Common menu bar
Breadcrumb
Survey of Canadian Career College Students - March 2008
3. Profile of Students
3.1 Overview of Student Characteristics
Students in the private career college system tend to be diverse although certain characteristics appear to differentiate them from those entering the public college system. A high proportion of the students entering the private system are female. Students tend to be older in age and thus more likely to have dependants under the age of 18 and are less likely to report living with their parents. One-quarter of students were born outside of Canada, with 11% being recent immigrants who came to Canada after the year 2000. The higher proportion of immigrants in the private career college system contributes to a greater proportion holding prior PSE degrees compared to public college students, who tend to enter the public PSE system directly out of high school. Household incomes are generally lower among private career college students.
3.2 Student Characteristics
3.2.1 Demographics
Students attending private career colleges tend to be female (72%). The higher proportion of female students is also more pronounced in the private system compared to the public post-secondary system, where only 69% of the students, on average, are female. The proportion of female to male students in the private system, however, is not uniform across all provinces. In Quebec significantly more of the private career college students were male (61%), while in British Columbia a significantly higher proportion were female (79%). Differences in gender distribution are also found by program:
- Participation in programs related to Health (88%) is greatest among women attending private career colleges.
- Males show the greatest participation in programs in the Trades/Technical Training area (82%).
Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
n=13,435 (weighted data excludes don't know and non response for both private and public); Public n=7,277
Students completing the survey ranged in age from 16 to 66 years of age. As compared to those in the public PSE system, students attending private career colleges are more commonly older in age, with 48% of students aged 25 years and older. In the public system the majority (70%) of students are under 25 years of age. The median age of students surveyed for the Career Colleges Student Survey was 29 years; those surveyed in the Canadian Colleges Student Finances Survey had a median age of 26.
By program the mean age of students is Trades/Technical (mean=28), Design (mean=25), Health (mean=26), Media and Information Technology (mean=30), Other Service (mean=27) and Other (mean=23).
Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
n=12,806 (weighted data excludes don't know and non response for both private and public); Public n=7,254
With respect to marital status, students in the private system differ slightly from those in the public system. Higher proportions of private (75%) students classify themselves as single, including those who are separated, divorced or widowed, compared to public college students (70%). One-quarter (25%) of private career college students are currently married. In total 33% of private career college students are currently (25%) or have been married (separated, widowed or divorced) (8%), reflecting the older median age of these students. Students in Ontario (30%) and British Columbia (27%) are significantly more likely to be married, while those in Quebec (86%) are more commonly never married or divorced/widowed.
n=13,290 (weighted data excludes don't know and non response); Public n=7,272
Students attending a private career college more commonly support a child or children under the age of 18 years. A third (33%) of private college students support a child compared to only 17% of students in the public PSE system. The mean number of dependants supported by private career college students is 1.84. In comparison to the Canadian average, students living in Quebec (18%) are less likely, while those in Ontario (38%) are more likely to support children. There are also differences in the proportion of students with dependants by program:
- Students in Media and Information Technology (43%) more commonly support dependants. These students, with the highest mean age at 30, are also more likely to be married (30%) or separated/widowed or divorced (12%).
- Students in Design (80%) and Other Programs (84%) less commonly support children. With a mean age of 26, these students are more often single (77%, 84%).
Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
n=10,263 (weighted data excludes don't know and non response); Public n=7,267
Students attending private career colleges generally report low gross household incomes, with one-third (33%) indicating a household income of $20,000 or less. A significant number (16%) of students did not report their income on the survey. When the proportion of students that did not report household income is excluded, the proportion of those with an income less than $20,000 rises to 39%. Students in the Prairies (43%) were most likely to report gross household incomes of $20,000 or less, while those in Ontario (24%) more commonly reported incomes over $60,000.
Gross household income is earned by the student (40%), their parents (36%), or the student's spouse/common law partner (21%). Fifteen percent (15%) did not specify who in the household earned the income.
Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
n=13,721 (including no-response) or 11,539 (excluding no response) (weighted data includes don't know and non response)
Not surprisingly, certain equity groups were disproportionately represented among the low income group. For example, as detailed in Table 3-5b, the proportion of single parents and Aboriginals who would be classified as low income (i.e. less than $20,000/year) was much higher than the survey average. In comparison, other equity groups (visible minorities, persons with disabilities) were not disproportionately represented in terms of low income households.
Table 3-5b
Proportion of Sample Defined as Low Income
(Household Income of Less than $20,000/year)
(excluding no response)
| Low Income | Other Income | |
| Survey Average | 39% | 61% |
| Aboriginal Non-Aboriginal |
54% 37% |
46% 63% |
| Single Parent (with dependant(s)) Other Students (with/without dependants) |
69% 34% |
31% 66% |
| Visible Minority Non-Visible Minority |
40% 39% |
60% 61% |
| With a disability Non-disability |
41% 38% |
59% 62% |
| n=9,821 - 11,538 | ||
Over half (59%) of private career college students are living with family, either a partner or spouse (26%) or parents or other family (34%). The remaining 41%, live alone (19%) or with roommates (22%). Compared to students attending public colleges (42% live with parents or family), those in private colleges are significantly less likely to live with parents or family as only one-third (34%) reported living with their parents. In Ontario (30%) students are more likely to live with a partner or spouse and in the Prairies (30%) with roommates compared to the rest of the country.
Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
n=13,247 (weighted data excludes don't know/no response)
3.2.2 Citizenship
The majority (75%) of students surveyed were born in Canada. Public college students more often (85%) are born in Canada, with only 13% born outside of Canada. Private career college students born outside of Canada were from a wide variety of countries, with many originating from Asian countries (11%). Students residing in the Atlantic provinces (94%), Prairie provinces (85%) and Quebec (82%) are more frequently born in Canada. Just under half (42%) of the students attending private career colleges in British Columbia were born outside of Canada, as were 36% of those attending a career college in Ontario.
Table 3-7
Country of Birth
| Country | Response % |
| Canada | 75% |
| Other Asia | 5% |
| Africa | 2% |
| Central/South America | 2% |
| China | 2% |
| Eastern Europe | 2% |
| Western Europe | 2% |
| United States | 2% |
| Caribbean and Bermuda | 1% |
| Eastern Asia | 1% |
| Japan | 1% |
| South East Asia | 1% |
| Southern Asia | 1% |
| West Central Asia & Middle East | 1% |
| Other Mentions | 1% |
| Don't know/No response | 3% |
| Numbers will not add up to 100% due to rounding. n=13,721 (weighted data includes don't know/no response) |
|
Among those not born in Canada, most (51%) immigrated within the last seven years (2000 or later) or eight to 16 years ago (25%). Relatively few of the students that immigrated had been in Canada for over 17 years (21%). British Columbia had a significantly higher proportion of new immigrants, with 51% immigrating within the last seven years and 14% immigrating after 1996.
Table 3-8
Immigration to Canada
| Immigrated to Canada | Response % |
| Before 1980 | 6% |
| 1981 - 1985 | 5% |
| 1986 - 1990 | 10% |
| 1991 - 1995 | 12% |
| 1996 - 2000 | 13% |
| 2000 or later | 51% |
| No Response | 1% |
| Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding. n=3,733 (weighted data includes don't know/no response) |
|
Overall, it appears that approximately 11% of students enrolled in career college programs are individuals who immigrated to Canada in the last seven years.
3.2.3 Minority Status
Slightly more of the students completing the private career colleges student survey indicated that they considered themselves to be a person of Aboriginal or native ancestry (11%), compared to those attending a public college. Nine percent (9%) of public college students indicated they are of Aboriginal or native ancestry. Students of native ancestry are more commonly status (6%) or non-status (2%) Indian or Métis (2%) rather than Inuit. Significantly more of the students in the Prairie provinces (15%) identified themselves as status Indians.
Numbers may not add to 100% due to rounding.
n=11,321 (weighted data excludes don't know/no response)
Few (6%) private career college students identify themselves as having a permanent disability, either a long-term physical or mental condition that limits the kind or amount of paid work they can do. The proportion with a disability (6%) is slightly lower than that found in the public college student population (10%).
Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
Private n=13,144 (weighted data excludes don't know/no response);Public n=7,274
Few students, either in the private (9%) or the public (10%) system, considered themselves to be a member of a visible minority. Slightly more of the students in Ontario (13%) and British Columbia (11%) indicated that they belonged to a visible minority.
Private n=12,396 (weighted data excludes don't know and non response); Public n=7,252
Generally, English (78%) is the language most often spoken in the home by students attending private career colleges, followed by French (8%) and Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin) (3%). Compared to other students across Canada English is more commonly spoken by private career college students in the Prairie (90%) and Atlantic (88%) provinces. Given the relatively high proportion (11%) of career college students who immigrated to Canada in the last seven years it is not surprising that the proportion of private career college students who speak neither English or French at home (14%) is considerably greater that the proportion of public college students whose home language is neither English or French (4%).
Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
Private unweighted n=13,331 (weighted data excludes don't know/no response); Public n=7,284
3.2.4 Highest Level of Education
Prior to entering the private post-secondary education system, most (65%) students had not completed a post-secondary degree. Private college students were less likely to hold a degree compared to public college students. Approximately half (45%) of public college students had completed a post-secondary degree prior to entering the public college system.
For 58% of career college students a high school diploma was their highest level of education. Just fewer than ten percent (7%) had less than a high school diploma. Approximately one-third (35%) had some kind of post-secondary education prior to beginning the current private career college program. One in six had attended university, with their highest level of education being a university certificate or diploma (3%), a Bachelor's degree (10%) or a university degree above Bachelor's level (2%).
Table 3-13
Highest Level of Education Prior to Program Start
| Highest Level of Education | Private (n=13,563) | Public (n=7,407) |
| Less than high school | 7% | 7% |
| High school diploma or GED | 58% | 48% |
| Trades certificate or diploma | 4% | 1% |
| DEC diploma (CEGEP diploma) | 1% | 15% |
| Certificate or diploma from a private career college | 6% | |
| Certificate or diploma from a community college | 9% | |
| University certificate or diploma below a Bachelor level | 3% | 24% |
| Bachelor's degree | 10% | 4% |
| University degree above a Bachelor level | 2% | 1% |
| Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding. n=13,563 (weighted data excludes don't know/no response); Public n=7,407 |
||
Highest level of education is related to the region of residency and current program of study:
- Students in the Prairies have the least education prior to entering a private career college. Approximately three-quarters (73%) have either less than high school (12%) or a high school diploma (61%).
- A high school diploma is more commonly the highest level of education of those residing in the Atlantic (71%) provinces compared to those living in other regions.
- Students in Ontario (15%) and British Columbia (14%) more commonly have obtained a Bachelor's degree prior to beginning their private career college program.
- Students in Trades/Technical Training (11%) are more likely to have less than a high school diploma compared to those in other programming streams.
- Among students in Design (10%), Health (10%), Media/Information Technology (11%) and Other Service (13%) a Bachelor's degree is more commonly the highest level of education than among students in other program areas.
Table 3-14
Highest Level of Education by Program and Region
The majority (79%) of the students surveyed had attended high school in Canada, with 14% attending in another country. A small proportion of the students had attended GED upgrading or equivalent in Canada or another country. Students from Atlantic Canada (91%), Quebec (84%) and the Prairies (87%) were significantly more likely to have attended high school in Canada, compared to those in Ontario (71%) and British Columbia (68%).
Numbers may not add to 100% due to rounding.
n=13,721 (weighted data includes don't know and non response)
If a student had previously attended a postsecondary institution it was more commonly in Canada rather than another country. Overall, less than ten percent of the career college students had attended university (9%), college (6%) or a private post-secondary training institution (2%) outside of Canada. A significantly high proportion of students residing in Ontario (university 14%: college 8%) and British Columbia (university 15%: college 10%) had attended either university or college in another country compared to students from other regions.
Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
n=13,721 (weighted data includes don't know/no response)
Generally, students had average grades above 75% in high school (64%) and post-secondary (if they had attended (71%)). Generally, students from Ontario (72% above 75%) and British Columbia (72% above 75%) reported statistically significantly higher average percent grades in their last year of high school compared to students from other regions.
