Estimated gross annual earnings and student debt of postsecondary graduates in Canada: Interactive tool

Additional information

For more information on how to use this tool, consult the guide “How to use” available on this page.

Notes

The target population for the National Graduates Survey (NGS) corresponds to graduates of public postsecondary educational institutions in Canada during the calendar year of the graduating class who were living in Canada at the time of the interview. Graduates were interviewed three years after graduation for the Class of 2020, 2015 and 2010. Graduates of the Class of 2005 and 2000 were interviewed at two years after graduation.

The reference periods in the table represent the year of the graduating class. The target population for the 2013 National Graduates Survey (NGS) (class of 2009-2010) corresponds to graduates of the 2009-2010 academic year, whereas the target population for all other cycles of the NGS is based on graduates of a calendar year.

Caution should be used when comparing the number of college graduates across cycles. Prior to 2020, the Postsecondary Student Information System, which is the sampling frame of the National Graduates Survey, had some under coverage as it was not possible to include graduates for a few postsecondary institutions. For the class of 2020, graduates for these institutions were included on the frame and this is reflected in the increase in the number of graduates in the class of 2020.

All estimates were subject to rounding.

College includes college or other non-university certificates, college or other non-university diplomas, collège d'enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) certificates, and CEGEP diplomas.

Bachelor's includes bachelor's degrees, degrees in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and optometry, university certificates below bachelor's degrees, and university diplomas below bachelor's degrees.

Master's includes master's degrees, university diplomas above bachelor's degrees, and university certificates above bachelor's degrees.

Statistics on student debt exclude graduates who pursued further postsecondary education between graduation and the time of the interview (two to three years after graduation, depending on the reference period).

The average student debt owed at graduation excludes graduates who never had student debt and those who had paid off their student debt by graduation.

The Canada-level estimates for the province of study include the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

The Canada-level estimates for the province of residence at the time of interview include the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and "Canada, unknown province/territory".

Estimated gross annual earnings exclude graduates who pursued further postsecondary education between graduation and the time of the interview as well as graduates who were either working part time or not working at the time of the interview.

Working full time refers to usually working 30 hours or more per week at a single job or business.