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University degrees, diplomas and certificates awarded

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2006 (Previous release)

Approximately 225,900 students received a qualification from a Canadian university in 2006, a 4.9% increase from 2005.

Of all qualifications, about 60%, or 136,200, were awarded to women, continuing a long-term trend in which female graduates have outnumbered their male counterparts. Women have outnumbered men at every level other than at the doctorate level since 1994.

At the undergraduate level, some 181,400 students received a degree, a certificate or a diploma in 2006, a 5.1% gain from 2005.

About 34,100 students received a master's level qualification in 2006, up 3.4% from 2005. The 2006 level represents 9,200 more master's degrees than the level in 2001, the equivalent of a 36.9% increase.

Some 16,100 men received a master's degree in 2006, up 0.8% from 2005, as did 18,100 women, a 5.8% increase.

Universities granted 4,500 doctorate degrees in 2006. Women accounted for 42% of these doctorates, up from 34% a decade earlier.

The number of degrees, diplomas and certificates rose in all fields of study in 2006, except one: mathematics, computer and information sciences (-5.8%).

Among the fields of study with the largest numbers of qualifications awarded, the largest increase in graduates occurred in health, parks, recreation and fitness (+9.0%); social and behavioural sciences, and law (+8.3 %); and education (+5,9%).

Note: Data for the University of Regina are not included in estimates of counts for 2005 and 2006. National trend analysis involving years prior to 2005 compared with 2005 or 2006 will be affected insignificantly by this absence. For Quebec institutions, micro programs and attestations are not included. The data for the University of British Columbia are preliminary.

Available on CANSIM: table 477-0014.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 5017.

Data tables are also available from the Summary tables module of our website.

For general information, to order data, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Client Services (toll-free 1-800-307-3382; 613-951-7608; fax: 613-951-4441; educationstats@statcan.gc.ca), Culture, Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics.

Table 1

University qualifications awarded by program level and gender

Table 1

University qualifications awarded by program level and gender
	2001^r	2005^r,1	2006^r,1	2001 to 2006	2005 to 2006
	number			% change²
Total qualifications³	178,100	215,300	225,900	26.8	4.9
Male	72,900	86,700	89,700	23.1	3.5
Female	105,200	128,600	136,200	29.4	5.9
Undergraduate level
Total³ degree, certificate and diploma	146,400	172,600	181,400	23.9	5.1
Male	57,400	66,000	68,600	19.5	3.9
Female	89,000	106,600	112,700	26.7	5.7
Bachelor's, first professional and applied degree³	129,200	151,900	161,000	24.6	6.0
Male	51,400	58,600	61,600	19.8	5.1
Female	77,800	93,300	99,400	27.7	6.6
Other undergraduate qualifications awarded³	17,200	20,800	20,400	18.4	-1.9
Male	6,000	7,400	7,000	16.5	-5.3
Female	11,100	13,300	13,300	19.7	-0.1
Graduate level
Total degree, certificate and diploma³	31,000	41,400	42,700	37.7	3.2
Male	15,100	20,100	20,300	34.4	1.0
Female	15,900	21,300	22,400	40.6	5.2
Master's degree³	24,900	33,000	34,100	36.9	3.4
Male	11,900	15,900	16,100	35.1	0.8
Female	13,000	17,100	18,100	38.6	5.8
Earned doctorate	3,700	4,200	4,500	20.0	5.9
Male	2,100	2,400	2,500	18.6	7.1
Female	1,600	1,800	1,900	22.0	4.5
Other graduate qualifications awarded³	2,400	4,200	4,200	71.8	-1.4
Male	1,100	1,800	1,700	58.2	-4.8
Female	1,300	2,400	2,400	82.9	1.1
Non-university level³	600	1,200	1,800	193.7	45.8
Male	300	600	800	136.9	35.6
Female	300	700	1,000	257.9	54.5

revised

Qualifications figures do not include the University of Regina.

The percentage changes are based on rounded figures.

Total includes sex unknown.

Note(s):

Qualifications figures may not add up because of rounding to the nearest 100.

