Peerless MS Programs in the USA: Make the Best Choice in 2023
Having an MS in the USA is the desire and dream of many students, most especially, international students.
As an international student intending to apply for MS in the USA in 2022, you need to be well-grounded, to make 2022 “the year”.
Did you know that MS in the USA is a 2-year program in 70% of the universities in the USA?
Well, what if you just want a one year program?
For what it’s worth, this article seeks to give you all the juicy, but concise details on how to land an MS in the USA.
By the time you finish this article, you will realize the best, and right choice on MS in the USA.
Interesting Facts About the U.S.
Before considering an MS in the USA, you should take a look at some areas of interest the U.S. offers.
American universities are second to none.
America, being a first world country, and having world power, invests so much in education.
This is because education has been the pivot point for America to stand where they are today.
Worthy of note also is that most elites in the USA attended top-notch universities and hence understand the need to make the universities even better than they left them.
Tuition fees for anyone’s budget
In the U.S., tuition is made affordable for all. Though, the structure and standard of each school may vary based on finance made available.
Nevertheless, the standard in the school with the least tuition remains top-notch.
Academic flexibility
Everyone loves a program that offers them flexible options. MS in the USA is very flexible. In that, you could have run a master’s program for one year or two years.
Furthermore, when carrying out an MS in the USA, you could be working and schooling.
Do you also prefer schooling online, then you need to apply for an MS in the USA, as they have the best online schooling platforms.
Unique student life and on-campus experiences
Being a student should not limit your ability to explore and live your best life.
When having your MS in the USA, you get to mingle with other students, go on excursions to good tourist sites, and engage in voluntary services that would keep you feeling fulfilled.
Not to forget, good sportsmanship is also celebrated in the USA. Sports such as basketball, volleyball, handball, and math decathlon amongst others.
Travel and explore amazing sights and tourist attractions
Seeking amazing sites for exploration during your MS in the USA, well, you should take a look at the list below.
Grand Canyon National Park
The grand canyon offers you whitewater rafting, the Arizona park here is a good spot for hiking, and also the towering rocks and expansive vistas are good sites to see.
Yosemite National park
This park is located in California and would offer you famous landmarks like the hiking Cathedral lakes, half dome and glacier points.
Also, if you love waterfalls, Yosemite waterfall is one of the tallest in the world. And you would be amazed visiting it.
Yellowstone
This is the first national park in America. If you love nature, steaming geysers and bubbling hot springs, then Yellowstone is your go-to site.
Maui
The verdant parks and idyllic beaches at Maui make it a good tourist site. On good recommendation, you should take a walk from Haleakala Observatory, to catch a sunset or sunrise. If you love seafood too, then you would enjoy Maui.
Glacier National Park
If you love hiking, and you are considering an MS in the USA, you should visit this park. Also, you would enjoy canoeing and fishing in summer, and cross country skiing here.
There are more tourist centres in the USA, but let’s dive into our gem.
I want a Year of Master’s: Costs in the United States.
Just like we established in the beginning, America offers you flexibility in schooling. If you want an MS in the USA that lasts for one year, you can get it.
Carrying out a one year MS in the USA affords you the chance to save extra time and money that would be used for a two-year master’s course.
Unless you are on a scholarship, a one-year MS in the USA would be nice for you.
One Year Masters Costs in the USA
In the USA, the average cost of a Master’s degree ranges from $30,000 to $120,000.
This amount depends on the schools and major.
It costs around $55,200 for a Master’s in Education, $72,800 for the Arts, and $62,300 for Science.
Eligibility for One Year Masters in the USA
Generally speaking, to be eligible for a one year Master’s in the USA, you are required to have 3 to 4 years of a bachelor’s degree in the relevant field with an average GPA of 3.0 or 65 – 70% and above.
Proof of your English-language Proficiency tests such as IELTS, or GRE score that is 290 or above.
Some schools do wave English proficiency tests though. But the above is basically what makes you eligible.
Documents Required for One Year Masters in the USA
When applying for a one year Master’s in the USA, you would need the following documents:
- Application form
This should be typed and sent during the application. Ensure to proofread before sending.
- Personal statement
This is a statement that talks about you, hence, it should give details on why you should be accepted for an MS in the USA.
- Academic / professional references
A reference is a letter that attests to your character and abilities. Ensure you seek an academic or a professional who knows you well.
Giving one who knows nothing about you the chance to fill in for you is a terrible idea.
The letter has to be at least two from different individuals.
- Copies of your degree certificate and academic transcripts
This can be gotten from the school where you had your B.sc. It would be sent during the application.
- A CV (for some courses)
When applying for a Master’s in the USA, some schools require you to write a well-crafted CV.
If you can’t write an outstanding CV, seek help.
- Research proposal (for Masters such as MPhil or MRes)
When applying for such a Master’s, you would need a detailed research proposal. This proposal would give details on how your research would be carried out, and how it seeks to better humanity.
- Proof of English language proficiency (if applicable)
Some schools require non-English speaking nationals, or L2 speakers of English to present an English proficiency test. This test is not difficult though.
You may also need a financial statement, and a passport, if you don’t have one already.
Courses Under One Year Master in the USA
Well, having gone through the previous details, let us take a look at specialization for one year Master’s that can be found in some universities.
One Year Masters Programs in the Engineering
- University of South Carolina
Chemical Engineering Master’s of Engineering (M.E.) degree
- Northern Arizona University
Mechanical Engineering Master’s of Engineering (M.E.) degree
- Wichita State University
Engineering Management Master’s of Engineering (M.E.) degree
- Pennsylvania State University
Aerospace Engineering Master’s of Engineering (M.E.) degree
One Year Masters Programs in Finance
- Pace University
MBA in Financial Management
- The University of Portland, Pamplin Business School
Master of Science in Finance
One Year Masters Programs in Computer Science
- The University of Missouri-st
- Texas State University
- Computer Science Master of Arts (M.A.)
