MS in the US: A guide to the cost of living in the USA
Worried about your MS in USA cost? Check out the average cost of living in the USA across various cities and maintain your budget with our guide.
Planning to get your MS degree from a US university as an international student? Your finances will play a big role and you’ll need to consider the cost of living in the USA.
There are several factors to consider when calculating your MS in US cost , including the region of study, university and course, length of study and lifestyle choices while you study - known as living expenses.
If you’ve ever wondered how to accurately budget for the cost of living in the USA, this guide is the tool you need to plan for MS in US universities.
Cost of Attendance for MS in US
Start with understanding the term ‘Cost of Attendance’, or CoA. It is the beginning of every financial discussion regarding the cost of studying and cost of living in the USA for students.
The CoA - which covers tuition and living cost in the USA - is set by your university and the cost will vary widely from course to course. American universities are legally required to publish the Cost of Attendance for each course so you’ll find the specific CoA for the course you want to pursue on the university website.
See what a CoA looks like for 3 different universities in the US:
2 things international students must understand about Cost of Attendance
Like many Indian students headed to pursue their MS in the US, Ankit Shah knew his budget would be less than the CoA provided by the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).
“The cost of attendance provided by most schools is way higher than what one needs to survive and live a healthy life during their master’s.”
Even with the relatively low living costs found in Pittsburgh, Ankit’s budget was roughly $10,180 less than the school’s academic-year estimate.
Here is an example of CMU’s CoA compared with Ankit’s budget:
Mandatory fees
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