The purpose of Higher to postsecondary education and in any event are Education Strategy Associates’ annual State of largely tabular and provide very little in the way of Postsecondary Education in Canada series is to information to interpret the data. [...] The internationalization of the Page 8 The State of Postsecondary Education in Canada University of Guelph, South Residence, 1969 student body is one of the things contrib- Figure 1.6: Women’s Share of Full-Time Enrolments, by Field of Study, Canadian uting to the plateauing of women’s Universities, 2021-22 participation rates, as foreign students tend to be disproportionately male. [...] In 2016, ing or some “other” sexual identity (the The percentage rises with the level of the wording of this question changed to 2022 version of the survey, which had a education: in college programs the figure explicitly include mental health issues much smaller sample of institutions, had is 0.6% while in doctoral programs it is and the proportion of self-reporting the proportions at 73.4%, 12.4. [...] tic students enrolled in such programs A perennial question about the postsec- between the ages of 18-21) and divide it ondary education system in Canada is Among the most often-asked questions by the total number of the country’s how it fares in comparison to systems in when comparing different national inhabitants in the same age range. [...] If we subtract the total number of ranked academics (from the University and College Academic Staff survey, shown in the above figure 2.1.) from the estimate of Page 28 The State of Postsecondary Education in Canada Bishop’s University, Centennial Theatre Another way of looking at changes in to contradict the finding in 2.10 that one still be reconciled if average wage staff composition is to look.
Authors
Organizations mentioned
- Pages
- 130
- Published in
- Canada
Table of Contents
- About This Series 8
- Introduction 17
- Chapter One Learners 21
- 1.1 Enrolment Trends in Postsecondary Education 21
- 1.2 Enrolment Trends in Universities 22
- 1.2.1 Fields of study 23
- 1.2.2 Student demographics 23
- 1.2.3 Inter-provincial student mobility 27
- 1.3 Enrolment Trends in Colleges 27
- 1.4 Private Postsecondary Education 30
- 1.5 Apprenticeship Enrolments 31
- 1.6 International Students 32
- 1.7 Canada in International Perspective 33
- Chapter Two Staff 38
- 2.1 Staff at Universities 38
- 2.2 Staff at Colleges 43
- Chapter Three Institutional Income & Expenditures 47
- 3.1 Income Trends for PSE Institutions 47
- 3.2 Expenditure Patterns for PSE Institutions 50
- Chapter Four Government Expenditures 54
- 4.1 Provincial Expenditures on Postsecondary Education 54
- How Funding is Distributed to Institutions 57
- 4.2 Federal Expenditures on Postsecondary Education 58
- A Short History of Federal Transfer Payments 60
- Chapter Five Tuition & Student Aid 63
- 5.1 Tuition 63
- 5.2 Student Assistance 66
- 5.2.1 Need-based Student Assistance 66
- Education Tax Credits in Canada: A Short Explainer 68
- 5.2.2 Non-need-based student assistance 69
- 5.3 Total Student Aid 70
- 5.4 Student Debt at Graduation 71
- Chapter Six Graduation, Attainment, & Graduate Outcomes 74
- 6.1 Graduation Rates 74
- 6.2 Attainment Rates 75
- 6.3 Labour market outcomes 76
- Chapter Seven Research 81
- 7.1 National-Level Research Performance 81
- 7.2 Academic Research at Canadian Universities 83
- 7.2.1 Colleges, Polytechnics and Applied Research 86
- Appendix A Describing the Canadian Postsecondary Education System 88
- Defining the Postsecondary Sectors 88
- What is a University? 88
- Non-Standard Universities 90
- Affiliated Colleges: 90
- Stand-alone religious institutions: 90
- Private non-denominational universities: 90
- Indigenous institutions: 90
- Offshore institutions: 90
- What is a College? 91
- Who Controls Degree-Granting Authority? 92
- What is a polytechnic? 92
- Apprenticeships 93
- Private Vocational Colleges 93
- Federalism and Postsecondary Education: Who Funds What? 94
- Appendix B Note on Sources 95
- Appendix C Provincial Profiles 97
- Newfoundland & Labrador 98
