Full-time teaching staff at Canadian universities, 2017/2018

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Release date: December 14, 2018
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Full-time teaching staff at Canadian universities, 2017/2018
Full-time teaching staff at Canadian universities, 2017/2018

Full-time teaching staff at Canadian universities, 2017/2018

In 2017/2018, full-time faculty at Canada's public universities were older and included a greater number of high-ranked professors and more women in their ranks.

From 1970/1971 to 2017/2018, there was an increase in the share of senior ranked academic teaching staff, while the share of assistant professors shrank.

Proportion of full-time academic teaching staff, by rank, 1970/1971 and 2017/2018
Professorial rank 1970/1971 (%) 2017/2018 (%)
Full 20 36
Associate 26 35
Assistant 36 19
Levels below assistant 18 10

In 1970, 4% of professors were 60 years or older. By 2017, this share increased to 24%. Since the end of mandatory retirement legislation in the mid-2000s, the number of professors over the age of 65 has increased sixfold (from 623 in 2005 to 3980 in 2017).

Proportion of full-time academic teaching staff by age groups, 1970/1971 and 2017/2018
Age group 1970/1971 (%) 2017/2018 (%)
Under 30 16 0
30 to 39 43 15
40 to 49 26 30
50 to 59 11 31
60 to 65 3 15
66 + 1 9

In 1957, almost 90% of full-time academic staff were men. By 2017 women occupied 40% of these positions.

Proportion of full-time academic teaching staff by sex, 1957/1958 to 2017/2018
  Men (%) Women (%)
1957/1958 89 11
1967/1968 87 13
1977/1978 86 14
1987/1988 83 17
1997/1998 75 25
2007/2008 66 34
2017/2018 60 40

In 2017, ¾ of professors over the age of 65 were men.

Although men outnumber women at the full professor level, there is equal representation at the lower ranks.

Proportion of female full-time academic teaching staff by rank, 1970/1971 and 2017/2018
Professorial rank 1970/1971 (%) 2017/2018 (%)
Full 3 28
Associate 8 43
Assistant 14 49
Levels below assistant 30 55

Source: Full-time Teaching Staff - University and College Academic Staff System (FT-UCASS).

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Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2018

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Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

Ottawa

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