Spain vs USA: A Guide for Study-Abroad Destination 2024?

Both Spain and the USA boast a high-standard education system, regarded for its excellence and quality. Moreover, international students in these countries benefit from the expertise of highly experienced faculty. If you are confused about choosing between Spain and the USA to pursue your studies, then you are at the right place. Here, we will hold a Spain vs USA contest. We will compare both countries based on numerous aspects, and award +2 points to the one which is better in a particular aspect. Finally, we will calculate the total scores, and the country with the highest score will be deemed a better study-abroad destination in this blog. 

Parameters	Spain	USA
Area	506,030 KM²	9.834 Million KM²
Currency	The Euro (€)	United States Dollar ($)
Capital	Madrid	Washington, D.C.
Total Higher Education Providers	86	4,313
Total Indian Students Studying	1,500	211,930
Average Cost of Living	€689.4 – €2,430.9	$2,500 – $3,500 Per Month
Average Cost of Studying	€750 to €3,500 Per Year	$7,000 – $55,000 Per Year
Popular Job Sectors	Law, Data Science, Real Estate, Food Industry, Clothing Industry, Information and Communications Technology, and Business Development	Tech and IT, Energy, Marketing/Creative, Life sciences, Healthcare, Retail, E-commerce, and Business Services
Permitted Part-Time Working Hours	20 Hours Per Week / 4 Hours Per Day	Up To 20 Hours Per Week During School Sessions and Full Time During Holidays

Top-Ranked Universities: Spain vs USA

Spain and the USA house some of the world’s highest-ranked universities. In this section, we will compare these countries based on their universities. 

Universities in Spain

Here are some of the top universities in Spain:

Top Universities in Spain	QS World University Rankings 2025	Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona	175	201–250
Universitat de Barcelona	165	=152
Complutense University of Madrid	164	501–600
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid	=198	351–400
University of Navarra	249	301–350
Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona)	=265	201–250
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M)	285	801–1000
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · BarcelonaTech (UPC)	354	601–800
University of Granada	=431	501–600
IE University	435	201–300

Universities in the USA

Here are some of the highest-ranked universities in the US:

Top Universities in the US	QS World University Rankings 2025	Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	1	3
Harvard University	4	4
Stanford University	6	2
University of California Berkeley (UCB)	12	9
University of Chicago	21	13
University of Pennsylvania	11	16
Cornell University	16	20
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)	10	7
Yale University	23	10
Princeton University	22	6
Columbia University	=34	17
Johns Hopkins University	=32	15
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	42	18
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	44	23
New York University (NYU)	43	27

Which Country is Better?

The above comparison shows that the universities in the USA are ranked higher than the universities in Spain. Hence, we will grant +2 points to the USA in this round of Spain vs USA. 

Also Read: Education System in Spain

Admission Requirements

Before you apply for admission to the university of your desired country, make sure you are aware of its eligibility criteria. So, let’s look at the admission requirements for Spain and the USA. 

Admission Requirements for Spain

Here are the admission requirements for universities in Spain:

• You must have completed your high school if you are applying for a bachelor’s program, and an undergraduate degree if you are applying for a postgraduate course. 
• In the PCE exams you take, you must score a minimum grade of 5 in the general core subject.
• You must score at least 90-100 on TOEFL and 6.5 on IELTS. 
• Moreover, you need to provide the following documents during your admission process:

1. A valid passport, 
2. A valid student visa, 
3. Medical insurance, 
4. Travel insurance, and
5. Proof of sufficient funds to cover your living expenses during your studies. 

