That's one way of doing it and the path many take but earning an MS in a STEM field is quite a lot of work and beyond the abilities of many. People come into mo

That's one way of doing it and the path many take but earning an MS in a STEM field is quite a lot of work and beyond the abilities of many. People come into money many ways, not all of them through hard work. $72k is a small trade off for some, especially those who can integrate into an existing network of their kinfolk already in the US so "living in the shadows" doesn't become much of a burden. Plus they don't have to spend years of their life toiling away towards a degree they might have no interest in. Entering illegally and joining a family network reaps benefits immediately.