Table 3-17
Average Percent Grade
| Average Grade % | High School % (n=13,250) | Post-Secondary % (n=4,784) |
| Greater than 90% | 7% | 14% |
| 85% - 89% | 16% | 20% |
| 80% - 84% | 21% | 22% |
| 75% - 79% | 23% | 15% |
| 70% - 74% | 16% | 9% |
| 65% - 69% | 10% | 3% |
| 60% - 64% | 5% | 2% |
| Less than 60% | 3% | 1% |
| No Response | 3% | 14% |
| Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding. | ||
3.2.5 Predictors of PSE Participation
Many parents (mother 44%, father 40%, and 41% combined) of students attending a private career college had no post-secondary education. Compared to fathers (36%), mothers (41%) of private career college students more commonly had attended either college or university. Approximately the same proportions of students attending private or public colleges have a father or mother that attended university or college or technical institute.
Table 3-18
Highest Level of Education of Mother and Father
| Level of Education | Mother | Father | ||
| Private (n=13,721) | Public (n=7,438) | Private (n=13,721) | Public (n=7,438) | |
| Less than high school | 19% | 16% | 22% | 21% |
| High school diploma | 25% | 27% | 18% | 21% |
| College or technical institute | 23% | 25% | 16% | 17% |
| Apprenticeship or trade certification | 3% | 4% | 8% | 10% |
| University | 18% | 22% | 20% | 22% |
| Don't know/no response | 12% | 7% | 16% | 9% |
| Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding. (Weighted private data, unweighted public data) |
||||
Given that parental level of education influences or predicts dependants' educational aspirations or choices, regional differences in parental education are as follows:
- Both parents more commonly have postsecondary education in Quebec (35%) and British Columbia (35%), compared to the national average (30%).
- In the Atlantic provinces both parents are considerably less likely to have post-secondary education (20%).
- Considering type of post-secondary education, fathers and mothers in Ontario (father 25%: mother 20%) and British Columbia (father 27%: mother 23%) and fathers in Quebec (25%) more often hold a university degree than the national average.
- In the Atlantic (10%) and Prairie (11%) provinces fathers more often hold an apprenticeship or trade certification.
Table 3-19
Parents' Level of Education by Region
| Parents with Post-Secondary Education | Atlantic | Quebec | Ontario | Prairies | British Columbia | Total |
| Neither | 49% | 35% | 39% | 41% | 38% | 41% |
| One parent | 31% | 30% | 28% | 29% | 28% | 29% |
| Both | 20% | 35% | 33% | 30% | 35% | 30% |
| Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding. n=13,721 (weighted data) |
||||||
Parents more commonly attended a public college than private; however, many students do not know where their parents went to school.
Table 3-20
Type of Institution Attended
| Mother (n=6,016) | Atlantic (n=1,187) | Quebec (n=325) | Ontario (n=1,871) | Prairies (n=1,301) | British Columbia (n=1,331) | Total (n=6,016) |
| Public College | 44% | 61% | 46% | 49% | 49% | 48% |
| Private Career College | 12% | 10% | 13% | 12% | 14% | 13% |
| Don't know/no response | 44% | 29% | 41% | 39% | 37% | 40% |
| Father (n=6,118) | Atlantic (n=1,092) | Quebec (n=325) | Ontario (n=1,981) | Prairies (n=1,273) | British Columbia (n=1,447) | Total (n=6,118) |
| Public College | 20% | 47% | 37% | 27% | 39% | 33% |
| Private Career College | 21% | 16% | 12% | 27% | 16% | 18% |
| Don't know/no response | 59% | 37% | 51% | 46% | 45% | 49% |
| Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding. n=6,016 Mother and 6,118 Father (weighted data includes don't know/no response) |
||||||
Primary navigation (left column)
Publications and Resources
- Departmental Reports
- Public Opinion Research
- Research
- Audit
- Evaluation
- Service Partners
- Publications
- FAQs
Department
- Ministers
- About Us
- Newsroom
- Publications and Resources
- Funding Programs
- Consultation and Engagement
- Success Stories
- Labour Program
- Service Canada