What salary can I expect after MS in US, Canada or Australia?

An MS overseas will cost you more than US$70,000 (Rs 44,00,000), you may want to know return on your investment in terms of potential salaries after your MS.

So we have complied starting salaries after MS in the US, Canada and Australia.

Please be mindful that the salaries data below are only estimation and actual salaries may vary based on many things including your specialization, city of work, prior work experience, job role and position among others.

#1 Salary after MS in the US

The table below will give you a sense of the average salary in the first job after completing MS in the US for various majors.

MS Major Average Salary for the 1st job after MS
 Business and Management Managers $71,600
 Computer Science Engineer $72,000
 Other Engineer $73,900
 Math & Science Professional $67,900
 Communication and Media Professional $55,700
 Social Sciences Professional $52,300

In addition to above, a PhD in Computer Science will get you a starting salary of around $100,000.

Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers (www.naceweb.org)

#2 Salary after MS in Canada

The table below will give you a sense of the average salary in the first job after completing MS in Canada for various majors.

MS MajorAverage Salary for the 1st job after MS
Software EngineerUS$39,000 – US$74,100
Mechanical EngineerUS$44,500
Math & Science ProfessionalUS$44,500
Marketing ManagerUS$45,200
Production and Manufacturing ManagerUS$46,800

Source: PayScale.com

Though salaries in Canada is less than that in the US, considering on cost of living, if New York’s cost of living is taken as 100, then Canada’s cost of living is 70 and that of Australia is 80.

#3 Salary after MS in Australia

The table below will give you a sense of the average salary in the first job after completing MS in Australia for various majors.

MS MajorAverage Salary for the 1st job after MS
Electrical and Computer EngineerUS$60,500
Civil EngineerUS$59,500
Mechanical EngineerUS$55,600
Chemical EngineerUS$48,800
Mining EngineerUS$58,800
Business and Management ManagerUS$50,000
Marketing ManagerUS$48,500
Humanities and Social Sciences ProfessionalUS$38,500

Source: PayScale.com

Though salaries in Australia is less than that in the US, considering on cost of living, if New York’s cost of living is taken as 100, then Canada’s cost of living is 70 and that of Australia is 80.

Does work experience prior to an MS help get a higher salary?

Prior work experience from most companies in India count. The intensive training and learning provided by most of the foreign universities, coupled with global exposure will provide you with valuable qualities and skills in the eyes of employers the world over.

In addition to technical know-how, an MS program will help build your knowledge on the subject.

While an MS along with job experience may give you an edge over other students without job experience, its always wise not to have lofty expectations.

What salary I can expect in India after an MS overseas?

While companies will not, as a rule, pay you more for investing in an MS overseas, several employers will consider paying you a little more than the market standard if you demonstrate you will make it worth their while.

Generally speaking, the purchasing power parity between the US and India can vary between 1:2 and 1:3. To give you an idea of what this could mean, if you currently earn $60K then it would be reasonable to expect a salary of between $20-$30K in India, i.e. Rs.10-15 lakhs per year.

The quality of your education and international experience could definitely help you earn more. Other factors that will influence the salary you earn, include your professional achievements and good communication skills.