MS in USA Top Universities (Above One Year)
Seeing that most people seek MS in the USA for one year, we have detailed it above. Now, we would look at schools that offer more than a year of MS programs.
Top Universities that offer MS in the USA
Columbia University, New York, USA.
Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
Yale University, New Haven, USA
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
Princeton University, Princeton, USA
University of Chicago, Chicago, USA.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, USA
Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
Stanford University, Stanford, USA
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA
Public Universities that offer MS in the USA:
- The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
- The University of California – Berkeley (UCB)
- University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
- The University of Virginia
- University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- The University of Florida
- Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
- The University of California, Irvine (UCI)
- The University of California–San Diego (UCSD)
- Florida Atlantic University
- University of Michigan-Dearborn
- The University of Texas at Austin
Ivy Universities that offer MS in the USA:
- Harvard University (Massachusetts)
- Yale University (Connecticut)
- Princeton University (New Jersey)
- Columbia University (New York)
- Brown University (Rhode Island)
- Dartmouth College (New Hampshire)
- University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)
- Cornell University (New York)
The above list is a list of carefully selected universities, based on repute, standards, and student performance outside the four walls of the school.
Top Universities for MS in the USA by Acceptance Rate
Securing an MS in the USA is not so easy. But with details on the acceptance rates, you should easily scale.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – 6.7%
- Stanford University – 4.34%
- Harvard University – 4.92%
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech) – 8%
- University of Chicago – 7.9%
- University of Pennsylvania – 10%
- Yale University – 7%
- Columbia University – 6.1%
- Princeton University – 6.5%
- Cornell University – 15%
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor – 26%
- Johns Hopkins University – 14%
- Northwestern University – 28%
- The University of California, Berkeley (UCB) – 17%
- The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) – 17%
- New York University (NYU) – 32%
- The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) – 30.2%
- Duke University – 7.6%
- Carnegie Mellon University – 15.4%
- Brown University – 9.3%
While targeting the above schools, you can also take advantage of the high acceptance rates of the below-listed Universities:
- University of Portland – 76,7%
- Boston University – 33%
- Florida Atlantic University – 63,3%
- American University Washington DC – 36,1%
- Drexel University – 74,7%
- University of San Francisco – 64,4%
- The University of Texas at Austin – 31,8%
Popular MS Courses in the USA
Popular MS courses usually revolve around STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
But some of the most popular MS specializations are:
Computer Science
Embedded Systems
Wireless Communications
Power Engineering
Management Information Systems.
Game Design and Game Development
Petroleum Engineering
Life Sciences
Pharmacy
Looking for Cheap MS in the USA?
With the standard of schooling in the USA, the schools for MS may be expensive for you.
But never worry, the experts have sourced out relatively affordable schools you can look at.
It is also necessary that you note that cheap here, does not translate to poor standards.
The schools are:
Fitchburg State University
Lehigh University
University of Central Arkansas
New Mexico Highlands University
Mississippi Valley State University
California State University-San Bernardino Campus
Loyola University Chicago
Sonoma State University
San Diego State University
University of Arkansas
Dakota State University
California State University-Chico Campus
USA Student Visa
Before applying for an MS in the USA, you should apply for a student visa.
To be eligible for this visa, you must be at least 18 years of age and must have gotten admission into a school in the USA.
With this visa, you can work at least 20 hours on campus during school sessions, and full time during the weekends.
This visa also gives you the power to apply for a green card, s that you can legally work and study in the USA.
The only perk to student visas is that it lasts, as long as you remain a student.
There are various types of student visas. And they are:
- F Student Visa: This student visa is for those who intend to study English, at an accredited U.S. University.
- J Exchange Visa: This student visa is for those who intend to participate in an exchange program. It covers both high school and university students.
- M Student Visa: This student visa is for those who intend to pursue non-academic or vocational study or training in the United States.
US Visa Reject Reasons
When applying for an MS in the USA, you can be rejected visa based on the listed reasons below:
- Incomplete Application or Supporting Documentation
- Fraud and Misrepresentation
- Health-related grounds
- Criminal and related grounds
- Foreigners coming to the US to practice polygamy,
- A guardian accompanying an inadmissible person,
- A foreigner who supports abductors,
- A former citizen who renounced citizenship to avoid taxation.
Popular Scholarships for MS in the USA
Seeking an MS scholarship in the USA, then you can scrutinize the list given below.
1. Fulbright Scholarships in the USA
2. Stanford University Scholarships
3. Yale University Scholarships USA
4. University of New Haven Scholarship
5. University of Memphis Scholarships
6. University of Minnesota Fellowship
7. AAUW International Fellowship Program
8. ACI Foundation Scholarship.
9. Onsi Sawiris Scholarship.
10. Rotary Peace Fellowship Program.
MS in the USA: Country Comparison
| Parameter | MS in the USA | MS in the UK | MS in Canada | MS in Germany |
| Average Cost | $40,000 | $19695.52- $45956.22 | $5,880. | $3,618.98 to $18,255.18 |
| Average salary after MS | $94,000/year | $35,000/year | $68,000/year | $83,463.20 -$113,109.96/year |
| Application fee | $1,100 | $75 – $150 | $110 for Canadians, $168.25 for international applicants | $82.25 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are One-Year Accelerated Master’s Degrees Tougher?
Yes, they are tough. The coursework for a one-year master’s is similar to that for a two-year master’s.
It is dependent on you to accept it as tough, or a challenge.
Will I Get a Refund If Rejected for a Student Visa?
No, you would not get a refund.
