In recent years, an increasing number of students from developing countries have chosen to study abroad, with the United States being a particularly popular destination. This article provides an overview of the tuition and living expenses for popular majors in the US. Let’s take a closer look.
Popular Majors in the US: Tuition and Living Expenses
1. STEM Majors
Electrical Engineering
Commonly known as “EE”, the master’s program in Electrical Engineering in the US typically takes 1.5 to 2 years to complete.
For example, Columbia University charges $48,753 in tuition and $33,600 in living expenses per year, totaling $82,353 (approximately 510,885 RMB). In contrast, Mississippi State University charges $10,016 in tuition for international students per year, approximately 62,135 RMB. The cost of living in Mississippi is relatively low, about 40,000 RMB per year. Additionally, different universities may charge extra for miscellaneous fees such as books and health insurance. For instance, the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus charges an additional 16,137 RMB for these expenses annually. Overall, the annual cost for EE majors in the US ranges from 110,000 to 510,000 RMB.
Civil Engineering
The master’s program in Civil Engineering usually takes 1 to 2 years.
At Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, the annual tuition is $41,746, with living expenses of $17,106 and health insurance costs of $3,522, bringing the total annual cost to approximately 400,000 RMB. At Stanford University in California, the annual tuition is $47,073, and living expenses are around $20,000, totaling about 410,000 RMB. At Missouri University of Science and Technology, the annual tuition is $18,230, and living expenses are around $6,000, totaling about 150,000 RMB. Thus, the annual cost for Civil Engineering majors in the US ranges from 150,000 to 410,000 RMB.
2. Business Majors
Master of Finance
The cost of this program varies significantly depending on the region. For instance, Clark University in Massachusetts has a total annual cost of about $47,359, nearly 300,000 RMB, with living expenses of $10,000 (approximately 60,000 RMB). The University of Maryland’s total annual cost is $83,000, exceeding 510,000 RMB, with living expenses of $18,000 (approximately 110,000 RMB). DePaul University in Chicago has a total annual cost of around $46,960, under 300,000 RMB, with living expenses estimated at about 100,000 RMB. The University of Southern California (USC) in California has a total annual cost of $86,005, exceeding 530,000 RMB, with living expenses of $22,237 (approximately 140,000 RMB).
Master of Accounting
Many students wish to study accounting in New York due to its robust economy and numerous job opportunities. For example, New York University (NYU) charges around $76,700 for a nine-month program, approximately 480,000 RMB, with living expenses of $25,200, nearly 160,000 RMB. Hofstra University’s total annual cost for accounting is $46,460, about 290,000 RMB, with living expenses of $18,403 (approximately 110,000 RMB). Marquette University in Milwaukee has a total annual cost of about $34,550, around 210,000 RMB, with living expenses of $15,650 (approximately 100,000 RMB). The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) charges around $66,384 annually, over 410,000 RMB, with living expenses of $19,593 (over 120,000 RMB).
Master of Marketing/MBA-Marketing
Only a few top 100 universities in the US offer standalone master’s programs in marketing; many include it as a concentration within their MBA programs, making the cost of these programs relatively high. For instance, Pepperdine University in California charges $66,400 annually, approximately 410,000 RMB, with living expenses of $16,000 (nearly 100,000 RMB). NYU’s Stern School of Business charges $63,530 annually, about 400,000 RMB, with living expenses of $24,000 (approximately 150,000 RMB).
3. Liberal Arts Majors
Master of Laws (LLM)
The LLM program typically lasts one year (some universities offer nine-month programs) and requires the completion of 4 to 8 courses and a thesis. Tuition fees for LLM programs generally range from $40,000 to $50,000, with total costs (including living expenses) around $60,000. For instance, Fordham University in New York charges $51,880 in tuition annually, with total expenses (including living expenses and insurance) reaching $71,505, approximately 450,000 RMB. The University of Iowa charges non-residents $26,249 in tuition, with total expenses (including books and living expenses) around $43,759, approximately 270,000 RMB.
Social Work
A master’s in social work typically takes two years to complete, with annual tuition fees ranging from $20,000 to $40,000. Living expenses vary significantly by city, generally ranging from $10,000 to $20,000. For example, New York University’s I-20 form lists an annual tuition of $29,316, with living expenses of $24,000 and health insurance costs of $3,236, bringing the total annual cost to $56,552, approximately 350,000 RMB. Case Western Reserve University in Ohio charges $39,950 in tuition, with estimated living expenses around $10,000 to $12,000, making the total cost approximately $50,000, or about 300,000 RMB.
Communication
A master’s in communication typically takes two years to complete, with annual tuition fees ranging from $30,000 to $50,000. Including living expenses, the total cost is estimated to be around 600,000 to 800,000 RMB. For example, the University of Houston’s I-20 form lists an annual tuition of $18,110, with living expenses of $12,000 and book fees of $1,100, totaling $31,210, approximately 190,000 RMB. Columbia University’s journalism program costs $63,614 in tuition and fees for a ten-month program, with living expenses of $29,676, bringing the total to $93,290, approximately 580,000 RMB. The University of Southern California charges $54,321 in tuition, with living expenses of $25,355, totaling $79,676, approximately 490,000 RMB.
Public Administration/Public Policy
These programs typically last two years, with some one-year options available. Annual tuition averages around $40,000, with living expenses ranging from $10,000 to $20,000. Total expenses for two years range from 600,000 to 800,000 RMB. For example, Carnegie Mellon University charges $44,200 in annual tuition for its Master of Public Policy and Management program. Including book fees, room and board, transportation, and other miscellaneous expenses, the total annual cost is around $70,000, approximately 430,000 RMB. The University of Oklahoma charges around $817.05 per credit for its MPA program, with a total cost of $19,609.2 (approximately 120,000 RMB) for 24 credits. Living expenses in Oklahoma are relatively low, making the total annual budget around 200,000 RMB.
4. Arts Majors
Performing Arts
For instance, Boston Conservatory charges $41,560 in tuition for its Opera Performance program, with annual living expenses of $11,100 and food expenses of $6,142, totaling $58,802, approximately 360,000 RMB. The University of Southern California charges $29,979 in tuition for its music master’s program, with living expenses of $20,448, bringing the total annual cost to $50,427, approximately 310,000 RMB. Bowling Green State University in Ohio charges non-residents $26,158 annually, including tuition of $17,914, room and board of $5,160, and food expenses of $3,084, totaling approximately 160,000 RMB.
Design
For example, the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia charges $35,825 in tuition for its Illustration master’s program, with living expenses of $19,330 and health insurance costs of $1,080, totaling $56,235, approximately 250,000 RMB. The School of Visual Arts in New York charges $39,200 in tuition for its Computer Graphics and Animation program, with living expenses of $21,900 and other fees of $4,900, totaling $66,000, approximately 410,000 RMB. Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago charges $43,709 in tuition for its Architecture master’s program, with living expenses of $13,275, bringing the total annual cost to $56,984, approximately 350,000 RMB.