Education is about more than getting a job, but the two things go hand in hand.

With students across the province taking part in graduation ceremonies and thinking about what’s next, today’s Twenty-Four highlights the strong link between educational attainment, employment and income level.

Finishing high school matters

The latest numbers from the Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program show that there is a 19 percentage point difference between the employment rate of Albertans 25 to 64 years old whose highest level of education is a high school diploma (75%) and those with less than a high school diploma (56%). This is, moreover, the highest the gap has been since at least 2000, when the data series begins.

Post-secondary education provides a boost

Completing a post-secondary program is also associated with a higher average level of employment. Albertans 25 to 64 with a trade certificate/diploma, for example, were more likely to be employed (83%) than those who did not go on past high school (75%). It’s not the best choice for everyone, but completing a postgraduate university degree has the highest correlation with employment at 86%.

The current employment boost among those with a post-secondary credential over those with just high school is fairly close to the average since 2000.

Education level and employment income

Turning to the link between education and income, we find that people with more formal education tend to make more. This correlation has been noted many times including in this Bank of Canada study.

According to the 2021 Census, the median employment income of Albertans 25 to 64 was $52,000 in 2020. This drops to $34,800 for those with less than a high school diploma. Completing high school added $8,000, for a median income of $42,800. 

Similarly, completing an apprenticeship added $35,700 for a median income of $70,500 while an earned doctorate added $58,200, for a median income of $93,000.

Whether you pursue a trade, go to college or university, become a medical doctor, or get a PhD, completing post-secondary education is highly correlated with more earning power.

So while completing a post-secondary program does not guarantee that you will get a good job, the statistics show that Albertans are a lot more likely to have a job—and have one that pays well—if they are able to attain a post-secondary credential.

This highlights the importance of an excellent and accessible education system to the economy and the value of completing high school and, if you can find the time and resources, pursuing post-secondary education of some sort.

Answer to the previous trivia question: Bonds are called bonds because they legally bind the borrower to the lender, acting as an official, binding promise or "IOU" to repay a specific amount of money with interest over a set period of time.

Today’s trivia question: When was the University of Alberta founded?