The United States of America is a diverse hub of higher education, housing top universities to suit every academic interest and career aspiration. Among these are the 8 Ivy League universities: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale University.
The USA has mostly top-ranking universities, making it reputable for law, business, and medical schools worldwide. There are over 980 universities in USA that offer undergraduate, graduate, and other degree-level programs. Hence, the cost of studying in the USA depends on the program you choose. Now, let us get into details of the top universities in USA.
Despite being a top study-abroad destination, the universities in USA are well-recognised for providing international students with a world-class education. The student-teacher ratio in the best universities in USA is usually 16 to 1.
The tuition fees of the universities in USA range from $8,000 to $55,000 (INR 6.7L to INR 45.9L), based on the type of course and duration. But before considering the cost of education, you must ensure that you meet all the criteria for studying there. Thus, check out the highlights table below:
Parameter |
Statistics |
Number of universities in USA |
1000+ |
Tuition fees of universities in USA |
Up to INR 10L: 285 universities Over INR 40L: 195 universities |
Top 3 streams in USA |
BE/BTech, BBA, MBA/PGDM |
English language exams required |
IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo |
Entrance exams required |
GRE, GMAT, SAT, ACT |
Best student cities in USA |
Boston, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc. |
Studying in USA provides unparalleled benefits, which include top-tier higher education, improved job prospects, vibrant student cities, and diverse international communities. The country houses the world’s leading universities and consistently ranks high in terms of its research-oriented education system.
International students are attracted to the country's prestigious Ivy League schools and the numerous scholarships available. With cities such as Boston, New York, and San Francisco providing dynamic growth environments, the United States of America is a top destination for global scholars seeking academic excellence and beyond.
After graduating from one of the top universities in USA, you must apply for a post-study work permit to gain some work experience. You will have a limited time period after finishing your studies, depending on the type of student visa you choose.
Usually, you can avail of 1 year of post-study work permit. If you choose an F1 visa and pick a STEM program, you can select Optional Practical Training (OPT), which allows you to work while studying (pre-completion OPT) or work after completing your studies (post-completion OPT) for up to 3 years.
Part-time jobs are important for Indian students, not only in terms of finances but also for work experience. You can work up to 20 hours a week when you have class to attend and 40 hours a week full-time when you don’t have classes.
Library monitors, teaching assistants, tour guides, research study assistants, peer tutors, campus tech support, and university bookstore assistants are some of the popular on-campus part-time jobs for Indian students.
You can find part-time jobs through various sources and resources, such as student unions, career service officers, university departments, and online platforms. According to the United States Department of Labor, the federal minimum wage for the majority of employees is $7.25 per hour. Part-time jobs in the USA can earn up to $20 per hour on average.
It is highly essential to look through the list of universities in USA. So, keep a keen eye on the table below for QS ranking and THE rankings 2024 of the USA university list.
University |
QS Rankings 2025 |
THE Rankings 2024 |
1 |
3 |
|
4 |
4 |
|
6 |
2 |
|
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) |
10 |
7 |
11 |
16 |
|
12 |
9 |
|
Cornell University |
16 |
20 |
21 |
13 |
|
22 |
6 |
|
23 |
10 |
|
32 |
15 |
|
34 |
17 |
|
42 |
18 |
|
New York University (NYU) |
43 |
27 |
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor |
44 |
23 |
Universities in USA provide Engineering programs in popular specialisations like Computer Science, Chemical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and so on. Below, we have given a list of the best BTech universities in USA:
Engineering Universities in USA |
QS Ranking |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) |
1 |
Stanford University |
2 |
University of California, Berkeley (UCB) |
5 |
Harvard University |
8 |
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) |
9 |
12 |
|
16 |
|
21 |
|
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
22 |
University of Texas at Austin |
24 |
Purdue University |
26 |
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor |
27 |
Cornell University |
30 |
Princeton University |
32 |
Columbia University |
44 |
Out of the top 20 management universities in the USA, 12 are American universities that welcome international students. Here's the list of these top management universities in the USA.
