Master of Science [M.S] [Electrical and Computer Engineering] From St. Mary's University

St. Mary’s University Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering is a 30-credit Master of Science programme in San Antonio, Texas. It is offered in person or online and may be completed in 18 to 24 months. Admission requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering, physical science, mathematics or a closely related field and a minimum GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale. Spring 2027 uses the 2026-27 rate of US$1,201 per credit hour (INR 1.15 Lakhs). Thirty credits make calculated tuition US$36,030 (INR 34.39 Lakhs) before living costs and semester charges.

The programme is structurally different because it combines electrical and computer engineering through capstone, thesis and all-course paths. Course choices include machine learning, data sciences, networking, security, digital signal processing and control systems. That breadth suits applicants seeking hardware-software integration with a defined research or project route. Strong mathematics and engineering foundations help, while related-degree students may need prerequisites and permission for cross-disciplinary credits.

• The 30-credit structure can support the university’s stated 18 to 24-month completion window when course sequencing permits.
• Evening on-campus classes and online delivery create different scheduling choices for applicants comparing campus study with flexible learning.
• A defended capstone or thesis can give a technical portfolio or doctoral application a substantial project example.

Also Check: St. Mary’s University admission requirements

St. Mary’s MS ECE Fees and Living Costs 2027

Spring 2027 tuition is priced on the 2026-27 graduate rate card at US$1,201 per credit hour (INR 1.15 Lakhs). The programme requires 30 credits, so the calculated tuition basis is US$36,030 (INR 34.39 Lakhs) before semester fees, insurance and living costs.

Fee status: The rate card is in force from 01 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, which covers the target intake. The 30-credit amount below is calculated from the published rate rather than presented as a university-published programme total.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 95.4476 as of 17 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: St. Mary’s University 2026-2027 tuition and fees and graduate cost of attendance.

• The published 30-credit tuition is a useful first funding target, but billed semester fees and insurance must be added before an enrollment decision.
• The official annual cost-of-attendance figure includes tuition and non-tuition items, so it is a one-year budget rather than the full 18 to 24-month degree cost.
• Confirm the billed amount because the cost page lists US$20,988 (INR 20.03 Lakhs), while rate-card arithmetic gives US$21,618 (INR 20.63 Lakhs).

Cost of Living in San Antonio for MS ECE Students

St. Mary’s 2026-27 graduate estimate separates living categories from tuition and institutional fees, which helps Indian applicants test whether the visa funding plan covers actual non-tuition needs. Monthly amounts below are calculated by dividing the university’s annual figures by 12.

Official living-cost context: The table excludes tuition, institutional fees and loan fees, so its total should not be substituted for the university’s full cost of attendance.

Using the official 30-credit tuition and living categories, the calculated 18 to 24-month range is US$80,307 (INR 76.65 Lakhs) to US$95,066 (INR 90.74 Lakhs). The calculation adds 1.5 to 2 years of living costs, three to four insurance charges and published graduate fees. It excludes course-specific fees and future rate changes. Because the programme quotes 18 to 24 months, stress-test the longer figure before relying on a scholarship or loan.

Check Out: USA living costs for international students

Key insight: Tuition is calculable, but 18 to 24 months of living, insurance and semester charges require funding against the longer planning range.

St. Mary’s MS ECE Admission 2027

Admission requires a relevant bachelor’s degree, a 3.00 GPA minimum and a complete graduate application file. The programme accepts engineering, physical science, mathematics and closely related backgrounds, while the programme director may require prerequisites for applicants changing fields.

The international route adds a course-by-course credential evaluation, official English scores and documents that demonstrate academic preparation. Because the programme offers thesis, capstone and all-course options, applicants should state whether their preparation supports research, applied design or a broader technical plan.

Academic Eligibility for Indian Applicants

The university requires GPA 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, equivalent to approximately 75% to 80% or CGPA 7.5 to 8.0 on 10 for Indian planning. This is an approximate range because the university publishes the foreign GPA threshold rather than an India-specific conversion.

A statement of purpose (SOP) explains your graduate rationale and technical direction. NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) membership identifies the credential-evaluation agencies accepted for international transcripts, and the university lists World Education Services (WES) among examples.

No programme-specific ranking is used here because available ranking references are university-wide and do not measure the Electrical and Computer Engineering degree.

English Language Proficiency

The main tests are TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based Test), IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and DET (Duolingo English Test). Scores must be current within six months of the application, and the university requires direct score delivery for official verification.

The current international graduate page publishes the stricter DET threshold, while the programme catalog still shows 105. Applicants should plan against the current international requirement and resolve the discrepancy before submitting the score report.

• Book the English test early enough to keep the six-month validity window open on the application date.
• Use IELTS or TOEFL if a DET score of 115 is not available because the current international page gives those routes clearer published thresholds.
• Budget time for EN6301 when planning around the minimum IELTS or TOEFL score because the course adds first-semester academic-writing work.

Tip for Indian students: The 3.00 GPA meets the published threshold, but ECE preparation, evaluated transcripts and the stricter DET reading still matter.

St. Mary’s MS ECE Application 2027

Apply for Spring 2027 by 01 October 2026. St. Mary’s graduate admission is rolling, but international applicants must ensure that all required materials arrive by the published term deadline rather than relying on the rolling-review language.

The application is free and a complete file normally receives a decision in one to two weeks after the university receives the required materials. The programme lists any start term, so the same file structure can support Spring or Fall planning after the relevant deadline is checked.

International Application Timeline

Deadline context: The international page publishes calendar dates without a clock time or timezone, so the portal timestamp controls. The table shows the target intake first and keeps the next listed intake visible for applicants who need more preparation time.

