US masters programs cost ₹50L-1Cr and the job market is the worst in a decade. The math is uglier than the agency brochures show.

A typical Indian US masters program in 2026 costs ₹50L-1Cr all-in. The post-graduation job market in tech is the worst in a decade, with H1B sponsorship cuts compounding the difficulty. The promised "5-year ROI" that consultants pitch is decoupled from current outcomes. For 2026 applicants, the calculation needs harder edges. Tier-1 program at a top-10 school with strong placement: still positive ROI. Tier-2 school with average outcomes: increasingly questionable. Tier-3: structurally negative. The Indian students treating an MS as a guaranteed return path are setting themselves up for a hard correction.