What are STEM Studies? Benefits, Top Careers, Average Salaries in 2025
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Table of Contents
- Why Should You Pursue STEM Studies?
- What are the Best Universities Offering STEM Degrees?
- Difference Between STEM, STEAM, and STREAM
- How Much Does a STEM Degree Cost in 2025?
- STEM Scholarships & Financial Aids in 2025
- Best STEM Careers in 2025
- Fulfill Your STEM Education Aspirations With GetGIS Assistance
STEM refers to Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics – an abbreviation announced by the National Science Foundation (NSF) USA in 2021. In this globally advanced world, technological advancements are happening every while. Jobs are getting automated at a faster pace, thus this brings the demand for highly skilled talent with expertise in technicalities to meet the fast-evolving needs of companies.
This is where the STEM education system comes into play. In today’s article we will delve into why you should pursue STEM Studies, Best STEM careers in 2025 and the Universities for STEM degree.
Why Should You Pursue STEM Studies?
Not sure? If STEM degrees are right for you. Here are the right advantage of studying a STEM programme abroad:
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In the USA, STEM graduates can have a special Post Study Work visa extension known as the STEM OPT extension, that enables them to stay longer after completing their graduation.
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Countries like Canada, Australia, the USA, the UK, Germany, etc, have a high demand for STEM graduates and also offer better immigration opportunities.
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Reports from various sources estimate that by 2031 the global market demand or STEM job opportunities will witness an increase of around 11%.
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Countries like New Zealand, China, Italy, etc are offering internship opportunities to aspirants that have a global acceptance.
What are the Best Universities Offering STEM Degrees?
Choosing a best university for STEM degrees depends on your priority of tuition fees, living expenses, the country where you’ll study, and various other aspects:
Country |
University |
Average Annual Fees (USD) |
United States |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) |
$117,720 |
Stanford University |
$67,731 |
|
Harvard University |
$59,320 |
|
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) |
$65,625 |
|
University of California, Berkeley |
$51,032 |
|
United Kingdom |
University of Cambridge |
£41,124 |
Imperial College London |
£45,000 |
|
University of Oxford |
£48,620 |
|
University College London (UCL) |
£47,100 |
|
University of Edinburgh |
£38,000 |
|
Germany |
Technical University of Munich (TUM) |
€24,344 |
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich |
€13,320 |
|
Heidelberg University |
€1,500 |
|
RWTH Aachen University |
€11,000 - 39,000 |
|
Humboldt University of Berlin |
€300 (per semester) |
|
Canada |
University of Toronto |
CAD 65,110 |
University of British Columbia (UBC) |
CAD 64,000 |
|
McGill University |
CAD7,400 |
|
University of Waterloo |
CAD 75,000 |
|
University of Alberta |
CAD 20,395 |
|
Australia |
University of New South Wales |
AUD 94,578 |
University of Melbourne |
AUD 50,000 |
|
University of Sydney |
AUD 58,800 |
|
Australian National University |
AUD 87,590 |
|
University of Queensland |
AUD 53,760 |
|
Switzerland |
ETH Zurich |
CHF 4247 |
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne |
CHF 15,000 |
|
University of Zurich |
CHF 2,000 |
|
University of Basel |
CHF 850 |
|
University of Geneva |
CHF 929 |
Difference Between STEM, STEAM, and STREAM
STEM is a new initiative, which started gaining popularity in 2009-2010. The U.S noticed early on that STEM fields are the cornerstone of STEM fields. As years passed, new disciplines were added to the original 4, which led to the emergence of concepts like STEAM and STREAM.
Particulars |
Full Form |
Disciplines Included |
Key Focus |
STEM |
Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics |
Science, Technology, Engineering, Math |
Core technical skills, problem-solving, innovation, and preparing students for a tech-driven economy |
STEAM |
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math |
STEM + Arts (Humanities, Visual Arts, Languages, Design) |
Adds creativity, design, and artistic thinking to technical problem-solving |
STREAM |
Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, Math |
STEAM + Reading & Writing (Literacy) |
Integrates literacy to foster critical thinking, self-expression, creativity, and holistic learning |
How Much Does a STEM Degree Cost in 2025?
In 2025, the cost of STEM degrees might vary specifically based on the factors like location, university type, and specific program.
