What Nepali graduates actually earn abroad: real salary data by country and field (2026)

Computer Science Master's graduate, fresh hire at a software firm: USD 110,000 to 145,000 base, plus USD 15,000 to 40,000 in stock and bonus. Total compensation: USD 125,000 to 185,000 (NPR 16.5 to 24.5 million per year). The range depends heavily on location (San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, NYC are at the higher end; mid-tier cities like Pittsburgh, Austin, Boston are at the median; smaller cities are at the lower end).

Engineering Master's graduate (mechanical, electrical, civil): USD 70,000 to 95,000 starting at major engineering firms (Boeing, Lockheed, Tesla, Bechtel). Total compensation: USD 80,000 to 110,000 (NPR 10.5 to 14.5 million per year).

MBA from top-15 US business schools: USD 140,000 to 190,000 base, plus USD 30,000 to 80,000 in signing bonus, performance bonus, and stock. Total: USD 180,000 to 280,000 (NPR 24 to 37 million) for MBB consulting, investment banking, or tech product management roles.

Master's in Data Science / Statistics: similar to CS but slightly lower at first hire. USD 100,000 to 135,000 base plus equity. Strong career trajectory; most graduates double their starting compensation within 5 years.

Nursing (MSN, NP track): USD 105,000 to 135,000 as fresh nurse practitioners. RN salaries: USD 80,000 to 110,000 depending on state and specialisation.

Doctoral students (PhD in CS, engineering, sciences): USD 30,000 to 45,000 per year stipend during the 4 to 6 year PhD. After PhD, postdoctoral fellowships pay USD 65,000 to 95,000. Industry roles for PhD graduates: USD 150,000 to 250,000.

Important context: US salaries are taxed heavily. Federal + state + city tax can take 30 to 40 percent of your gross. Health insurance is often employer-paid but co-pays exist. Rent in major cities is high (USD 2,500 to 4,500 per month for a 1-bedroom in NYC, SF, Seattle). Take-home for a fresh CS grad on USD 130,000 in San Francisco is closer to USD 78,000 to 82,000 (NPR 10 to 11 million per year) after tax and rent.

Computer Science Master's graduate at major firms (Shopify, Amazon Canada, BMO, RBC tech teams): CAD 85,000 to 115,000 base plus benefits. Total: CAD 95,000 to 130,000 (NPR 9.5 to 13 million per year).

Engineering Master's graduate: CAD 65,000 to 85,000 starting at consulting firms (Aecom, Stantec, SNC-Lavalin) or industrial employers (Bombardier, Magna). Total: CAD 70,000 to 95,000 (NPR 7 to 9.5 million).

Master's in Business Administration (Rotman, Ivey, Schulich, McGill Desautels): CAD 105,000 to 140,000 starting plus bonus. Total: CAD 120,000 to 175,000 (NPR 12 to 17.5 million).

Nursing (BSN or BScN from Canadian university): CAD 70,000 to 95,000 as fresh RN. Provincial salary scales vary; Ontario and British Columbia at the higher end. With 5 years of experience and specialisation, CAD 100,000 to 130,000.

Healthcare other (occupational therapy, physiotherapy, pharmacy): CAD 65,000 to 90,000 starting.

Trades and skilled work (mechanical engineering technician, electrician): CAD 55,000 to 80,000 starting.

Canadian tax rates: federal + provincial averages 25 to 35 percent for incomes in the CAD 70,000 to 120,000 range. Universal healthcare covered by tax. Rent in Toronto, Vancouver is CAD 2,200 to 3,500 per month for a 1-bedroom. Take-home for a CS grad on CAD 100,000 is CAD 65,000 to 72,000 after tax (NPR 6.5 to 7.2 million).

Computer Science / IT Master's graduate at major firms (Atlassian, Canva, Telstra tech teams, big four consulting): AUD 80,000 to 100,000 base. Total: AUD 85,000 to 110,000 (NPR 7.5 to 9.5 million per year).

Engineering Master's graduate: AUD 75,000 to 95,000 at engineering consulting (Arup, Aurecon, BHP), construction (Lendlease, Multiplex), or government engineering positions (state Department of Transport, Western Power). Total: AUD 80,000 to 100,000 (NPR 7 to 8.7 million).

