The doctoral degree experience in Canada: The road to graduation

Release date: July 22, 2025
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Infographic: The doctoral degree experience in Canada: The road to graduation
Description: The doctoral degree experience in Canada: The road to graduation

The graduation rate of doctoral students rises continuously for up to 10 years after they first enrol, while for bachelor’s degree students, it levels off sooner.

Table 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 1 Cumulative percentage of graduates, by degree, calculated using Bachelor’s and Doctorate units of measure (appearing as column headers).
  Cumulative percentage of graduates, by degree
Bachelor’s Doctorate
Number of years since first enrolled  
4 years 45 16
5 years 66 36
6 years 73 52
7 years 75 62
8 years 77 68
9 years 78 70
10 years 78 72

Extended breaks were associated with a lower graduation rate

Overall, close to one-fifth (18.7%) of doctoral graduatesNote 1 took at least one year off during their studies. The longer the break, the lower the graduation rate.

Of those who did not take a break, just over two-thirds (66.9%) earned their doctorate in six years or less.

Table 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 2 , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
  Percentage of students who graduated within 10 years after first enrolling
1 year off 88.2
2 years off 59.7
3 years off 28.1
4 or more years off 13.9

Doctoral students in STEM are more likely to graduate sooner and at a higher rate than BHASE students

Table 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 3 Cumulative percentage of doctoral graduates, by type of program and number of years since first enrolled, STEM and BHASE, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
  Cumulative percentage of doctoral graduates, by type of program and number of years since first enrolled
STEM BHASE
percent
4 years 22 10
5 years 47 25
6 years 64 40
7 years 72 51
8 years 76 59
9 years 78 63
10 years 79 66

STEM includes fields of study in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and computer and information sciences.

BHASE includes fields of study in business, humanities, health, arts, social science, and education, as well as legal studies, trades, services, natural resources and conservation.

Note: This infographic examines entry cohorts in the 2011/2012 academic year, enrolled in doctoral programs at public postsecondary educational institutions in Canada. Graduation is determined through enrolment status as of September of the following school year. For more information on the methodology, please consult the technical reference guide Persistence and graduation indicators of postsecondary students, 2011/2012 to 2022/2023.

Source: Statistics Canada, Postsecondary Student Information System, 2009/2010 to 2021/2022.

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Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2025

Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

Ottawa

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