- Prince Edward Island 101
- Nova Scotia 104
- NewBrunswick 107
- Québec 110
- Ontario 113
- Manitoba 116
- Saskatchewan 119
- Alberta 122
- British Columbia 125
- Figure 1: Domestic Enrolment, Full-Time Equivalent Basis, 2012-13 to 2022-23 17
- Figure 2: Change in Domestic Enrolment by Province and Sector, 2012-13 to 2022-23 17
- Figure 3: Gross Participation Rates, by Province, 2012 vs 2022 18
- Figure 4: Operating Income per FTE Student by Source, Canadian Universities, 2006-07 to 2022-23, in $2022 18
- Figure 5: Historical and Projected Institutional Income from Tri-Councils and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, 2001-02 to 2028-29, in Millions, in $2023 19
- Figure 1.1: Full-time Equivalent Enrolments by Sector, 1992-93 to 2022-23 21
- Figure 1.2: Full- and Part-Time Students in Canadian Universities, 1992-93 to 2022-23 22
- Figure 1.3: Change in FTE University Enrolments by Province, 2012-13 to 2022-23 23
- Figure 1.4: University Enrolments by Major Field of Study, 1992-93 to 2021-22 23
- Figure 1.5: Full-Time University Enrolment, by Gender, 1992-93 to 2021-22 23
- Figure 1.6: Women’s Share of Full-Time Enrolments, by Field of Study, Canadian Universities, 2021-22 24
- Figure 1.7: First-Year University Students by Visible-Minority Status, 2001 to 2022 24
- Figure 1.8: Shares of Enrolment by Ethnicity and Sector, Canada, 2021 (15-24 year-old) 25
- Figure 1.9: Participation rates of 15–24-year-old high school graduates by Ethnicity and Sector 25
- Figure 1.10: Participation rates of 15–24-year-old high school graduates by Indigenous Status and Sector 26
- Figure 1.11: First-Year University Students Reporting Disability, 2001-2024 26
- Figure 1.12: Net Inflows of Undergraduate Students from other Canadian provinces, by Province, 2020-21 27
- Figure 1.13: Full- and Part-Time College Enrolment, from 1992-93 to 2022-23 27
- Figure 1.14: Change in FTE College Enrolments, by Province and Territories, 2012-13 to 2022-23 28
- Figure 1.15: College Enrolments by Major Field of Study, 1992-93 to 2021-22 28
- Figure 1.16: Full-Time College Enrolment, by Gender, 1992-93 to 2021-22 28
- Figure 1.17: Full-Time Women’s College Enrolment, by Field of Study, 2021-22 29
- Figure 1.18: Polytechnic Enrolments by Level of Education, 2021-22 29
- Figure 1.19: Polytechnics, CÉGEP’s & Colleges – Student Enrolment, 2009-10 to 2021-22 30
- Figure 1.20: Percentage of Private PSE Institutions & Students Attending Private Institutions in Canada, by Province, 2020 30
- Figure 1.21: Apprenticeship Enrolments: 1995 to 2022 31
- Figure 1.22: International Enrolments by Sector, Canada, 1992-93 to 2022-23 32
- Figure 1.23: International Students as a Percentage of Total Student Body, by Region and Sector, 2022-23 32
- Figure 1.24: International Students, by Major Field of Study, Canadian Universities 1992-93 to 2021-22 33
- Figure 1.25: International Students, by Major Field of Study, Canadian Colleges, 1992-93 to 2021-22 33
- Figure 1.26: Gross Enrolment Ratios in Tertiary Education, select OECD Countries, 2022 (or most recent year) 34
- Figure 1.27: Proportions of Youth Aged 18-24 year-old in School, in Employment or NEET, Selected OECD Countries, 2022 34
- Figure 1.29: Distribution of New Entrants by Field of Study, Selected OECD Countries, 2021 35
- Figure 1.28: Proportion of Postsecondary Students Studying in Institutions Predominantly Offering Programs Below Bachelor-level, Selected OECD Countries, 2020 35
- Figure 1.30: Age Distribution of Apprentices in Canada and Germany, 2022 36
- Figure 2.1: Total Tenured and Tenure-Track Academic Staff Numbers by Sex, Canada, 1992-93 to 2022-23 38
- Figure 2.2: Number of Labour Force Survey Respondents Indicating their Primary Occupation is Teaching in a University, by Intensity and Security, Canada, in Thousands, 1997 to 2023 39
- Figure 2.3: Full-Time University Professors by Visible Minority Status and Position Permanency, in Thousands, 2023 39
- Figure 2.4: Proportion of Faculty in Senior Administrative Roles, 1992-93 to 2022-23 40
- Figure 2.5: Ratio of FTE Students to Full-Time Tenured and Tenure-Track Academic Staff, 1992-93 to 2022-23 40