MBA from Australian top schools (Melbourne Business School, AGSM, MGSM): AUD 110,000 to 135,000 starting. Total: AUD 120,000 to 155,000 (NPR 10.5 to 13.5 million).

Registered Nurse: AUD 78,000 to 95,000 starting (above the AUS median graduate salary). Specialisation (ICU, ER) adds 10 to 15 percent.

Hospitality (5-star hotels in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane): AUD 60,000 to 80,000 starting for management trainee programmes. Higher with experience.

Mining and resources (geological, mining engineering, FIFO roles): AUD 95,000 to 130,000 starting for fresh graduates. The pay is significantly above other engineering streams because of remote work conditions.

Australian income tax: progressive, 19 to 45 percent. The Medicare levy (2 percent) is on top. Goods and Services Tax is 10 percent. Take-home for a CS grad on AUD 90,000 is AUD 67,000 to 72,000 after tax (NPR 5.8 to 6.3 million per year).

Computer Science Master's graduate at London-based firms (Bloomberg, Goldman Sachs technology, Meta UK, Google UK, Stripe London): GBP 55,000 to 85,000 base. Total: GBP 60,000 to 110,000 (NPR 9 to 16.5 million).

Engineering Master's graduate: GBP 35,000 to 50,000 starting at engineering consulting (Arup, Mott MacDonald) or oil/gas (Shell, BP). Total: GBP 40,000 to 60,000 (NPR 6 to 9 million).

MBA from top UK programmes (LBS, Said, Judge, Imperial): GBP 90,000 to 130,000 base plus bonus. Total: GBP 110,000 to 180,000 (NPR 16.5 to 27 million) for consulting and finance roles.

Nursing (NHS Band 5 fresh graduate): GBP 28,407 to 34,581 base. With Health and Care Worker visa benefits, total compensation (including pension) effective at GBP 32,000 to 38,000.

Pharmacy: GBP 35,000 to 45,000 starting in NHS or community pharmacy. Independent pharmacists in commercial chains earn more.

Lawyer (solicitor at City of London firm, post-SQE qualification): GBP 65,000 to 95,000 starting. Top US firms in London (Latham, Davis Polk, Kirkland) pay GBP 130,000 to 150,000 starting.

UK income tax: 20 percent basic rate, 40 percent higher rate, 45 percent additional rate. National Insurance 8 to 12 percent. Take-home for a CS grad on GBP 70,000 is GBP 48,000 to 52,000 after tax (NPR 7.5 to 8 million).

Engineering and Computer Science Master's graduate at major German firms (Bosch, Siemens, BMW, Audi, SAP, ZF Friedrichshafen): EUR 55,000 to 70,000 starting base. Total: EUR 60,000 to 80,000 (NPR 8.5 to 11.5 million per year). Salary tiers correspond to the IG Metall and IG BCE union pay scales, which apply to most engineering employers in Germany.

Software Engineering at startups (Berlin: N26, GetYourGuide, Trade Republic): EUR 60,000 to 80,000 plus stock. Total: EUR 70,000 to 100,000.

Master's in International Management / Finance: EUR 55,000 to 75,000 starting in Frankfurt-based banking and consulting.

Mechanical Engineer at automotive companies (BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen): EUR 58,000 to 72,000 starting.

Electrical / Electronics Engineer at semiconductor firms (Infineon, NXP, Continental): EUR 60,000 to 78,000 starting.

PhD positions in German research institutes (Fraunhofer, Max Planck): EUR 50,000 to 65,000 during PhD (effectively a salaried research role with benefits, not a stipend).

German income tax: 14 to 45 percent progressive, plus 5.5 percent solidarity surcharge, plus 9.5 percent church tax (if registered Christian — not applicable to most Nepali students). Social security contributions (health insurance, pension, unemployment, long-term care): about 20 to 22 percent. Take-home for a CS grad on EUR 65,000 is EUR 40,000 to 43,000 after all deductions (NPR 5.7 to 6 million).

Cost of living in Germany is moderate. Rent in Berlin is EUR 1,000 to 1,500 for a 1-bedroom; in Munich it's EUR 1,400 to 2,200. Public transport monthly is EUR 50 to 90.

Computer Science / Software Engineering at major Japanese firms (Sony, Hitachi, NTT, Rakuten, Mercari): JPY 4,800,000 to 6,500,000 starting (NPR 4.2 to 5.8 million per year). Foreign-owned tech firms (Google Japan, Amazon Japan, IBM Japan) pay 20 to 50 percent more, with starting JPY 6,500,000 to 9,500,000.