Universities in USA |
QS Ranking |
Harvard University |
1 |
Stanford University |
4 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) |
5 |
University of Pennsylvania |
7 |
University of California, Berkeley (UCB) |
13 |
New York University (NYU) |
15 |
University of Chicago |
16 |
Northwestern University |
17 |
Columbia University |
20 |
Yale University |
25 |
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor |
33 |
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) |
37 |
Cornell University |
38 |
Duke University |
53 |
University of Texas at Austin |
57 |
12 out of the top 20 medicine universities in the USA welcome international students. Here's the list of top Life Science & Medicine Universities in the USA:
Universities in USA |
QS Ranking |
Harvard University |
1 |
Johns Hopkins University |
3 |
Stanford University |
4 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) |
5 |
University of California, San Francisco |
8 |
Yale University |
11 |
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) |
14 |
Cornell University |
15 |
16 |
|
University of California, San Diego (UCSD) |
17 |
University of California, Berkeley (UCB) |
18 |
University of Pennsylvania |
20 |
Duke University |
22 |
Columbia University |
23 |
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor |
28 |
The United States of America is home to some of the world’s top-notch MBA universities and colleges. Below is the USA university list for MBA that attracts students worldwide due to their excellence in business education:
MBA Universities in USA |
QS Ranking |
Stanford Graduate School of Business |
1 |
Penn (Wharton) |
2 |
Harvard Business School |
3 |
MIT (Sloan) |
4 |
Columbia Business School |
5 |
Northwestern (Kellogg) |
6 |
UC Berkeley (Haas) |
7 |
Chicago (Booth) |
8 |
UCLA (Anderson) |
9 |
Yale School of Management |
10 |
NYU (Stern) |
11 |
Michigan (Ross) |
12 |
Duke (Fuqua) |
13 |
Cornell (Johnson) |
14 |
USC (Marshall) |
15 |
Boston (Questrom) |
16 |
Texas (McCombs) |
17 |
Indiana (Kelley) |
18 |
Carnegie Mellon (Tepper) |
19 |
Georgia Tech (Scheller) |
20 |
Dartmouth (Tuck) |
21 |
Georgetown (McDonough) |
21 |
Virginia (Darden) |
23 |
Emory (Goizueta) |
24 |
Minnesota (Carlson) |
25 |
Florida (Warrington) |
26 |
Babson College (Olin) |
27 |
Texas A&M (Mays) |
27 |
Washington (Foster) |
29 |
Michigan State (Eli Broad) |
30 |
In QS Best Student Cities 2025, 15 cities in the US are among the top 100 worldwide for studying abroad. If you choose to study in USA, you will have many universities to choose from among these cities.
Here's a list of the top student cities in the country:
Particulars |
QS Best Student Cities 2025 |
Boston |
16 |
New York |
18 |
San Francisco |
29 |
Los Angeles |
37 |
Chicago |
44 |
Philadelphia |
65 |
San Diego |
69 |
Washington DC |
70 |
Atlanta |
72 |
Pittsburgh |
80 |
Seattle |
88 |
Durham |
94 |
Houston |
106 |
Baltimore |
107 |
Miami |
115 |
You can opt from a plethora of programs available at the universities in USA, including 956 degree programs, 85 certificates, and 9 diploma courses. The table highlights the top ten courses available at these institutions:
Top Courses in USA |
Count of Universities in USA |
Arts and Humanities |
92 |
Engineering & Technology |
82 |
Life Sciences & Medicine |
121 |
Natural Sciences |
98 |
Social Sciences & Management |
83 |
Indian students wishing to study in the USA must meet the entry criteria of the university they have chosen. Requirements differ at all degree levels, from masters to bachelors to doctoral.
In terms of admission criteria, there are various exams you must attempt depending on the course you choose.
English language proficiency exams like IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, or Duolingo are required for Indian students whose first language is not English.
To gain admission to US universities, you must submit the required documents, which are listed below, categorised by the type of program:
Documents |
Bachelor’s Admission |
Master’s Admission |
Academic |
Must complete 12th-class education with the required score |
A bachelor’s degree is required for master's admission in the USA |
English language test |
IELTS/TOEFL/PTE/Duolingo |
IELTS/TOEFL/PTE |
Standardised test scores |
Not required |
GRE/GMAT/SAT/ACT |
Other documents |
Not required |
Academic transcripts , Proof of Finance, LOR , SOP , Resume |
You must get detailed knowledge of the university intakes in the USA, as not all intakes provide every course and institution. Therefore, it is crucial to stay well-informed about all the intakes in the USA.
Fall Intake in USA - The fall intake season begins in August and lasts until December or January. This intake is particularly popular among international students because many universities only offer some courses during the fall semester. Furthermore, there are numerous scholarships and job opportunities available during this time only.
Spring Intake in USA- It is generally accepted that the fall intake is more popular than the spring intake in the United States. The classes for spring intake begin in January and end in May.
Summer Intake in USA - Summer intake in the United States is the shortest. The classes for this intake last for four months, beginning in May and ending in August. Candidates may apply for special summer programs offered this semester.
The cost of studying in the United States for international students varies by program and university. For international students, the average first-year cost of an MS program is INR 23.5 L, while an MBA program costs INR 27.8 L.