- Figure 2.6: Full-Time Tenured and Tenure Track Academic Staff by Broad Field of Study, Canada, 2021-22 41
- Figure 2.7: Ratio of Enrolled Students to Full-Time Tenure and Tenure-Tracked Academic Staff, by Broad Field of Study, Canada, 1992-93 to 2021-22 41
- Figure 2.8: Age Composition of Tenured and Tenure-Track Staff, Canada, 2002-03 to 2022-23 41
- Figure 2.9: Average Professorial Salary by Rank, 2001-02 to 2022-23, in $2023 42
- Figure 2.10: Total Staff by Status, Canadian Universities, 2001-2022 42
- Figure 2.11: Ratio of Full-time Academic Salaries to Non-Academic Salaries, All Canadian Universities, 1979-80 to 2022-23 43
- Figure 2.12: Number of Labour Force Survey Respondents Indicating their Primary Occupation is Teaching in a College, by Intensity and Security, Canada, in Thousands, 1997 to 2023 43
- Figure 2.13: Full- and Part-time Academic Staff, Ontario Colleges, 2006-07 to 2023-24 44
- Figure 2.14: Full-Time College/Vocational Instructors by Visible Minority Status and Position Permanency, in Thousands, 2023 44
- Figure 2.15: Total Staff by Status, Canadian Colleges, 2001-2022 45
- Figure 2.16: Full-time Academic, Support and Administrative Staff, Ontario Colleges, 2006-07 to 2023-24 45
- Figure 3.1: Total Income by Source, Public PSE Institutions, Canada, in Billions ($2022), 2001-02 to 2022-23 47
- Figure 3.2: Total Fee Income by Source, Public PSE Institutions, Canada, in Billions ($2022), 2007-08 to 2022-23 48
- Figure 3.3: Tertiary Institutions’ Income by Source, as a Percentage of Gross Domestic Product, Canada and Selected OECD Countries, Most Recent Years 48
- Figure 3.4: Total Income by Source for Universities, Canada, in Billions ($2022), 1979-90 to 2022-23 48
- Figure 3.5: Real Change in Government and Student Fee University Income, Canada, 2006-07 to 2022-23 (2006-07 = 100) 49
- Figure 3.6: Total Income by Source for Colleges, Canada, in Billions ($2022), 2001-02 to 2022-23 49
- Figure 3.7: Expenditures on Administration & ICT as a Percentage of Total Spending, Universities vs Colleges, 2001-02 to 2021-22 50
- Figure 3.8: Wages as a Percentage of Total Budget, Colleges, 2001-02 to 2021-22 52
- Figure 3.9: Wages as a Percentage of Total Budget, Universities, 2001-02 to 2021-22 52
- Figure 3.10: Percentage of Aggregate Academic Wages Going to Non-tenure Track Staff, 2000-01 to 2022-23 52
- Figure 4.1: Provincial Government Transfers to Institutions by Type of Institution, in Billions ($2022), 2001-02 to 2022-23 54
- Figure 4.2: Changes in Provincial Transfers to Institutions by Province over Five and Ten Years, 2012-13 to 2022-23, in $2022 55
- Figure 4.3: Provincial Expenditures per FTE Student, 2022-23 55
- Figure 4.4: Provincial Expenditures per FTE Student by Sector, 2022-23 56
- Figure 4.5: Total Provincial Funding per Full-Time Student, 2001-02 to 2022-23, in $2022 56
- Figure 4.6: Provincial PSE Expenditures, by Sector, as a Percentage of Provincial GDP, 2022-23 58
- Figure 4.7: Research Granting Council Expenditures by Council, in Millions ($2022), 2001-02 to 2022-23 58
- Figure 4.8: Direct Federal Funding to Postsecondary Institutions, Excluding Tri-Council Funding, 2001-02 to 2022-23, in $2022 59
- Figure 4.9: Federal Assistance to Postsecondary Institutions by Type, in Millions ($2022), 2007-08 to 2022-23 61
- Figure 4.10: Federal and Provincial Own-Source Expenditures in Respect of PSE Institutions, Canada, 2007-08 to 2022-23, in $2022 61
- Figure 5.1: Average Domestic Undergraduate Tuition and Fees, Canada, 1995-96 to 2024-25 (est.), in $2024 63
- Figure 5.2: Average Undergraduate Tuition and Mandatory Fees, by Province, 2023-24 64
- Figure 5.3: Average Tuition Fees, by Field of Study, First-Entry Undergraduate Programs, 2023-24 65
- Figure 5.4: Average Tuition Fees, by Field of Study, Second-Entry Professional Undergraduate Programs, 2023-24 65
- Figure 5.5: Domestic vs. International Student Tuition, Canadian Universities, 2006-07 to 2023-24, in $2023 66
- Figure 5.6: International Undergraduate Student Tuition by Province, Canadian Universities, 2023-24 66
