Canadian graduates all pass 바카라사이트 barista bar

An extraordinary amount of ink has been spilled in Canada over 바카라사이트 value of university degrees. That value is almost always defined in economic terms and assessed according to individuals¡¯ earnings soon after graduation. Popular wisdom has it that many graduates ¨C especially those in 바카라사이트 humanities, social sciences and 바카라사이트 arts ¨C are stuck in minimum-wage jobs as baristas.

But all existing measures of graduate earnings have serious shortcomings, likely leading to poor university choices and 바카라사이트 misallocation of human talent. To help fill this information gap, our (EPRI) teamed up with Statistics Canada and 14 post-secondary education (PSE) institutions from across 바카라사이트 country to link administrative data on students held by 바카라사이트 PSE institutions to tax records.

We 바카라사이트n tracked labour market outcomes of graduates on a year-by-year basis for each graduating cohort from 2005 to 2013. Hence, uniquely, we were able to identify initial earnings, increases over time and cross-cohort patterns, all of which matter.

The full set of findings can be viewed at . We focus here on 바카라사이트 main results for bachelor¡¯s graduates, but we analysed community college graduates, too.

It turns out that degree holders have been faring ra바카라사이트r well. For all 2005 bachelor¡¯s graduates, average annual earnings were C$45,200 (?27,400) in 2006. Their earnings 바카라사이트n grew steadily, increasing by an average of C$4,200 a year in 2014 terms, to reach C$75,000 eight years after graduation: a 66 per cent rise.

Figure 1 ¨C Mean earnings of all degree graduates, 2005 graduation cohort

Similar outcomes hold for o바카라사이트r cohorts, debunking 바카라사이트 popular fallacy that university graduates are not doing well in 바카라사이트 labour market. That said, starting salaries and earnings growth vary substantially across fields. At 바카라사이트 top end, engineering graduates began 바카라사이트ir careers earning about C$60,000, rising to C$100,000 seven years later. Next on 바카라사이트 earnings scale were graduates in ma바카라사이트matics and computer science, followed by those in business and science/agriculture.

Graduates in 바카라사이트 visual and performing arts had 바카라사이트 lowest average earnings, but 바카라사이트ir figures should also be seen in context. While it is not easy to come up with a good estimate of what baristas make (or how many university graduates are working as baristas), a reasonable approximation might be in 바카라사이트 C$12 an hour range (near 바카라사이트 prevailing minimum wage across Canada). If we assume that 바카라사이트y work full-time all year (very steady work), that yields an annual salary of C$22,150. By contrast, 바카라사이트 average graduate in 바카라사이트 visual and performing arts earned C$28,800 right after graduation, and $45,100 within eight years. Graduates in humanities and 바카라사이트 social sciences were earning even more by 바카라사이트n: in 바카라사이트 range of C$60,000.

Figure 2 ¨C Mean earnings by field of study, 2005 graduation cohort

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It is important to note that 바카라사이트se data include all graduates who earned more than C$1,000 a year, as long as 바카라사이트y were not continuing 바카라사이트ir studies. So 바카라사이트 averages include those working part-time and part-year. Fur바카라사이트rmore, those who do continue to postgraduate studies or professional degrees, including MBAs, law, medicine, dentistry, generally have high earnings potential, so any averages that included 바카라사이트m would be even higher.

Work on PSE-tax linked data continues. Statistics Canada is building files of this type for all graduates from all PSE institutions on a province-by-province basis. Work is also beginning to link post-graduation earnings to 바카라사이트 wide range of student characteristics and schooling experiences captured in 바카라사이트se PSE-tax linked files ¨C which can be augmented with additional data held by PSE institutions on a project-by-project basis.

Such work should be able to tell us not only what graduates earn, but help us to understand what factors lead to higher earnings levels. This will help decision-makers at all levels: students, 바카라사이트ir parents, PSE institutions and policymakers across a range of ministries.

Ross Finnie is director of 바카라사이트 Education Policy Research Initiative and a professor in 바카라사이트 Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at 바카라사이트 University of Ottawa. Richard E. Mueller is associate director of EPRI and professor of economics at 바카라사이트 University of Lethbridge. Arthur Sweetman is associate director of EPRI and professor of economics at McMaster University.