Table 2

University qualifications awarded by field of study

Table 2

University qualifications awarded by field of study
	2001^r	2005^r,1	2006^r,1	2001 to 2006	2005 to 2006
	number			% change²
Total³ qualifications	178,100	215,300	225,900	26.8	4.9
Male	72,900	86,700	89,700	23.1	3.5
Female	105,200	128,600	136,200	29.4	5.9
Personal improvement and leisure education³	...	...	...	...	...
Male	...	...	...	...	...
Female	...	...	...	...	...
Education³	22,400	25,300	26,800	20.0	5.9
Male	5,600	6,300	6,400	14.7	2.5
Female	16,700	19,000	20,400	21.8	6.9
Visual and performing arts, and communications technologies	5,900	7,800	8,100	38.0	3.9
Male	1,900	2,500	2,600	33.8	1.6
Female	4,000	5,300	5,600	40.0	4.9
Humanities³	20,100	24,000	25,100	24.9	4.5
Male	7,000	8,500	8,700	24.2	2.8
Female	13,100	15,500	16,400	25.3	5.3
Social and behavioural sciences, and law³	35,800	42,000	45,500	27.1	8.3
Male	12,500	14,100	15,200	21.6	7.6
Female	23,300	27,900	30,300	30.1	8.6
Business, management and public administration³	34,800	45,300	45,800	31.6	1.0
Male	15,800	20,700	20,900	32.3	1.1
Female	19,000	24,600	24,800	31.0	0.9
Physical and life sciences, and technologies³	14,800	15,900	17,200	16.4	8.1
Male	6,400	6,700	7,100	12.2	7.0
Female	8,400	9,200	10,000	19.6	8.8
Mathematics, computer and information sciences³	9,000	10,000	9,400	4.5	-5.8
Male	6,200	7,100	6,600	7.1	-7.0
Female	2,900	2,900	2,800	-1.1	-2.8
Architecture, engineering and related technologies³	13,800	18,000	18,500	33.9	3.1
Male	10,600	13,600	14,300	35.1	5.0
Female	3,300	4,400	4,200	29.8	-2.8
Agriculture, natural resources and conservation	3,900	3,300	3,600	-7.4	9.0
Male	1,900	1,500	1,600	-17.9	2.8
Female	2,000	1,800	2,000	2.6	14.1
Health, parks, recreation and fitness³	16,300	21,900	23,800	46.2	9.0
Male	4,500	5,000	5,500	22.2	8.4
Female	11,800	16,800	18,400	55.3	9.2
Personal, protective and transportation services	200	300	500	107.9	45.0
Male	200	200	300	40.9	45.3
Female	...	100	200	481.8	39.1
Other	1,100	1,400	1,500	31.3	8.6
Male	300	400	400	56.8	9.6
Female	800	900	1,000	21.8	7.9

revised

...

not applicable

Qualifications figures do not include the University of Regina.

The percentage changes are based on rounded figures.

Total includes sex unknown.

Note(s):

Qualifications figures may not add up because of rounding to the nearest 100.

Skip to content | Skip to institutional links

Common menu bar links

Institutional links

The Daily

Special interest

Releases

Page content follows

University degrees, diplomas and certificates awarded

2006 (Previous release)

Approximately 225,900 students received a qualification from a Canadian university in 2006, a 4.9% increase from 2005.

At the undergraduate level, some 181,400 students received a degree, a certificate or a diploma in 2006, a 5.1% gain from 2005.

Some 16,100 men received a master's degree in 2006, up 0.8% from 2005, as did 18,100 women, a 5.8% increase.

Universities granted 4,500 doctorate degrees in 2006. Women accounted for 42% of these doctorates, up from 34% a decade earlier.

The number of degrees, diplomas and certificates rose in all fields of study in 2006, except one: mathematics, computer and information sciences (-5.8%).

Available on CANSIM: table 477-0014.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 5017.

Data tables are also available from the Summary tables module of our website.

