Chapter 25: Career Paths Beyond Big Tech

India’s greatest export to the US is the “Software Engineer.” But the America of 2026 is hungry for other skills.

25.1. The Healthcare Opportunity

America is aging. We need doctors, yes, but we also need Nurses, Therapists, and Healthcare Administrators.

An Indian nurse in the US can make $100,000 a year—more than many engineers—with a much more stable career path and better visa options.

25.2. The “Trades” (The Blue-Collar Myth)

In India, being a plumber or an electrician is seen as “low class.” In America, these are highly respected, high-income professions.

A master electrician in a major city can make $150,000 a year. They have unions, they have pensions, and they own their own homes.
The Lesson: If you are “handy” with your hands, America has a place for you that isn’t behind a desk.

25.3. The Creative Frontier

From Mindy Kaling to M. Night Shyamalan, Indians are finally breaking into the American “Culture Machine.”

Media, Design, Policy, and Public Health are all fields where the “Indian Perspective” is becoming a valuable asset.
The Challenge: These fields don’t have the same “Visa Sponsorship” pipeline as Tech. You have to be “Extraordinary” (O-1 Visa) to make it work.

Practical Takeaway for the Indian: Stop telling your kids they “must” be an engineer. America is a massive economy with room for every talent. The “safest” career is the one your child is actually good at.