Ontario university graduates have highest employment, highest income

Getting jobs related to their field of study: latest government survey

TORONTO, Nov. 19, 2013 /CNW/ - Graduates of Ontario's undergraduate university programs have higher employment rates and higher incomes than those with any other level of education, the latest provincial government survey shows.

More than 92 per cent of 2010 undergrads were employed two years after graduation, up from 86.5 per cent who had jobs within six months.

The average salary for university graduates in full-time employment was $49,277 two years after graduation, up from the average $42,668 earned six months after graduation.

"The most certain path to a well-paying job related to your field of study is still a university education," says Max Blouw, Chair of the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) and President of Wilfrid Laurier University. "No other level of education surpasses a university degree both in terms of employment rates and income."

The survey, conducted for the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities by the independent firm CCI Research Inc., also concluded that university graduates get jobs related to their education. Two years after graduation, more than 82 per cent reported being in employment related to their degree. That's up from 76.4 per cent six months after leaving university.

"Ontario universities are preparing students for careers in an ever-changing workplace and are key players in economic success as we recover from the global recession," says COU President and CEO Bonnie M. Patterson. "Our graduates have the critical thinking skills and adaptability employers are looking for in today's fast-paced, technology-driven economy. They know how to learn and possess the resilience needed for the long term."

In all, 70,845 students who graduated from undergraduate programs at Ontario universities in 2010 were surveyed between November 2012 and March 2013, with 25,583 or 36.1 per cent responding.

Read the survey here.
See our infographic here.

COU is a membership organization of 21 publicly assisted universities in Ontario. It works closely with the provincial and federal governments to shape public policies that help universities deliver high-quality programs for students and advance the research and innovation that improves the social, cultural and economic well-being of Ontarians.

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SOURCE: Council of Ontario Universities

Wendy McCann
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