Grads in Canada – Earnings increased for male in Engineering and for female Earnings increased for male postsecondary graduates in Engineering and for female in Health

In 2005, Canadian-born male and female bachelor’s degree holders aged 25 to 34 earned on average $65,400 and $46,500 (in 2012 dollars) in wages and salaries, respectively. This was more than $20,000 higher than the earnings received by their counterparts with only a high school diploma (Table 1 and Charts 1 and 2).Note 4 While young female bachelor’s degree holders saw their earnings rise from 2005 to 2012, young male bachelor’s degree holders experienced a slight decline in real earnings from 2007 to 2010 and little change afterwards. By 2012, young male and female university graduates earned 4.9% and 8.5% more, on average, than their counterparts did in 2005.

Earnings growth was not uniform across fields of study. From 2005 to 2012―a period characterized by rising oil pricesNote 5―young men with a bachelor’s degree in Engineering recorded a 10% increase in real average earnings.Note 6 In contrast, their counterparts with a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Business Administration, and Mathematics, Computer, and Information Science experienced no growth in real average earnings during that period.Note 7 Even though the average real wages and salaries of young male bachelor’s degree holders in Education, were higher in 2012 than in 2005, the difference is not statistically significant at conventional levels.Note 8

Young female bachelor’s degree holders saw their average earnings rise in several fields of study. Those who graduated in Education, Health, and Business Administration recorded increases in average real wages and salaries that varied between 10% and 12% from 2005 to 2012.Note 9 In contrast, those who graduated in Humanities experienced no growth in average earnings. Changes in average earnings observed in other fields of study were not statistically significant at conventional levels.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at Labour Market Outcomes of Young Postsecondary Graduates, 2005 to 2012