- Figure 5.7: Total Annual Loans and Grants Issued, Canada, 1992-93 to 2022-23, in Millions, in $2022 67
- Figure 5.8: Total Annual Need-Based Student Aid by Source, Canada, 1992-93 to 2022-23, in Millions, in $2022 68
- Figure 5.9: Total Value of Education and Tuition Tax Credits by Source, Canada, 1992 to 2022, in Millions, in $2022 69
- Figure 5.10: Total Canada Education Savings Grants Payments, 1998 to 2022, in Millions, in $2022 69
- Figure 5.11: Total Institutional Scholarships by Institutional Type, Canada, 1993-94 to 2022-23, in Millions, in $2022 70
- Figure 5.12: Total Student Financial Assistance by Type, Selected years, 1993-94 to 2022-2023, in Millions, in $2022 71
- Figure 5.13: Aggregate Non-Repayable Aid vs Aggregate Domestic Tuition fees, 2007-08 to 2022-23, in Billions, in $2022 71
- Figure 5.14: Average Student Debt at Graduation for Those with Debt, University Undergraduates and Colleges, Selected Years, 1982-2024, in $2024 72
- Figure 5.15: Average Student Debt at Graduation, by Province, Universities and Colleges, 2020 72
- Figure 6.1: Completion Rates by Credential Type, Canada, Most Recent Cohorts 74
- Figure 6.2: Educational Attainment Rates of Canadians Aged 25-64, Selected Years, 2003 to 2023 75
- Figure 6.3: Educational Attainment Rates of Canadians Aged 25-34, 2000 to 2023 75
- Figure 6.4: Educational Attainment Rates of Canadians Aged 25-34, by Province, 2023 76
- Figure 6.5: Educational Attainment Rates of Persons Aged 25-64, Selected OECD Countries, 2022 76
- Figure 6.6: Employment Status by Level of Education Completed, Canada, Class of 2020, Three Years After Graduation 77
- Figure 6.7: Employment Rates at Six Months and Two Years, Ontario Undergraduates, Graduating Classes of 1996 to 2020 77
- Figure 6.8: Median Graduate Incomes Two and Five Years After Graduation, Bachelor’s Graduates, Class of 2017, in $2022 78
- Figure 6.9: Median Graduate Incomes Two and Five Years After Graduation, College Diploma Graduates, Class of 2017, in $2022 78
- Figure 6.10: Median Salaries Three Years After Graduation, by Province of Study, Bachelor’s Graduates, Classes of 2010 and 2020, in $2023 78
- Figure 6.11: Median Salaries Three Years After Graduation, by Province of Study, College Graduates, Classes of 2010 and 2020, in $2023 79
- Figure 6.12: Graduate Salaries Two Years After Graduation, Ontario Undergraduates, Selected Fields of Study, Graduating Classes of 2001 to 2020, in $2022 79
- Figure 6.13: Salaries of Graduates aged 25-64, by Type of Credential, Selected OECD Countries (Salaries of Upper Secondary Graduates Aged 25-34 = 100), 2021 79
- Figure 7.1: Research and Development Spending as a Percentage of Gross Domestic Product, Selected OECD Countries, 2021-2022 81
- Figure 7.2: Research and Development Spending by Performing Sector, as a Percentage of Gross Domestic Product, Selected OECD Countries, 2022 82
- Figure 7.3: Total Scientific Publications, by Geography of Collaboration, Selected OECD Countries, 2022 82
- Figure 7.4: Canada’s Share of Total Global Scientific Publications, by Field, 2022 83
- Figure 7.5: Top 10 Colleges for Sponsored Research, 2022-2023, in Millions 86
- Table 1.1: Full-time Equivalent Enrolments by Sector and Province, 2022-23 22
- Table 1.2: Top Ten Major Trade Groups in Canada, 2012 vs 2022 31
- Table 1.3: Share of Apprentices by Occupational Grouping, Canada vs. Germany 2021 36
- Table 3.1: Distribution of Total Expenditures by Fund, Colleges and Universities, 2021-22 50
- Table 3.2: Distribution of Spending by Type, Universities and Colleges, 2021-22 51
- Table 7.1: Top Canadian Universities According to Major Rankings Agencies, 2024 83
- Table 7.2: Top Fifteen Canadian Universities for Proportion of Papers Attaining Top-10% Field-adjusted Citations, 2019-2022 (minimum 250 papers in top 10%) 84
- Table 7.3: Top Five Canadian Universities for Proportion of Papers Attaining top-10% Field-adjusted Citations, by Broad Scientific Field 2019-2022 (minimum 50 papers in specific field) 85
- Table 7.4: Top Fifteen Institutional Recipients of Federal Research Grants, by Council, 2022-2023 85