<p>I am applying to colleges which have COA of about (30k-39k$) per year ,so I am a bit worried about whether international students get recruited in US or is getting the US degree and returning to India worth it.</p>
<p>Good question. I can tell you this much, even for a US citizen, spending 200K for a 4 year degree, the ROI will take a while to kick in. There are no guarantees, students are stuck paying huge student loans and coming back to live with parents. The job situation is pretty bad in the US right now. It depends on your major too. For example, Engineering, CS majors would have a better chance of recuperating some of that return. </p>
<p>About working in the US after getting your degree, you can work for 1 year on a training visa (I believe). And then depending on if your employer wants you, they can sponsor you for H-1 or permanent residency. But with the job situation being grim, a lot of companies are just not hiring and they will prefer the local guys where they don’t have to deal with sponsorships.
Again, it is a case by case basis. Even with that, ROI will not happen for quite some time.</p>
<p>I think you have to take the decision based on your family’s finances and think of that as a long term investment in your education. I don’t know how much private college education in India costs (mine was absolutely free from a govt engg college), but definitely they are still more cost effective than the 50K/year. Honestly, I would not spend that money as a middle class in India. So guess the answer is, if your parents have to sell a house and take huge student loans, please get your undergrad in India. It is only worth it if you get at least partial FA /scholarships.</p>
<p>Is US education valued in India or its worth it only if one gets a job in US</p>
<p>Would the name of college get you a job? Maybe it will get you an interview but after that, it is how you present yourself. Our company’s India team is comprised of local Indian talent (who graduated from local universities). Some are good, some are ok. Usually experience counts. Are they paid more because they are from so and so college. No. Most of my friends who chose to go back to India, started their own ventures in India, or some worked for a bit here, and then went back to take a India position in their current US companies. Did anyone go back to an entry level position in India? No.</p>