STEM courses are part of the top courses international students apply for in foreign universities. In 2020/2021, the number of international students studying in the U.S. was 948,519, and in 2022, 54% of the international students studying in the U.S. majored in STEM courses.
It’s not surprising as STEM jobs are highly profitable and STEM professionals are in demand. However, one important thing to note is that the STEM field is broad as there are so many categories under it. Choosing the STEM course right for you can be a little confusing, but ensure you focus on the area of your strength while also looking at the labour market demand.
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Do you desire to study any STEM courses abroad? Are you looking for STEM courses that are not as demanding and tasking? Below is a list of some of the top 10 easiest STEM courses to study in the U.S
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Top 10 easiest STEM courses to study in the U.S.
Generally, STEM courses are demanding and require the utmost concentration and input to succeed. However, we cannot categorically say a particular course is easier than another because each course has its complexity. Ranking courses as easy and difficult is also dependent on individual capacity and interest. Regardless, below is the list of the top 10 easiest STEM courses to study in the U.S.
1. Agricultural Engineering
Agricultural Engineering may not have an exactly fancy ring to it but it is equally important just like other courses. It entails applying the principles of the engineering process to get the desired results. It combines various fields like mechanical, civil, electrical, food science, environmental, software, and chemical engineering to improve the overall outlook and efficiency of farms and the agric business at large. They also design and develop tools to aid farming processes. According to the Bureau of labour statistics, agricultural engineers earn $82,640 per year in the U.S. Schools like the University of California, David, and Purdue University among others offer this course.
2. Management Science
Management science is wide. Generally, management science seems to assist businesses achieve their goals through the application of the scientific process. Some job opportunities and their annual average salary in this field include:
- Management Analyst: $93,000 per year
- Senior Business Intelligence Analyst: $87,213 per year
- Business Systems Senior Analyst: $77,218 per year.
- Product Development Actuary: $105,900 per year.
- Senior Management Consultant: $93,000 per year.
There are various opportunities open in the management science field of STEM. For instance, you can function as a project manager with a management science major. You will be responsible for supervising the project and managing the products and the processes involved to ensure everything results in success.
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3. Information Technology
This is another field under the STEM category. Information technology is the combination of the study of both the hardware and software components of the computer system. It involves the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange data and information. It forms part of information and communication technology. Professionals in information technology are in high demand when it comes to the information and communication technology space. This field also has highly profitable job opportunities. Some job opportunities and their annual average salary in this field include:
- Hardware Engineer: $98,606 per year.
- Senior Software Engineer: $172,265 per year.
- Data Engineer: $115,443 per year.
- Security Engineer: $142,436 per year.
- Data Scientist: $152,262 per year.
4. Computer Science
The advancement in technology and the acceptance of technology by man today have caused this field to be among the most lucrative. Computer science spans different disciplines like algorithms, theory of computation, and information theory. It seeks to understand computer systems and how they can be used to solve business problems. In this age, businesses and establishments are embracing computerized systems to enhance their business processes and this makes computer science majors open to more opportunities. Some job opportunities and their annual average salary in this field include:
- Software Development Engineer: $145,675 per year.
- Software Engineer Lead: $194,002 per year.
- Software Applications Engineer: $121,422 per year.
- Solutions Architect: $223,950 per year.
- Data Engineer: $115,443 per year.
5. Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineering is related to environmental science. It seeks to improve the health of living things and the overall quality of the environment. Issues like global warming, climate change, pollution, etc are some of the factors that have given rise to the study of this course and have made it important. Businesses search for environmental engineers who can help them develop a system in which pollution and the disposal of waste and hazardous materials can be properly done without having adverse effects on people and the environment at large. Some of the jobs available in this field and the average annual salary include:
- Senior Environmental Engineer: $109,944 per year.
- Water/Wastewater Engineer: $81, 588 per year.
- Safety Engineer: $95, 611 per year.
- Water Resources Engineer: $99,948 per year.
- Design Engineer: $104,219 per year.
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6. Industrial Engineering
Industrial Engineering deals with manufacturing operations. It entails using scientific and mathematical principles to simplify systems involving materials, information, and energy for use in the industry. Industrial engineers can work in the area of business that deals with development and maintenance. They follow certain principles in the manufacturing industry to ensure the effective and efficient flow of the systems, processes, and operations. Some of these principles include: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC), Lean Manufacturing, Process Capability, Information Systems, and Six Sigma. Some of the job suggestions and their average annual salary range in this field include:
- Reliability Engineer: $110,324 per year.
- Research And Development Engineer: $105,383 per year.
- Solutions Engineer: $141,365 per year.
- Senior Industrial Engineer: $121,653 per year.
- Sales Engineer: $125,311 per year.
7. Health and Safety Engineering
Health and safety engineering focuses on the protection of people. They combine the knowledge of health and engineering to develop procedures and principles to help protect people from illness and injury and properties from damage. They work in offices and also visit worksites where necessary. Some of the job opportunities available in this field and their average annual salary include:
- Management Consultant: $137,768 per year
- Quality Lead: $110,351 per year
- System Safety Engineer: $118,632 per year
- Risk Management Consultant: $151,311 per year
- Process Safety Engineer: $104,645 per year.
8. Marine Engineering
Marine Engineering applies different engineering methods like mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronic engineering, and computer science. It entails the conception, design, operation and maintenance of watercraft propulsion and ocean systems. It includes the construction of propulsion plants, machinery, piping, automation and control systems for different types of marine vehicles as well as coastal and offshore structures. Some of the job opportunities available in this field and their average annual salary include:
- Marine Engineer: $101,523 per year
- Engineer: $103,795 per year
- Building Engineer: $64,073 per year
- Process Engineer: $96,721 per year
- Design Engineer: $104,219 per year
9. Computer Information System
Computer Information Systems entails the combination of a broad overview of topics in computer science and how businesses can adopt computing systems to function maximally and generate profit. The average yearly salary of a computer Information System specialist is $99,327.
10. Geographic Information Science
Geographic information science deals with the application of both physical geography and human geography. It studies geographic information and outlines how it represents phenomena in the real world. It also represents the way humans understand the world and how it can be captured, organized and analyzed. The average yearly salary for a geographic information science specialist is $70,443.
Eligibility Criteria to Study STEM in the US
The eligibility criteria to study STEM in U.S. universities vary based on different factors. Some of these factors include the course you are going in for, the school, and the type of program among others. However, the generally acceptable requirement include:
- For the bachelor’s degree program in STEM, it is necessary to complete your high school education first. You must also pass chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics. For the master’s level, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in any STEM field with a CGPA of 3.0/4.0
- Students must possess a F-1 USA student visa.
- Students should be eligible for STEM OPT
- GRE or GMAT and English language proficiency tests like TOEFL, IELTS or PTE are necessary.
Required Documents
Below is the list of the required documents you will need to study STEM courses in the U.S. They are:
- Passport scanned copy
- SOP (Statement of Purpose).
- Official transcripts and mark sheets of school and college
- Two Reference Letters
- Scores in English language proficiency tests
- Resume or CV
- LOR (Letter of Recommendation).
- Translation of degree certificate in case it is in any other language (not in English)
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Top Universities in the U.S. to study STEM courses
Some of the best universities to study STEM courses in the United States according to QS world ranking include:
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Stanford University
- University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
- Harvard University
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Carnegie Mellon University
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- University of Texas at Austin
- Purdue University
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- Princeton University
- Cornell University
- The University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
- Texas A&M University
- Columbia University
- University of Washington
- Yale University
- Pennsylvania State University
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