Engineering at Japanese automotive (Toyota, Honda, Nissan) and electronics (Panasonic, Sharp, Mitsubishi): JPY 4,500,000 to 5,800,000 starting.

MBA from Japanese top schools (Hitotsubashi, Keio, Waseda): JPY 6,000,000 to 9,000,000 starting in finance, consulting (Boston Consulting Japan, McKinsey Japan), and global Japanese companies.

Nursing in Japan: JPY 3,800,000 to 4,800,000 starting for Japanese-language-fluent nurses. The Japan-language requirement is the main barrier — without N2 Japanese, nursing roles are very limited.

Business roles requiring Japanese (sales, marketing, account management): JPY 4,200,000 to 5,500,000 starting if you have N2; JPY 5,500,000 to 7,500,000 if you have N1.

Japan income tax: 15 to 33 percent for the income range NPR 4 to 7 million equivalent. Social insurance, health insurance, and resident tax add another 14 to 16 percent. Take-home for a CS grad on JPY 5,500,000 is JPY 4,000,000 to 4,300,000 (NPR 3.5 to 3.8 million).

Cost of living in Tokyo is comparable to or slightly cheaper than European capitals. Rent for a 1-room apartment in central Tokyo: JPY 80,000 to 130,000. In Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka: JPY 55,000 to 85,000. Public transport: about JPY 10,000 per month with a commuter pass.

Many Nepali students go abroad assuming they will stay forever. About 30 to 40 percent eventually return to Nepal, often after 5 to 10 years abroad. The returning salary is different from both their foreign salary and what their classmates who stayed in Nepal earn.

Returning CS engineer with 5 to 10 years of foreign experience: NPR 250,000 to 600,000 per month (NPR 3 to 7 million per year) at top Nepali tech firms (Leapfrog Technology, Cotiviti Nepal, F1Soft, Verisk, Cloudfactory, Khalti, eSewa). Salaries are roughly 30 to 50 percent of what they earned abroad, but cost of living in Kathmandu is 70 to 80 percent lower than San Francisco or Sydney.

Returning MBA from US/UK top schools: NPR 400,000 to 1,200,000 per month (NPR 5 to 14 million per year) at major Nepali corporates (Chaudhary Group, Khetan, Yeti Investments, NIBL Capital, Mega Bank). Senior roles at INGOs and the World Bank Nepal office can pay similarly.

Returning engineer (mechanical, civil, electrical) with foreign Master's: NPR 200,000 to 450,000 per month (NPR 2.5 to 5.5 million per year) at engineering consulting firms, hydropower companies (Upper Tamakoshi, Arun III), and construction (Sharma & Co, KEPS).

Returning lawyer with foreign LLM: NPR 250,000 to 700,000 per month at top Nepali law firms (Pioneer Law, Gandhi, Sinha Verma) plus international arbitration and corporate work.

Returning nurse with UK NMC or AHPRA registration: NPR 150,000 to 350,000 per month at international hospitals in Kathmandu (Norvic, Grande, B&B Hospital), often as senior nurse or charge nurse role.

The return calculus: returning Nepali graduates accept lower nominal salaries but higher relative status, family support, and quality of life. Many run side businesses or freelance consulting on top of their main role.

Highest absolute earnings: USA, no question. The downside is high cost of living, complex visa landscape, and the 2-year H-1B grace period uncertainty.

Best earning-to-cost ratio: Germany. Free Master's plus EUR 60,000 to 70,000 starting salary plus moderate cost of living gives the strongest return on educational investment of any major destination.

Most predictable PR pathway: Canada. CAD 70,000 to 100,000 graduate salaries plus express-entry PR within 2 to 3 years makes the math reliable, even if the salaries are 30 percent below USA.

Best for healthcare careers: UK (NHS sponsorship), Australia (high RN demand and salary), New Zealand (Manaaki scholarship for eligible candidates).

Most affordable English-medium destination: Germany again, or France for top business schools, or Ireland for tech-focused careers.

Best for those wanting to return to Nepal: USA Master's, UK MBA, or Indian/Asian MBA + relevant work experience. These credentials carry the most weight at senior Nepali corporate roles.