Why Indian students in US prefer maths or computer science over engineering | Education News

Why have maths and computer science become so popular?

Given the rapid growth of technology-driven industries, students are increasingly opting for programmes that align with emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, data science and machine learning, explained Sachin Jain, country manager, Educational Testing Service (ETS) India and South Asia.

“Even according to the TOEFL (ETS conducts this standardised test to measure language ability) insights data, Computing and Information Technology has consistently been a top choice among Indian test-takers in recent years, surpassing conventional engineering preferences. This change is primarily driven by factors such as higher employability and flexibility in career options. Computer science and mathematics provide pathways to lucrative careers in high-demand industries such as information technology, software development, and analytics,” he said.

In the last year’s Indian students prefer maths/ CS over (Graphic by Angshuman Maity)

Dr Sridevi Sarma, vice dean for Graduate Education and Lifelong Learning at Johns Hopkins University, said engineering is not losing popularity in absolute terms, it is evolving. “Engineering now interacts with and indeed is transforming fields once thought of as not amenable to ‘quantitative’ analysis and description. This includes the interaction with biology, medicine, and healthcare…that are all being transformed by data science, AI, machine learning, and the like,” she said.

Foreign education consultants also attribute these shifting job market demands to the “explosive growth” in fields like artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and cybersecurity. Sachin said, “With the rapid growth of AI and related technologies, the computer science market is expanding significantly to include industries wherever technology has been able to make an impact. Moreover, these disciplines open career opportunities in a range of sectors, from finance to healthcare, unlike traditional engineering fields that can often lead to fixed career pathways.”

The integration of AI into core engineering fields like mechanical and electrical is reshaping modern engineering. The job trend has shifted to the global market, especially in bigger countries like the US and the UK.

“These interdisciplinary areas often fall under mathematics and computer science rather than under traditional engineering disciplines like civil, mechanical, or chemical engineering. Flexibility and applicability in mathematics and computer science offer broad applicability across industries. A strong foundation in these areas allows students to pivot into a wide range of roles, from finance and healthcare to tech and consulting, making them highly attractive,” said Sarma.

In other popular courses like social sciences, management, and education, there is hardly any significant surge in enrolment figures. For example, around 11.5 per cent of Indian students in the US preferred studying management in 2023-24, while it was 11.6 per cent in 2022-23 and 13.3 per cent in 2021-22.

“Most Indians evaluate the return on investment of their education. STEM fields with a strong emphasis on computer science are often seen as more aligned with higher-paying, high-demand jobs, particularly in tech hubs like Silicon Valley. Increasingly, modern engineering problems involve computational thinking and data analysis. As a result, students might feel they can achieve their goals more efficiently through computer science or related fields,” Sarma said.

Why US over other countries?

About 3,31,602 Indian students are in the United States in 2023-2024, an increase of 23 per cent from the previous year. Indian students’ enrolments increased primarily at the graduate level (1,96,567 or 19%) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) academic levels (97,556 or 41%).

The fees are certainly not less. Then why does the US continue to dominate Indian students’ choices? As per Jain, the US continues to actively encourage Indian students across a wide range of disciplines, including mathematics, computer science, and other STEM fields, while also placing strong emphasis on attracting Indian researchers.

The US has some of the top universities in the world and a flexible curriculum. Their F-1 visa and OPT allow STEM graduates to stay and work in the country for up to three years post-graduation, giving them ample time to gain valuable industry experience and explore career opportunities.

Several American institutions offer scholarships and financial aid for international students, making higher education more accessible. Their graduate programmes in mathematics, computer science, and data science often provide funded research assistantships, enabling Indian students to gain hands-on academic and industry experience while pursuing their studies. “The US has a growing demand for skilled professionals in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics, which continues to draw Indian students and researchers,” said Jain.

In an interview with PTI, Raj Echambadi, president of Illinois Institute of Technology, cited two fundamental reasons for Indians’ trust in the US education system. “Because our undergraduate infrastructure in India is phenomenal and most of these students are in STEM fields, so there is a natural fit… That fit is what is driving a lot of admissions towards Indian students,” Echambadi said.

“The second broader reason is from the US perspective. When you think about the two major countries, it has been China and India. Roughly about 60 per cent of the US’s international student base comes from these two countries. Obviously, over the last few years, there has been a very strong relationship between the Indian and the US governments and it has not been the same (with China). That is actually what is accounting for this disparity, if you will,” he added.

Oversupply of engineers

Indian students face tough competition in their homeland where over a million appear for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for a few thousand seats. The university’s acceptance rate is therefore low. With banks encouraging student loans, studying in American varsities is attractive to Indians.

“Additionally, the oversupply of BTech graduates in conventional fields and the growing demand for specialised skills in niche domains are key drivers of this shift. According to Graduate Record Examination (GRE) data, international student aspirants are showing a clear preference for physical sciences over traditional engineering courses. Over the past five years (2018–2023), the percentage of Indian students opting for engineering through GRE has consistently hovered around 11–13 per cent, reflecting a decline from the more prominent figures seen a decade ago,” Sarma said.

Over the last few years, and especially after the pandemic, leading Indian technical institutions like IITs and NITs have been introducing cutting-edge interdisciplinary courses in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), electric vehicles, and green technology, often in collaboration with renowned foreign universities. However, things have just started here and traditional branches like mechanical engineering fail to provide jobs in core branches.

Kshitij Pathak, who studied MSc Data Science at the University of Sussex (2022-23), said his core branch was Mechanical Engineering (ME) during graduation but there are fewer options in India or even abroad. “From ME, you can switch to data science. Maths is the core of data science. If you are a good mathematician, you can easily become a programmer. Looking at the global market, there are more opportunities in maths or CS,” he said.

As per the Bureau of Labor Statistics (US), the number of jobs related to maths occupations is growing. The figures show that positions that use arithmetic and apply advanced techniques to make calculations, analyse data and solve problems will increase by more than 30,000 per year through the end of this decade. The median annual wage for mathematicians was $116,440 in May 2023. So it makes sense as to why globally engineers are taking less interest in traditional branches.