Table 1

University qualifications awarded by program level and gender

Table 1

University qualifications awarded by program level and gender
	2001^r	2005^r,1	2006^r,1	2001 to 2006	2005 to 2006
	number			% change²
Total qualifications³	178,100	215,300	225,900	26.8	4.9
Male	72,900	86,700	89,700	23.1	3.5
Female	105,200	128,600	136,200	29.4	5.9
Undergraduate level
Total³ degree, certificate and diploma	146,400	172,600	181,400	23.9	5.1
Male	57,400	66,000	68,600	19.5	3.9
Female	89,000	106,600	112,700	26.7	5.7
Bachelor's, first professional and applied degree³	129,200	151,900	161,000	24.6	6.0
Male	51,400	58,600	61,600	19.8	5.1
Female	77,800	93,300	99,400	27.7	6.6
Other undergraduate qualifications awarded³	17,200	20,800	20,400	18.4	-1.9
Male	6,000	7,400	7,000	16.5	-5.3
Female	11,100	13,300	13,300	19.7	-0.1
Graduate level
Total degree, certificate and diploma³	31,000	41,400	42,700	37.7	3.2
Male	15,100	20,100	20,300	34.4	1.0
Female	15,900	21,300	22,400	40.6	5.2
Master's degree³	24,900	33,000	34,100	36.9	3.4
Male	11,900	15,900	16,100	35.1	0.8
Female	13,000	17,100	18,100	38.6	5.8
Earned doctorate	3,700	4,200	4,500	20.0	5.9
Male	2,100	2,400	2,500	18.6	7.1
Female	1,600	1,800	1,900	22.0	4.5
Other graduate qualifications awarded³	2,400	4,200	4,200	71.8	-1.4
Male	1,100	1,800	1,700	58.2	-4.8
Female	1,300	2,400	2,400	82.9	1.1
Non-university level³	600	1,200	1,800	193.7	45.8
Male	300	600	800	136.9	35.6
Female	300	700	1,000	257.9	54.5

revised

Qualifications figures do not include the University of Regina.

The percentage changes are based on rounded figures.

Total includes sex unknown.

Note(s):

Qualifications figures may not add up because of rounding to the nearest 100.

Table 2

University qualifications awarded by field of study

Table 2

University qualifications awarded by field of study
	2001^r	2005^r,1	2006^r,1	2001 to 2006	2005 to 2006
	number			% change²
Total³ qualifications	178,100	215,300	225,900	26.8	4.9
Male	72,900	86,700	89,700	23.1	3.5
Female	105,200	128,600	136,200	29.4	5.9
Personal improvement and leisure education³	...	...	...	...	...
Male	...	...	...	...	...
Female	...	...	...	...	...
Education³	22,400	25,300	26,800	20.0	5.9
Male	5,600	6,300	6,400	14.7	2.5
Female	16,700	19,000	20,400	21.8	6.9
Visual and performing arts, and communications technologies	5,900	7,800	8,100	38.0	3.9
Male	1,900	2,500	2,600	33.8	1.6
Female	4,000	5,300	5,600	40.0	4.9
Humanities³	20,100	24,000	25,100	24.9	4.5
Male	7,000	8,500	8,700	24.2	2.8
Female	13,100	15,500	16,400	25.3	5.3
Social and behavioural sciences, and law³	35,800	42,000	45,500	27.1	8.3
Male	12,500	14,100	15,200	21.6	7.6
Female	23,300	27,900	30,300	30.1	8.6
Business, management and public administration³	34,800	45,300	45,800	31.6	1.0
Male	15,800	20,700	20,900	32.3	1.1
Female	19,000	24,600	24,800	31.0	0.9
Physical and life sciences, and technologies³	14,800	15,900	17,200	16.4	8.1
Male	6,400	6,700	7,100	12.2	7.0
Female	8,400	9,200	10,000	19.6	8.8
Mathematics, computer and information sciences³	9,000	10,000	9,400	4.5	-5.8
Male	6,200	7,100	6,600	7.1	-7.0
Female	2,900	2,900	2,800	-1.1	-2.8
Architecture, engineering and related technologies³	13,800	18,000	18,500	33.9	3.1
Male	10,600	13,600	14,300	35.1	5.0
Female	3,300	4,400	4,200	29.8	-2.8
Agriculture, natural resources and conservation	3,900	3,300	3,600	-7.4	9.0
Male	1,900	1,500	1,600	-17.9	2.8
Female	2,000	1,800	2,000	2.6	14.1
Health, parks, recreation and fitness³	16,300	21,900	23,800	46.2	9.0
Male	4,500	5,000	5,500	22.2	8.4
Female	11,800	16,800	18,400	55.3	9.2
Personal, protective and transportation services	200	300	500	107.9	45.0
Male	200	200	300	40.9	45.3
Female	...	100	200	481.8	39.1
Other	1,100	1,400	1,500	31.3	8.6
Male	300	400	400	56.8	9.6
Female	800	900	1,000	21.8	7.9

revised

...

not applicable

Qualifications figures do not include the University of Regina.

The percentage changes are based on rounded figures.

Total includes sex unknown.

Note(s):

Qualifications figures may not add up because of rounding to the nearest 100.