If you are on OPT or CPT right now, you already know the clock is ticking. Standard OPT gives you 12 months after graduation. STEM OPT extends that to 36 months. But what happens after that runs out and the H1B lottery does not go your way?
One option more international workers are exploring: going back for a second master’s degree. It resets your student visa, gives you another shot at OPT, and if you pick a STEM-designated program, you get another 36-month window to work in the US legally.
The question is which program, and how much it costs. Here is what the data looks like.
## The cost range is wider than most people think
US master’s programs range from under $10,000 to over $130,000 in total tuition. Georgia Tech’s Online MS in Computer Science costs $10,260 total. Carnegie Mellon’s MS in Software Engineering costs $53,000. A private MBA at a mid-tier school can run $80,000 or more.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, average graduate tuition at public institutions is around $12,000 per year for in-state students and $23,000 for out-of-state. Private institutions average $28,000 per year. But averages hide the real range.
For OPT and CPT workers who already have a master’s and want a second one primarily for visa purposes, cost matters more than prestige. The degree needs to be from an accredited institution, STEM-designated if you want the 36-month OPT extension, and affordable enough that the visa benefit justifies the tuition.
## What to look for in a second master’s program
### STEM-OPT eligibility
The 24-month STEM OPT extension is only available for degrees on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Computer science, data science, engineering, and mathematics all qualify. Some business analytics and quantitative finance programs also qualify. Check the specific CIP code before enrolling.
### Online vs. in-person
Fully online programs from accredited US universities are generally eligible for CPT but have restrictions on OPT. If you are already working on OPT and want to start a part-time online program, the rules get complicated. Talk to your DSO before enrolling. In-person programs are simpler from an immigration standpoint.
### Accreditation
The program must be at a SEVP-certified school to maintain your F-1 status. Most accredited universities are, but some newer online programs or coding bootcamps are not. Verify before applying.
### Total cost vs. monthly cost
Some programs charge per credit, others charge a flat rate. A 30-credit program at $700 per credit costs $21,000. The same program at a flat $15,000 per year for two years costs $30,000. Compare the total, not the per-credit rate, because credit counts vary.
## Affordable STEM master’s programs worth looking at
Here are a few programs that combine low cost with STEM OPT eligibility:
**Georgia Tech Online MS in Computer Science**: $10,260 total, 30 credits, STEM-OPT eligible. One of the most popular online CS programs in the country. Fully accredited, same degree as the on-campus version.
**University of Texas at Austin MS in Computer Science (online)**: approximately $10,000 total. Newer program but backed by a top-10 CS department.
**Arizona State University MS in Engineering**: multiple STEM-designated programs starting around $15,000 total for online options.
**University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign MS in Computer Science (MCS online)**: approximately $21,000 total. Strong brand recognition with employers.
These are well-known options. But there are hundreds of other accredited STEM programs at state universities that cost less than $25,000 total and qualify for the 36-month OPT extension.
## How to compare programs efficiently
Checking each university’s website individually takes hours. Tuition is listed differently on every site, some show per-credit rates, others show per-semester, others show annual. STEM-OPT eligibility is buried in program pages. Deadlines are in different formats.
A tool like GradsMatch pulls tuition, STEM-OPT eligibility, GRE requirements, GPA minimums, and application deadlines from official university pages and puts them in one searchable database. You can filter for “STEM-OPT eligible, under $25,000 total, GRE not required” and see what comes back across thousands of US programs.
For anyone on a work visa timeline, the ability to filter by deadline is especially useful. Missing an application deadline by a week means waiting an entire year, and that year might be the difference between staying in the US and leaving.
## The math on a second master’s
If a second master’s costs $15,000 and gives you 36 more months of work authorization in the US, that is an effective cost of $416 per month for the right to keep earning a US salary. For most tech and engineering workers earning $80,000 or more per year, that math works out clearly.
The key is picking a program that is accredited, STEM-designated, affordable, and has a deadline you can still meet. Start with those filters and work backwards from there.
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*Antoine Pangas is the founder of [GradsMatch](https://gradsmatch.com), a free directory of 39,926 master’s programs across 27 countries.*