Admission Requirements for the USA

Here are the eligibility criteria you need to meet for admission to the universities in the USA: 

• You need to have a minimum TOEFL score of 55 to 79, or equivalent for courses of bachelor’s level. 
• You need to have a TOEFL score of 55 to 89 or the equivalent for degrees of master’s level. 
• Candidates are required to have a GPA of 2.5 to 3.5 or more in their previous studies. 
• They also need to have a minimum PTE Academic score of 50-70, a SAT score of 1500-1600, an IELTS score of 6-6.5, an ACT score of 25, and an iTEP score of 3.7.
• The students must have finished high school or the equivalent. 
• The applicants need to have a four-year bachelor’s degree or its equivalent if they are applying for a master’s degree course. 
• You also need to submit a resume, an essay, recommendations, and a copy of your current passport. 
• Students also need to provide proof of financial support, which is needed for the I-20 Form. 

Which Country is Better?

The above comparison shows that getting admission to US universities is a bit harder than the universities in Spain. As a result, we will grant +2 points to Spain in this round of Spain vs US. 

Tuition Fees

The cost of education is another major factor that determines if a study destination is suitable for you or not. In this section, we will compare Spain and the US based on their annual tuition costs. 

Tuition Fees in Spain

As per the websites of the universities in Spain, the average annual tuition costs in the country are as follows: 

Study Program	Average Annual Tuition Fee
Undergraduate	€750 to €2,500
Postgraduate	€1,000 to €3,500
Doctoral	€3,300

Tuition Fees in USA

This is what the average annual tuition costs in the USA look like according to the websites of the universities in the nation: 

Study Program	Average Annual Tuition Fee
Undergraduate	$8,000 – $40,000
Postgraduate	$10,000 – $60,000
Doctoral	$28,000 – $55,000

Which Country is Better?

The tables above show that the tuition fees in the US are more than the tuition fees in Spain. Hence, Spain will receive +2 points in this round of Spain vs US.

Also Read: Spain Study Visa

Living Expenses

Please ensure that you don’t forget to take into account the cost of living while choosing your study destination. So, let’s look at the living expenses in Spain and the USA. 

Cost of Living in Spain

According to Numbeo, the living expenses in Spain are as follows:

Monthly Rent	€694.44 to €1,538.34
Average Apartment Price (Price per Square Metre)	€1,995.84 to €3,390.71
Average Cost of an Inexpensive Restaurant Meal	€12.00
Average Transportation Cost (Monthly)	€31.30
Average Cost of Utility (Monthly)	€177.31

Cost of Living in the USA

The cost of living in the USA as per Numbeo is shown in the table below: 

Monthly Rent	$1,382.53 – $3,055.29
Average Apartment Price (Price per Square Metre)	$3,205.66 – $4,725.85
Average Cost of an Inexpensive Restaurant Meal	$20
Average Transportation Cost	$70
Average Cost of Utility (Monthly)	$306.27 Per Month

Which Country is Better?

The cost of living in the US is lower than in Spain, and hence, we will grant +2 points to Spain in this round of Spain vs USA. 

Work Permit and PR

The ease of receiving a work permit and permanent residency is also an important consideration one should have while opting for a study-abroad destination. So, in this section, we will compare Spain and the USA based on their ease of granting work permits and PR. 

Work Permit in Spain

Here is how a work permit is granted in Spain:

Eligibility Requirements for a Work Permit in Spain:

Here are the requirements to get a work permit in Spain:

• Original work permit/training permit obtained by the Spain-based employer,
• Original Passport with a validity of more than six months and a minimum of three blank pages for visa stamp (Attach all your old passports if any), 
• Two recent passport-sized coloured photographs on a white background with 80% face cover on a matt or semi-matt finished paper (35mm x 45mm),
• Personal ITR for the last 3 years,
• Original Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) issued by the Regional,
• Pay slips,
• Bank Statement for the last six months,
• Passport Office, and
• Travel insurance.

Process for a Spain Work Permit:

You have to first secure a job if you want to get a Spanish work visa. This is because your employer finishes most of the Work Visa Application Process on your behalf and they must begin by applying for authorisation from the Single Desk for Immigration at their local Prefettura. Your local embassy will grant you an entry visa, which usually takes less than thirty days. 

PR in Spain

To get the Spanish Permanent Residency, you must have stayed lawfully in Spain for five years. You can apply for Permanent Residency and receive the right to remain in the country as a permanent resident.

