192 programs covered in USA
Cheapest MS Computer Science / Data Science Programs in USA (2026)
Ranked by total program cost - tuition plus living costs, converted to rupees - not by QS rank or brand name. These are tiered estimates from our USA coverage list, not independently verified per school; verify tuition before deciding. For fully sourced, per-profile matches (with admit odds and visa risk flags), run the free assessment.
Cheapest total cost in USA
Tuition plus living costs for the full program, converted to rupees.
| # | University | QS rank | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auburn University- Auburn | QS #851-900 | Rs 76.2L |
| 2 | Louisiana State University- Baton Rouge | QS #851-900 | Rs 76.2L |
| 3 | Oklahoma State University- Stillwater | QS #851-900 | Rs 76.2L |
| 4 | Kansas State University- Manhattan | QS #901-950 | Rs 76.2L |
| 5 | Michigan Technological University- Houghton | QS #901-950 | Rs 76.2L |
| 6 | The University of Alabama- Tuscaloosa | QS #901-950 | Rs 76.2L |
| 7 | University at Albany SUNY- Albany | QS #901-950 | Rs 76.2L |
| 8 | University of Alaska Fairbanks- Fairbanks | QS #901-950 | Rs 76.2L |
| 9 | University of North Texas- Denton | QS #901-950 | Rs 76.2L |
| 10 | Virginia Commonwealth University- Richmond | QS #901-950 | Rs 76.2L |
Cheapest isn't always the best deal - see the same USA list ranked by fastest payback instead, which weighs cost against the salary it leads to.
For comparison: fastest payback in USA
The cheapest program isn't always the one that pays for itself quickest - this cross-checks against salary.
| # | University | QS rank | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor- Ann Arbor | QS #45 | 0.9 yrs |
| 2 | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)- Los Angeles | QS #46 | 0.9 yrs |
| 3 | University at Buffalo SUNY- Buffalo | QS #410 | 0.9 yrs |
| 4 | Washington State University- Pullman | QS #423 | 0.9 yrs |
| 5 | Iowa State University- Ames | QS #449 | 0.9 yrs |
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