As a general rule, the more education you have, the more money you earn.
Data released Wednesday by Statistics Canada allow a closer look at how income varies by education level and field of study — topics ATB Financial’s economics and research team is exploring.
The median income of Albertans who completed a career, technical or professional training certificate in 2012, was $45,800 five years after graduation.
The median income jumps to $66,700 for students who completed an undergraduate degree and $89,900 for students who completed a master’s degree.
The highest median income five years after graduation was earned by people who possessed professional degrees in law, medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry or pharmacy. Median income among this group was $106,400 in 2017.
When it comes to the field of study, members of Alberta’s undergraduate class of 2012 with university degrees in architecture, engineering and related technologies had a median income of $87,300 five years after graduation.
Those with undergraduate degrees in health and related fields had a median income of $75,400, followed closely by those with undergraduate degrees in mathematics and computer and information sciences ($74,400).
At the other end of the earnings continuum are those with humanities degrees ($53,400) and visual arts, performing arts and communications technologies degrees ($39,000).
Even though the median income of humanities and arts graduates is lower than other fields of study, the long-term income profile of these degree holders is still higher than those who do not complete a university program, ATB’s findings state.
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