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Table D.2.3
Number of diplomas and degrees granted1 and graduation rates2, by level of education, Canada, 1976 to 2005

Standard table symbols

  Number of diplomas and degrees Total3 Graduation rates2
College diplomas and certificates Bachelor’s and first professional degrees Master’s degrees Earned doctorate degrees College diplomas and certificates Bachelor’s and first professional degrees Master’s degrees Earned doctorate degrees
number number rate
1976 56,655 83,292 11,555 1,693 153,195 12.1 18.4 2.7 0.4
1977 60,687 87,356 12,375 1,702 162,120 13.0 18.6 2.8 0.4
1978 64,891 89,349 12,637 1,819 168,696 13.7 19.1 2.8 0.4
1979 67,883 87,238 12,351 1,803 169,275 14.1 18.3 2.7 0.4
1980 67,343 86,410 12,432 1,738 167,923 13.7 17.7 2.7 0.4
1981 68,744 84,926 12,903 1,816 168,389 13.7 17.2 2.7 0.4
1982 71,818 87,106 13,110 1,715 173,749 14.2 17.3 2.7 0.4
1983 75,776 89,770 13,925 1,821 181,292 15.2 17.7 2.8 0.4
1984 83,557 92,856 14,568 1,878 192,859 16.5 18.5 2.9 0.4
1985 84,281 97,551 15,208 2,004 199,044 16.9 19.2 3.0 0.4
1986 81,761 101,670 15,948 2,220 201,599 16.9 20.2 3.2 0.5
1987 82,419 103,078 15,968 2,375 203,840 18.5 21.2 3.1 0.5
1988 80,096 103,606 16,320 2,418 202,440 19.2 23.2 3.2 0.5
1989 82,190 104,981 16,750 2,573 206,494 20.1 24.7 3.4 0.5
1990 82,506 109,777 17,653 2,673 212,609 20.1 26.5 3.9 0.5
1991 83,824 114,820 18,033 2,947 219,624 20.1 27.8 4.2 0.6
1992 85,949 120,745 19,435 3,136 229,265 20.6 28.7 4.6 0.6
1993 92,515 123,202 20,818 3,356 239,891 23.2 29.4 5.0 0.7
1994 95,296 126,538 21,292 3,552 246,678 24.2 31.6 5.0 0.8
1995 97,195 127,331 21,356 3,716 249,598 24.8 32.3 5.1 0.9
1996 100,978 127,986 21,558 3,928 254,450 25.0 32.5 5.3 0.9
1997 105,019 125,794 21,319 3,966 256,098 25.8 31.0 5.3 0.9
1998 113,057 124,861 22,026 3,976 263,920 27.7 30.8 5.6 0.9
1999 .. 126,436 23,272 3,966 .. .. 31.0 5.7 1.0
2000 .. 128,568 24,228 3,860 .. .. 31.4 5.9 0.9
2001 .. 129,240 24,906 3,708 .. .. 31.0 6.0 0.9
2002 .. 134,037 26,325 3,729 .. .. 30.6 6.3 0.9
2003 .. 140,883 28,980 3,861 .. .. 32.1 6.7 0.9
2004 .. 148,626r 32,445r 4,164 .. .. 33.5r 7.1r 1.0
20054 .. 151,944 32,991 4,200 .. .. 33.8 7.3 1.0
.. not available for a specific reference period
r revised
1. Data presented in this table include foreign students.
2. Calculated by dividing the total number of graduates regardless of their age by the population at the "typical age" of graduation (age 21 for college diplomas, age 22 for bachelor's and first professional degrees, age 24 for master's degrees, and age 27 for earned doctorates).
3. Excludes university diploma/certificate below or above bachelor's degree.
4. 2005 university degrees, diplomas and certificates granted for University of Regina not available.
Data sources: University Student Information System, Statistics Canada.
Postsecondary Student Information System, Statistics Canada.
Community College Student Information System, Statistics Canada.
CANSIM, Table 051-0001 (Population estimates and projections).
Table source: Statistics Canada and Council of Ministers of Education, Canada. 2007. Education indicators in Canada: Report of the Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program. Catalogue no. 81-582-XIE. Ottawa.
Updated June 16, 2008.
Date Modified: 2011-07-11

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