Work Permit in the USA

Here is how a work permit is given in the US:

Eligibility for a Work Permit in the US

The following immigrants are qualified to obtain a work permit in the United States:

• DACA recipients,
• Immigrants with extraordinary abilities,
• Immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED),
• K-1 Fiance Visa holders,
• Asylees,
• Immigrants with pending adjustment of status (green card) applications,
• Certain exchange visitors,
• Spouses of some visa holders,
• F-1 students who are experiencing financial hardship who want to apply for optional practical training (OPT), and 
• Approved temporary workers.

Apply for a Work Permit in the US

To apply for a work permit in the US, follow the processes given below:

Step 1: Apply for an immigration status that enables you to work in the USA. 

Step 2: Then, properly complete the USCIS Form I-765: Application for Employment Authorization to apply for a work permit in the US 

Step 3: Gather and submit the needed documents, which include a duplicate of a duplicate of your passport photo page, your original Form I-94 travel record, and two 2-inch-by-2-inch passport-style photos of yourself. 

Step 4: Submit your application and pay the application fee. The USCIS charges an application fee of $410 for the majority of I-765 forms. 

Step 5: After you have completed Form I-765, collected all supporting papers, and paid the application cost, submit your application for the work permit to USCIS.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) usually processes Form I-765 in 6.7 months.

PR in the USA

Green Cards, generally known as alien registration cards, have a validity of 10 years. If a person has been a lawful permanent resident for 5 years via employment or 3 years through marriage to a US citizen, they can petition for citizenship.

Which Country is Better?

The above comparison shows that Spain grants work visas and permanent residency more easily than the USA. Hence, Spain will receive +2 points in this round of Spain vs USA. 

Also Read: GRE and TOEFL Scores For Top US Universities

Average Salaries: Spain vs USA

The average salary in Spain was €29,113 per year in 2022 as per Statista. On the other hand, the average annual salary in the US was $74,738 in 2021, according to Statista. 

Which Country is Better?

The average salary in the US is more than the average salary in Spain, as clear from above. Hence, we will award +2 points to the USA in this round of Spain vs USA. 

Other Major Elements

Let’s look at some additional crucial factors to consider while deciding where to pursue your education. Here are a few of these significant considerations: 

Climate

Spain generally experiences a Mediterranean climate, which is characterised by hot, dry summers and rainy, mild winters. On the other hand, the climate of the US varies greatly, ranging from tropical conditions in South Florida to arctic and alpine conditions in Alaska. 

Safety

Spain is renowned for offering a very safe environment to its residents and internationals. 

The Spanish government has a public alert system for terrorism and communicates threat-level changes online and via local media. Coming to the USA, the country is also mostly safe. Please bear in mind that the crime rate in the US varies greatly by location and city. However, both the nation is overall very safe for the residents and internationals. 

Culture for International Students

Spain boasts a rich cultural heritage, with numerous museums, galleries, and historical sites to explore. Students can also experience the vibrant local culture via concerts, festivals, and other events. On the other hand, homesickness, culture shock, language problems, financial hardship, academic pressures, and social isolation are some of the difficulties that students may endure when studying in the United States. Many universities and colleges, however, offer resources and support to help students overcome these problems and succeed.

Conclusion 

After computing the total scores, we find that Spain gets 8 points while the US gets 4 points. Hence, Spain is the winner in this contest of Spain vs USA. However, please bear in mind that both Spain and the United States have their advantages and disadvantages. So, before applying to the universities of any country, carefully choose a degree. Consider the educational facilities and financial aid available for the course of your choice to make a more informed decision. Having said that, both Spain and the US are excellent study-abroad destinations offering equal chances to overseas students. 

Also Read: Study a Bachelor in Biology in the USA: A Guide

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FAQs

So, this was all about Spain vs the USA. Many Indian students dream of pursuing education in foreign nations due to the exposure and career growth they offer. Consider joining a free counselling session with Leverage Edu if you plan to study abroad.