Postsecondary attainment

Proportion of the population who have attained a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree.

This indicator is measured in a number of Statistics Canada surveys, including the Census of Population and the Labour Force Survey (LFS).

In the Census of Population, survey respondents are asked:

Has this person completed a Registered Apprenticeship or other trades certificate or diploma?

• Yes, Certificate of Apprenticeship or Certificate of Qualification (Journeyperson's designation)
• Yes, other trades certificate or diploma
• No

Has this person completed a college, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma?

• Yes, certificate or diploma from a program of less than 3 months
• Yes, certificate or diploma from a program of 3 months to less than 1 year
• Yes, certificate or diploma from a program of 1 year to 2 years
• Yes, certificate or diploma from a program of more than 2 years
• No

Has this person completed a university certificate, diploma or degree?

• Yes, university certificate or diploma below bachelor level
• Yes, bachelor's degree (e.g., B.A., B.A.(Hons.), B.Sc., B.Ed., LL.B.)
• Yes, university certificate or diploma above bachelor level
• Yes, degree in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or optometry (M.D., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.V.M., O.D.)
• Yes, master's degree (e.g., M.A., M.Sc., M.Ed., M.B.A.)
• Yes, earned doctorate (e.g., Ph.D.)
• No

In the LFS, survey respondents are asked:

What is the highest certificate, diploma or degree you have obtained?

• Has not obtained a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree
• Trade certificate or diploma from a vocational school or apprenticeship training
• Certificate or diploma from a community college, CEGEP, school of nursing, etc.
• University certificate below a bachelor's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• University certificate, diploma or degree above a bachelor's degree

This indicator is measured through multiple Statistics Canada surveys. Estimates can vary between data sources due to differences in reference periods, targeted or sampled populations, data collection and other methodology.

• Census of Population
• Labour Force Survey (LFS)

For products related to postsecondary attainment, including data tables, data visualizations, articles, and other product types see Analytical releases: Postsecondary attainment or view all analytical releases.

This indicator aligns with the following frameworks:

• Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) for the Sustainable Development Goals
  • CIF Indicator 4.2.1 – Post-secondary education attainment rate
• Social inclusion indicators for Canada's ethnocultural groups
  • Education and skills development
    • Population with postsecondary certificate or diploma below bachelor level
    • Population with university certificate or diploma above bachelor level
    • Population with university certificate, diploma or degree above bachelor level
    • Population with bachelor's degree
• Gender Results Framework (GRF)
  • Education and skills development
    • GRF Indicator 1.1.1 – Proportion of post-secondary qualification holders who are women, by field of study and qualification type
    • GRF Indicator 1.1.2 – Proportion of post-secondary students who are women, by field of study and credential type

• The following data visualization tool shows the number of people entering and graduating from postsecondary education by academic year:
  • Postsecondary program enrolments and graduates: Interactive tool (Statistics Canada – Data Visualization Products)