What it measures
Dimension: Overall academic achievement, attainment, and participation
This indicator reports the proportion of working-age Canadians who have a university degree. Over the past two decades, this number has grown by almost 15%. Today, nearly 30% of Canadian adults hold a university degree. This indicator also serves as a proxy that captures a wide range of post-secondary educational attainment (e.g., college, apprenticeships) since the rates of completing a university degree are highly correlated with the completion of many other forms of post-secondary education.
Why this matters
A university degree can broaden the number and variety of job opportunities available to Canadians, and can have an impact on several other wellbeing domains. Health and living standards, in particular, can be positively influenced since higher levels of income associated with post-secondary education allow greater access to safe and healthy living conditions and other resources. Environmental quality and democratic engagement can improve because people with higher levels of education tend to be more environmentally conscious and politically active. Further, Canadians with higher education levels often have more resources to invest in leisure and culture opportunities.