you want to do MS or not…It is two years of your life and lot of money, so take time to think about it. Whether something is worth or not is very relative…it depends on your goals for MS. Read Goals for MS in US
      Also, staying in US and working after MS are subject to many disclaimers like H1B lottery, and unknown rules that we anticipate in new administration. Take an informed decision…

      Reply
    • Hello Ashwin
      Personally as a doctoral grad student at a reputable US university,I would only say that try to take life lightly and live it in a way so as to maximize your personal happiness while making sure you have enough security and safety.
      PLEASE don’t apply for an MS just because of seeing your relatives as international travelers.Life in the US can seem envious to others but it has its own burden of huge uncertainty even though job salaries can get high at the cost of losing them any random time.
      If you feel like you want to make a statement to your relatives,save enough from your salary to take your family on a vacation to the US.
      Remember life is for living ,not for going through periods of great doubt and uncertainty.
      In short,if you feel an MS can be a change of perspective,do follow your heart and live your dream,but be wary of the ever increasing stress of jobs and worklife as one gets older

      Reply
  32. How good are the job opportunities in Canada?
    I intend to work for 2 or 3 years there and return to India
    Is it better if i study MS in Canada ?

    Can i pls know which university you pursued MS degree?

    Reply
    • Job opportunities in Canada are next to nil. I don’t want to sound discouraging. I don’t mean to stop you from going there. Just want to caution you that it will be a long slog. Canada does not offer even 1% in terms of volumes of jobs and career opportunities that USA has owing to its smaller population and number of companies in any industry sector. IT might have more numbers compared to other sectors but still by no means it will be a bed of roses. A lot depends on luck and personal networking in Canada, and Indians by work culture would not have learnt the necessary networking skills because they never had to in their home country. On the plus side, there could be many who succeeded in Canada fighting against all odds with patience and perseverance. If you are one of those, there is no reason why you would not succeed. Ask yourself if you have the emotional stamina and drive in spite of repeated rejections and failure.

      Reply
    • Ashish,
      Working in US has couple of aspects, one is the visa and second is getting job. If you find the right internship by looking for one proactively, you can find a role…One thing you need to know is that you will need H1B visa, which has been subject to lottery in the past few years…thats is purely luck…I suggest you read Should I apply to US with H1B Lottery

      Reply
  33. Hello,

    Is there a difference in salary for people on OPT vs regular US citizens/Green card holders?

    If a US employer is giving job to an Indian on OPT, will he eventually be willing to sponsor his H1B as well?

    Reply
    • Shankar,

      As long as employer is not paying you below labor market rate, they can offer OPT holders a bitter deal. Big corporations won’t do that though.

      I know of employers who would offer OPT but don’t file H-1B. You have to have that discussion w/ your employer.

      Reply
        • Shankar,

          BITTER deal. They know that they are hiring someone who has limited employment authorization and will have to gamble with H-1 lottery. So they may offer lower salary (but still above prevailing wages). Like I said earlier, big companies won’t do that though.

          Reply
  34. hi ,

    I have two questions.

    1) My wife is on H4 Visa in USA. she want to work in any indian or any company in india from USA . can she work or not ?

    2) I am working on H1B in USA, but i want to work on weekends in any company in india from USA on weekend ? Can I work ? or its illegal ?

    Please respond ASAP.

    Thanks
    Venk

    Reply
      • ajay,
        You need to take GRE, TOEFL and apply as per requirements at each school. I suggest you check any university website to get a good idea about the process.

        Reply
  35. It is indeed very true that MS in USA is not a valued degree in India.
    I came back in 2009 after my MS as a fresher to face the worst of the situations here too after struggling in USA when the recession was at its peak…. I was literally treated equal to Btechs or BSC It or MCA degrees here. I was also rejected saying I was over qualified and had no experience. The first job I had to take up was a start up company after waiting for 7-8 months as I dint find direct openings in MNC, Post to that after 3 years of experience I could get into a MNC that too with personal references.
    Now while working I feel at the same level as any other degree in India. No justice to MS from USA in India.
    Anyone has any suggestions on how to add value to your profile with MS degree?? Or should I consider going back to USA?

    Reply
    • I agree with you. I graduated in 2009 and as you said it was the recession time having no jobs even though I had 2 internships during summer and on CPT. I had to kept my mouth shut until I got my 1st project in jun 2011 during my post OPT. I was literally frustrated during that time. (Unfortunately I got only 1 yr H1B visa after RFE.) After that I worked almost 1.5 yrs with the clients (1 yr on OPT + 4 months H1B) and I visited India for the H1B stamping and I had 221G from USCIS. I have been waiting for the answers from the employer an almost 5 months went so bad, no reply at all. I had no project work and my visa got expired during the process. I absolutely had a doubt of getting the job here in India. Simply I just look for here and there and no suitability. Sometimes says over qualification, no salary as of my experience.I only had lost my energy and money looking for suitable job in India(almost I covered all hubs and tried with the references too but it didn’t work out. I think those hiring people were from such xxx top institutes where do not even teach to value the other candidates. Sometimes I think why I had valued and giving my help to those Indians people in the another countries while working with them. I regret to say that those are not the right candidates having the upper positions in India just having a degree from top institutes. Those top companies are here too I still think why they won’t hire us, all universities are there in the database.
      I would say if you have enough money and support try to get into the top institute here than wasting your extra $$ to go there and at the end zero result later at your life or try if any of the company ready to file your work visa or if you have long term plan or for life time to stay in US, you can go back. I won’t suggest for PhD, it may take to the same line. No values in India of such good candidates.

      Reply
  36. Does MS in engineering management comes under Stem program??? If so how are the job prospect after completion of MEM course?? Can anyone guide me??

    Reply
    • Not great per se. But you can take courses on Quality / Six Sigma and do a black belt Six Sigma certification to add credibility to your resume.

      Reply
  37. I am having 2 yrs experience in India after BE, I want to go for MS in US and then come back to India after 2 yrs in US. Will MS help to add much needed weight in my profile, which I want to utilize to land in a Technical/R&D job in India?

    Reply
    • It depends on the university you will be pursuing your MS. Many international candidates come here. So it has become harder to get into top-notch universities. Instead of investing 2 years in US, staying in India and making your way up in the organization will be a better choice.

      Reply
  38. In india it’s very difficult to get Quality jobs. I am also facing this job. Here are many jobs but salary is very low according to working profile. Thanks for posting Sarkari Naukri

    Reply
  39. Hi red2bus,

    I have returned with my MSCS from a top 50 univ and faced a lot of problems in Mumbai. I was making 65k per annum USD but now I make 8lpa rupees. Any one else facing such devaluation of their degrees?? its a shame to work here.. I would also ask anyone to suggest should I try to goto the US again and look for a job or maybe possibly try in Canada or EU how are the prospects there? what shud be my next best step?? Thanks in advance

    Reply
  40. what if we have more over 3 years of work experience with MNC in india and go for MS in USA…think if we do OPT (either 1yr or 29 months)
    later if we come back to home how it will be? does MS really helpful to us or not

    Reply

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