Country |
Public University |
Private University Tuition (per year) |
Notes |
United States |
$15,000 – $50,000 (₹12L – ₹42L) |
$35L – $55L (top universities, STEM) |
Living expenses: ~₹8.85L/year extra. Top STEM schools (MIT, Stanford) at higher end. |
Germany |
€0 (semester fee: €300–€500) |
€5,000 – €20,000 (can reach €26,000–€40,000) |
Most public unis charge only admin fees. Private unis set their own fees. |
United Kingdom |
£17,500 – £25,000 (₹18L – ₹25L) |
£25,000+ (top STEM, international students) |
STEM: ₹25L – ₹45L/year at top schools. Fees vary by university and program. |
Spain |
€2,100 – €4,629 (public, bachelor's) |
€2,400 – €30,000 (private, bachelor's) |
Public: €150–€3,500 (varies by region). Private: up to €30,000/year (bachelor's). |
STEM Scholarships & Financial Aids in 2025
Indian students pursuing STEM courses abroad also have the advantage of applying to different scholarships or financial aid options abroad. Here are the the top 5 STEM scholarships in 2025:
Award |
Details |
Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships |
Covers full tuition fees, living expenses, health insurance, round-trip airfare, and a monthly stipend for up to two years of master’s study in the US. |
Inlaks Scholarships |
Provides up to USD 100,000 (approx. ₹85 Lakhs) covering tuition, living expenses, one-way travel, and health allowance for courses of 9 months to 4 years in the US, UK, and Europe. |
Commonwealth Scholarships |
Covers full tuition fees, airfare to and from the UK, living allowance, and other related allowances for master’s and PhD programs in the UK. (2025 details consistent with prior years.) |
DAAD Scholarships |
Offers a monthly stipend (€934 for graduates, €1,300 for doctoral candidates in 2025), travel allowance, and health insurance for study in Germany. (2025 rates updated from previous €861/€1,200.) |
Erasmus Mundus Scholarships |
Covers full tuition fees, travel costs, installation costs, and a monthly living allowance (€1,400 to €1,600 per month in 2025) for joint master’s programs across Europe. (2025 rates updated from previous €1,000–€1,500.) |
Best STEM Careers in 2025
According to recent reports, individuals who hoard STEM skills witnessed an increasing job demand. Here are some of the best STEM careers in 2025:
Job Role |
Responsibilities |
Median Salary |
Education Needed |
Nurse Practitioner |
Specialize in treating specific patient populations, training to work in areas like women's health or pediatrics |
$126,260 |
Master’s |
IT Manager |
Coordinating with top executives, planning upgrades of existing software or hardware and negotiating with vendors for the service of current products or the purchase of new ones. |
$169,510 |
Bachelor’s |
Physician Assistant |
Examine, diagnose and treat patients, working closely with other health care professionals as a team to provide patient care. |
$130,020 |
Master’s |
Software Developer |
Design, build, test, and maintain, software applications |
$132,270 |
Bachelor’s |
Information Security Analyst |
protecting information in an organization’s computer systems from data breaches and cyberattacks. |
$120,360 |
Bachelor’s |
Data Scientist |
Uses technology to glean insights from large amounts of data they collect |
$108,020 |
Bachelor’s |
Actuary |
uses mathematics, statistics and financial theory to measure, manage and mitigate financial risk and uncertainty. |
$120,000 |
Bachelor’s |
Veterinarian |
examine, diagnose and treat animals |
$119,100 |
Doctorate |
Nurse Anestheist |
use a number of intravenous drugs and inhaled gasses to administer general or regional anesthesia, so surgeons and other physicians can complete procedures with little to no discomfort to the patient. |
$212,650 |
Master’s |
Industrial Engineer |
Design systems, such as the mail system or customer service queues, to ensure they run efficiently. |
$99,380 |
Bachelor’s |
Fulfill Your STEM Education Aspirations With GetGIS Assistance
STEM careers are one of the highest in demand currently all around the globe. By opting to pursue STEM studies abroad students not just embrace quality education and learnig experince but also step up to qualify for world of opportunities.
Why delay your flight to join STEM education experience abroad. Signup for GetGIS assistance and get us application started.
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