Citizens Economy Report · Education

Education: Does It Pay?

Canadian data on post-secondary earnings, student debt, and real return on investment — by credential, by field, and by province. Plus: who controls the system, and who's accountable for the costs.

Avg. bachelor's debt

$28,000

at graduation

Grads with student debt

49%

of all PSE grads

Trades shortage (2034)

250,000

projected unfilled jobs

Grads working in field

62%

university (2 yrs after)

No PSE — median earnings

$38,500

Baseline for all comparisons

Avg. years to repay debt

9.5 yrs

Student loan debt

Trades — employment rate

84%

Working in their trade

Trades avg. journeyperson

$72,000

Median annual earnings

Median Earnings by Credential — 5 Years After Graduation

Statistics Canada National Graduates Survey 2018, updated with 2021 Census income data

No Post-Secondary

No study required

$38,500
High school diploma only. Employment rate drops significantly for those without a diploma.
Tuition: FreeEmployment: 72.1%

Trades / Apprenticeship

2 years of study

$65,000
Journeyperson certification (Red Seal). Includes electricians, plumbers, welders, HVAC, carpenters.
Tuition: $8,000Employment: 91.2%

College Certificate (1-year)

1 years of study

$44,000
Ontario college certificate, focused/vocational programs.
Tuition: $4,500Employment: 80.5%

College Diploma (2-year)

2 years of study

$52,000
Two-year Ontario college diploma. Includes business, technology, health, media.
Tuition: $10,000Employment: 84.3%

Bachelor's Degree (4-year)

4 years of study

$58,000
4-year undergraduate degree. Wide range by field — see Field of Study tab.
Tuition: $32,000Employment: 86.5%

Master's Degree

6 years of study

$75,000
2-year master's after bachelor's. Median earnings across all fields.
Tuition: $52,000Employment: 91.8%

PhD / Doctorate

10 years of study

$87,000
4-5 years after bachelor's + master's. High variance — many earn less than master's holders until mid-career.
Tuition: $65,000Employment: 94.2%

Professional Degree (MD/JD/MBA)

7 years of study

$112,000
Medicine, law, dentistry, pharmacy. Highest debt but also highest earnings ceiling.
Tuition: $145,000Employment: 96.3%

🔍 Find Your Program

Search 245+ programs at Canadian universities, colleges, and trades schools. Select up to 5 and generate a personalized Education Path Report for $4.99.

🔍 Find Your Program

Search 100+ programs at top Canadian universities, colleges, and trades schools

Or browse by field of study:

Who Is Responsible?

Education costs, student debt, and labour market outcomes are not accidents — they are the direct result of policy choices made by identifiable public servants.

Provincial

Provincial Ministries of Colleges and Universities

Set tuition frameworks, grant per-student funding. Ontario tuition frozen 2019–2022, then raised 5%/yr.

→ Minister of Colleges and Universities

Federal

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)

Canada Student Loan Program, Canada Student Grant ($3,000/yr for low-income), interest-free loans since 2023, Red Seal trades program.

→ Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

Federal

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

International student volumes — 1M+ study permits issued 2023, driving up housing costs and competition in part-time job markets used by domestic students.

→ Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Key Policy Issues

  • →Ontario university tuition is among Canada's highest despite a 3-year freeze (2019–2022) — now rising again
  • →Quebec students pay 70% less tuition than Ontario students for the same education
  • →OSAP provides grants only to households under ~$175,000; middle-income families receive little support
  • →250,000 skilled trades positions projected to go unfilled by 2034 — a workforce planning failure
  • →Federal immigration targets created record international student enrollment without proportional housing or support infrastructure
Rate Education & Employment Officials →🛠️ Find Student Assistance Programs

Sources

• Statistics Canada. National Graduates Survey (NGS) 2018. Table 37-10-0112-01.

• Statistics Canada. Census 2021. T1 Family File (T1FF) earnings by highest certificate.

• Statistics Canada. Tuition and Living Accommodation Costs (TLAC) 2025-26. Table 37-10-0003-01.

• Government of Canada. Canada Student Loan Program (CSLP) Annual Report 2023-24.

• Canadian Apprenticeship Forum. Apprenticeship in Canada — The Apprentice Advantage, 2024.

• RBC Economics. Powering Up: Canada's Trades Advantage, 2023.

• Statistics Canada. Projected demand for skilled trades labour, 2025-2034.