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Indian student in US plans to return home despite ₹1.12 crore job offer in Austin: 'I'm too depressed'
The Indian student said he is about to complete his Master’s degree from Indiana and has received an offer in Austin with a $100,000 base salary.
An Indian student in the US has sparked an online discussion after revealing he plans to return to India as soon as possible despite securing a $120,000 (around ₹1.12 crore) job offer.
In a post on Reddit titled “Got 120k offer in Austin. Want to bail from USA as soon as possible because of depression,” the user said he is about to complete his Master’s degree from Indiana and has received an offer in Austin with a $100,000 base salary. However, he admitted to feeling overwhelmed and eager to leave.
“I'm too depressed right now and just want to save as much as possible before returning,” he wrote, adding that he still has a $40,000 education loan pending.
The user asked others for a realistic estimate of how much he could save in 3-4 years and whether his goal of saving ₹1 crore to ₹1.5 crore was achievable or a “pipe dream”.
“Could someone give me rough estimate about how much will I have in-hand & how much can I save roughly in 3/4 years? Any rough estimate from your experience would be helpful to gauge of it's even worth it to spend my time here. I want to save at 1 to 1.5cr INR..is it pipe-dream in 3/4 years. Is it pipe dream?” the Redditor concluded.
(Also Read: ‘60% on rent’: Indian student in Manchester reveals cost of living in UK)
How did social media react?
The post quickly drew responses from others who had faced similar situations, with many urging him to prioritise financial stability and mental well-being over aggressive savings targets.
Reacting to the post, one user wrote, “Your primary objective should be to pay off your loan while you can earn in USD. Try to make friends who have similar interests. Austin is good place for outdoor activities. That should help your current mental health situation. Get US work experience. Enjoy your life there until you stay. For now, don’t keep any set target for savings for R2India. Also in 4 years, US Dollar to INR may not be as favorable as it is today. If de-dollarization continues, then expect INR to be around 60 against the US Dollar.”
“As a fellow hoosier in austin id like to say life is very different here. Given your goal of leaving the US as soon as possible with a 40k loan id give myself atleast 2 years of space to pay it back. Coming here from the mid west id say give your self the chance to enjoy texas a little. Dont stress too much about the loan and focus on getting yourself on your feet. Youve made it brother/sister. Whether/when you go back to india or not. Live a little. Compared to indian this place is beautiful. Not the best advice but hmu if i can help with any more indepth notes,” commented another.
One user shared personal financial journey to offer perspective. “I was able to save $150k with $72k job in Florida in four years, lived very frugally like a student in shared accommodation and without a car, no fancy trips & restaurants, was able to cap the monthly expenses to $1k a month. Of course I was on opt so social security wasn’t deducted from my check so savings were higher. I had $40k loan but cleared it soon within a year, then sent money to parents then bought a car then bought a house before marriage, yes it’s possible. This is between 2017-2021, the cost of living is a bit lower but your salary is higher than mine at that time,” the user wrote.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
