Approximately 44 per cent of Canadians ranging from 25-64 years old have acquired a post-secondary education (PSE) according to a recent list published by Maclean’s, but those numbers differ widely between the provinces and territories.
The list used data from a 2009 Statistics Canada report, which provides information on the national and provincial education and employment rates.
Ontario tops the list of most educated provinces, with 56 per cent of its population having achieved a PSE degree—the only province or territory in Canada to surpass the 50 per cent mark. The employment rate there is 81 per cent.
Yukon lands next with 49 per cent of educated people with an employment rate of 87 per cent. While Prince Edward Island and British Columbia both have 47 per cent of PSE Canadians, Prince Edward Island has an employment rate of 81 per cent, and B.C. 79 per cent.
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Alberta all tied at 46 per cent of post-secondary educated Canadians, while the employment rates there ranged from 81-85 per cent.
Manitoba and the Northwest Territories both ranked with 44 per cent achieving PSE certification, but the employment rates have a five per cent gap, with Manitoba. at 85 per cent and the Northwest Territories at 90 per cent.
Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan are near the end of the list with 37 per cent for PSE with N.L. at 77 per cent and Sask. at 86 per cent for employment rates.
At the very end comes Nunavut, with 28 per cent of its population obtaining PSE, but with an 89 per cent employment rate.
