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Higher learning

Education levels in Alberta

By Rob Roach, ATB Economics 16 October 2023 1 min read

There has been a dramatic shift in the education levels of Albertans over the last two decades.

The latest data from the Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program show that the proportion of Albertans aged 25-64 with less than a high school diploma has gone from 15% in 2000 to 7% as of last year.

Over the same period, the proportion with a post-secondary credential* has gone from 54% to 69% while the share holding a university degree has jumped from 18% to 33%.

It’s a very similar story nationally, with the proportion of Canadians aged 25-64 with a post-secondary education rising from 52% in 2000 to 72% in 2022.

Among the provinces, Quebec had the largest proportion last year at 75% and Saskatchewan the lowest at 65%. In the North, it ranged from 70% in the Yukon to 43% in Nunavut.

The average across Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries was 48% in 2022.

With a certificate, diploma or degree a prerequisite of many of today’s jobs, the rise in the share of the population with a post-secondary education is a positive development and will likely become even more important as new technology raises the ante for educational attainment in the job market.

*Post-secondary credentials include trade certificates or diplomas from a vocational school or apprenticeship training; non-university certificates or diplomas from a community college, CEGEP, school of nursing and similar programs at this level; university certificates below the bachelor's level; and university degrees.

Answer to the previous trivia question: Including the season that just started and the 2004-05 season that was not played due to the lockout, there have been 107 regular National Hockey League seasons.

Today’s trivia question: How many members are in the OECD?

The proportion of Albertans aged 25-64 with a university degree has increased since 2000

The proportion of Albertans aged 25-64 with a university degree has increased since 2000


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