Comparison
RWTH vs UNSW
MSc Data Science · Aachen vs Master of Data Science and Decisions · Sydney
Last reviewed: 2026-10-01
Short answer: RWTH Aachen University (MSc Data Science) is the cheaper program overall, pays back fastest against the standard ₹8L India baseline and currently has the stronger post-study work / visa pathway; UNSW Sydney (Master of Data Science and Decisions) reports the higher starting salary. No single program wins on everything - which one is actually “better” depends on your budget, priority (salary vs. migration vs. affordability), and your own admit odds.
| RWTH Aachen University | UNSW Sydney | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Germany | Australia |
| City | Aachen | Sydney |
| Duration | 24 months | 24 months |
| Total cost | ₹32.7L | ₹1.21Cr |
| Avg. starting salary | ₹54.4L/yr | ₹58.2L/yr |
| Payback period | 1.8 yrs | 5.3 yrs |
| Visa pathway | Strong | Moderate |
| Min. GPA (4.0 scale) | 3.0 | 2.9 |
| Test requirement | GRE Quant 75th+ percentile required | IELTS 6.5 |
| Consultant-oversold flag | No | Yes - our editorial flag |
RWTH Aachen University: the honest note
Genuinely near-zero tuition even for non-EU students - the best pure cost-to-ROI ratio in this set. GRE is mandatory, unusual for a German program.
UNSW Sydney: the honest note
Widely marketed by agents; Sydney's cost of living and the 2026 485-visa tightening both cut into ROI - verify actual placement rates independently.
How payback is calculated
Payback = total program cost ÷ (annual savings abroad − annual savings staying in India), where savings are salary minus destination tax and a year's living cost. It is before loan interest. The India side uses a ₹8,00,000 baseline salary, taxed, minus India living cost. The baseline rises for IIT/NIT-class graduates, which lengthens payback for those students on both programs above. Full formula and worked example in the payback period guide.
Sources
RWTH Aachen University: Tuition & GRE requirement: rwth-aachen.de · Salary band: Glassdoor / Indeed / PayScale / ZipRecruiter (Jul 2026) · Visa: Germany 18-month post-study job-search visa
UNSW Sydney: Tuition: unsw.edu.au, studyonline.unsw.edu.au · Salary band: Glassdoor / Indeed / PayScale / ZipRecruiter (Jul 2026) · Visa: Australia Subclass 485, homeaffairs.gov.au (2026 rules)
Want this run on your actual profile, not just these two?
The Honest Scorecard ranks every program you're considering against your GPA, budget, and priorities - admit odds, payback, and visa strength, all sourced.
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What should you check next?
You have narrowed this to two. These are the questions that decide between them, in the order they usually bite.
- 1
Do you clear the published admission bar at either one?
Converts to the 4.0 scale and lists which verified programmes' published minimums that value clears. convert your CGPA.
- 2
Are you reading the acceptance rate as an admit chance?
Across 35 programmes, QS rank and the published GPA bar correlate at -0.16 - the selective-looking school often asks for less. why that number misleads.
- 3
What does the loan actually cost month to month?
Turns the total cost above into an EMI against a starting salary, which is the number that decides whether payback is survivable. run the loan numbers.
- 4
Which one fits your profile, not just the averages?
Scores both against your own GPA, budget and priority, and shows where your shortlist contradicts itself before asking for anything. run the free assessment.