International students have access to the range of the USA university first-year tuition fees below:
First-Year Tuition Fee Range |
Count of Universities |
Max 10 lakhs |
269 |
Max 20 lakhs |
747 |
Max 30 lakhs |
879 |
Max 40 lakhs |
940 |
40 lakhs + |
183 |
International students' living expenses in the United States range from INR 8.3 L to INR 15 L, depending on the city. Studying in the United States is expensive due to high living expenses and tuition fees at prestigious universities. Living expenses include rent, food, travel, stationery, entertainment, and other expenses. Check out the cost of living in each US state below:
Big Cities in the USA |
Average Cost of Living |
New York |
USD 3,300 or INR 2.7 L |
California |
USD 4,000 or INR 3.2 L |
Boston |
USD 3,316 or INR 2.8 L |
San Francisco |
USD 4,000 or INR 3.2 L |
Atlanta |
USD 2,200 or INR 1.8 L |
New Orleans |
USD 2,000 or INR 1.7 L |
Philadelphia |
USD 1,300 or INR 1.1 L |
Seattle |
USD 2,500 or INR 1.1 L |
Texas |
USD 2,000 or INR 1.7 L |
Illinois |
USD 1,470 or INR 1.2 L |
For international students wishing to study abroad, the USA continues to be the most popular option, but before you move ahead, you must first obtain a valid student visa. According to a USCIS report, approximately 200,000 Indian students applied to study in USA in the recent year, an increase of more than 19% from previous years. The following are the USA student visa fees for Indian students:
Type of Student Visas in USA & Costs |
F1 |
J1 |
M1 |
SEVIS Fee |
|||
Amount |
USD 350 |
USD 220 |
USD 350 |
Accepted Modes of Payment |
Credit Card Money Order/ Demand Draft |
Credit Card Money Order/ Demand Draft |
Credit Card Money Order/ Demand Draft |
Payable in |
Dollars at the applicable exchange rate as determined by the bank |
Dollars at the applicable exchange rate as determined by the bank |
Dollars at the applicable exchange rate as determined by the bank |
MRV Application Fee / Visa Application Fee |
|||
Amount |
USD 185 |
USD 185 |
USD 185 |
Accepted Modes of Payment |
NEFT Online Transfer Instant Money Transfer by Mobile - IMPS By Cash at counters of Axis Bank/ Citibank |
NEFT Online Transfer Instant Money Transfer by Mobile - IMPS By Cash at counters of Axis Bank/ Citibank |
NEFT Online Transfer Instant Money Transfer by Mobile - IMPS By Cash at counters of Axis Bank/ Citibank |
Payable in |
Payable in INR at the exchange rate fixed by the Consular Office (At present, the exchange rate is fixed at USD 1 = INR 83.18 - Sept 6, 2023) |
Payable in INR at the exchange rate fixed by the Consular Office (At present, the exchange rate is fixed at USD 1 = INR 83.18 - Sept 6, 2023) |
Payable in INR at the exchange rate fixed by the Consular Office (At present, the exchange rate is fixed at USD 1 = INR 83.18 - Sept 6, 2023) |
As an international student, it's important to learn about the job opportunities available in your chosen field of study. Students studying in sectors like Tech and IT, energy, life sciences, marketing/creative, healthcare, e-commerce, retail, and business services can find great career opportunities in the USA after they graduate.
Jobs in USA |
Average base salary |
Lawyer |
$126,930 |
Front-end engineer |
$105,240 |
Management Consultant |
$110,980 |
Java Developer |
$83,589 |
Data Scientist |
$107,801 |
Product Manager |
$117,713 |
DevOps Engineer |
$107,310 |
Data Engineer |
$102,472 |
Software Engineer |
$105,563 |
Business Development Manager |
$78,480 |
Financial Consultant |
$78,356 |
Nursing Manager |
$85,389 |
Finance Manager |
$120,644 |
Accounting Manager |
$85,794 |
Clinic Manager |
$70,000 |
Physical Therapist |
$71,483 |
After graduating from the top universities in USA, students have several job options. From career placement services to job listings on websites to professional networks, help them connect with potential employers and explore job opportunities there.
There are approximately 1,382 scholarships available in the United States for international students pursuing undergraduate and graduate programs. Of these, 1,210 are unique to specific colleges, while 172 are not.
Some well-known scholarships include the Global Study Awards, Tata Scholarship, BrokerFish International Student Scholarship, and QS Undergraduate Scholarship. Below is a list of universities in USA and their available scholarships.
University Name |
Name of Scholarship |
Amount Offered |
University of Houston |
Jack and D'Ann Burke International Scholarship |
Up to INR 82,940 |
Transfer Possibilities Scholarship |
Up to INR 12,38,250 |
|
California State University Chico Campus |
California State University Chico Campus |
Up to INR 9,12,340 |
Dale M. Schoettler Scholarship for Visually Impaired Students |
Up to INR 8,25,500 |
|
The University of Utah |
The University of Utah- President's Scholarship |
Up to INR 8,30,800 |
The University of Utah- Flagship Scholarship |
Up to INR 11,63,120 |
Contact MOEC Experts for Study Abroad Guidance!