The results focus on those who had not completed any post-secondary credentials prior to their 2014 degree, a group known as first degree holders. The information is based on a survey of graduates of the region’s universities in fall 2016, two years after graduation.
Excluding those who were not looking for work, 88 per cent of graduates were employed. Three-quarters (75 per cent) said that their job was at least somewhat related to their degree or that they were using skills learned in their program. Just more than half (52 per cent) were working in an occupation that requires a university-level education or that is in management.
The commission’s report also includes comparable data for graduates in 2007 and 2012. Compared to the class of 2007, these employment outcome indicators have decreased by three to six percentage points.
Those who graduated in 2014 earned a median annual income of $40,000, while those working full time earned $45,000. Compared in constant dollars, median earnings for the class of 2014 are lower than those for the classes of 2007 and 2012.
The report also shows that the average earnings of 2014 graduates two years after graduation is either on par with, or close to, that of the general population, which includes all Canadians of working age.
“The recession in 2008-09 is likely a key factor explaining these trends,” said Catherine Stewart, the commission’s interim CEO. “It is also important to remember that these are relatively recent graduates new to, or still in the midst of, their transition to the workforce.”
The report provides these statistics for graduates’ province of graduation and province of residence in 2016. It is available online.