Treat 01 October 2026 as the Spring 2027 calendar deadline. Send the credential evaluation, English scores and recommendation requests before the file reaches review.

Application File for ECE

The file should show both graduate readiness and technical direction because the programme offers thesis, capstone and all-course completion choices. The current graduate checklist requires an online application, official transcripts, recommendations, an SOP and a resume or curriculum vitae.

• Request the course-by-course evaluation before the application deadline because an unofficial transcript will not complete the international file.
• Ask recommenders to describe a technical project or research contribution rather than only confirming attendance.
• Use the SOP to identify the ECE area you want to build, such as machine learning, security, networking, control or digital signal processing.

Application tip: The Spring 2027 deadline is 01 October 2026, so complete the evaluation and English-score steps before the portal file is expected to enter rolling review.

St. Mary’s MS ECE Scholarships 2027

No target-cycle named scholarship amount is published for this ECE programme. The programme page does publish academically competitive scholarships, grants and assistantships, while its research-assistantship section specifies a tuition waiver for the assistantship period plus a monthly stipend.

For an Indian applicant, the research assistantship is the clearest programme-linked funding route because selection considers academic merit and research potential. The graduate funding language gives no award value or international deadline. Do not subtract an award from tuition until a written offer identifies its terms.

Funding Routes for International Graduate Students

The routes below are the support mechanisms the university identifies for graduate students. Amounts, timing and availability are not stated for Spring 2027. Ask Graduate Admission and the programme director about the current cohort.

• Prioritise the research assistantship question because a tuition waiver changes the calculated US$36,030 (INR 34.39 Lakhs) tuition exposure more directly than an unconfirmed award.
• Ask for the waiver scope, stipend schedule, renewal condition and required workload in writing before accepting an offer.
• Keep the full US$80,307 (INR 76.65 Lakhs) to US$95,066 (INR 90.74 Lakhs) planning range available until funding terms are confirmed.

Read More: Scholarships for Indian students in the USA

Scholarship reality: The assistantship can materially reduce tuition, but no Spring 2027 award amount or deadline is published, so secure a self-funded plan before relying on research funding.

St. Mary’s MS ECE Salary 2027

Course-specific salary, offer-rate and placement outcomes are not published. The programme page quotes an average base salary of US$101,000 (INR 96.40 Lakhs) for the degree. It does not identify a graduate cohort or named source.

That figure is therefore a university-published market benchmark rather than proof of typical graduate pay. The page lists Apple, Google, Meta, Texas Instruments and Southwest Research Institute as company examples. It does not identify a hiring relationship, cohort or placement rate.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics electrical and electronics engineers profile for the May 2024 occupation benchmark.

ROI (return on investment) is the relationship between the degree’s verified cost and the career value it may create. This programme’s thesis, capstone and all-course routes produce different academic tradeoffs, so the financial decision should be tied to the route and funding actually available.

• The calculated 30-credit tuition is US$36,030 (INR 34.39 Lakhs), so confirm assistantship terms before treating the degree as affordable.
• The calculated 18 to 24-month planning range is US$80,307 (INR 76.65 Lakhs) to US$95,066 (INR 90.74 Lakhs), so budget against the longer duration.
• No course-cohort salary report is published, so compare an offer with the programme route and work authorisation rather than treating US$101,000 (INR 96.40 Lakhs) as a forecast.
• The thesis option can support research or doctoral preparation, while the capstone option creates a defended applied project, so choose the route that matches your post-degree evidence need.

Gross U.S. salary is not take-home pay because federal, state and local taxes plus benefits and insurance deductions change the amount available for repayment. Use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator alongside a San Antonio budget, then model an India-return case separately because U.S. occupation medians do not transfer into Indian net income.

ROI reality: Technical breadth and a research or project route are valuable, but missing course outcomes make funding certainty and verified work authorisation central to the decision.

United States Visa for St. Mary’s MS ECE Students 2027

The visa pathway applies to the in-person study mode. An F-1 (Student Visa) applicant needs a university-issued Form I-20, proof of funding and a current passport before applying. Online delivery is a separate choice and does not create the same campus-study pathway.

The current U.S. Department of State student-visa fee is US$185 (INR 17,658), and the I-901 SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee is US$350 (INR 33,407). Verify the fee and interview instructions on the official student visa page before payment because government charges can change.

OPT (Optional Practical Training) is the post-completion work authorisation associated with eligible F-1 study. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) OPT is a separate extension, so students should not assume that an ECE title automatically qualifies.

H-1B (specialty-occupation work visa) is an employer-sponsored route. Its wage rule uses the higher actual or prevailing wage, while permanent residence has no fixed course-linked timeline.

• Initial OPT can provide up to 12 months of post-completion work authorisation when the student meets the F-1 and programme requirements.
• A 24-month STEM OPT extension is conditional on the degree’s CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code appearing on the DHS STEM list.
• H-1B employer sponsorship uses the higher actual or prevailing wage, with no course-specific salary threshold or fixed permanent-residence timeline.
• F-2 dependent status may cover a spouse and unmarried minor children, but F-2 dependants are not employment-authorised.

A DSO (Designated School Official) confirms the programme details used for the I-20 and later practical-training recommendation. Employer and training-plan rules also require review. Ask the DSO or international office to confirm the ECE CIP code, the in-person course load and the work-authorisation implications before accepting an offer.

Read More: Post-study work options in the USA

Visa reality: The in-person route may provide 12-month OPT, but the 24-month extension needs a confirmed CIP code and eligible employer. Verify both before budgeting work income.