Finding the right post-secondary education for your needs can be a challenge. With so many variables at play – location, cost, programs – navigating it all can be something of a nightmare. Sometimes, though, it helps to know which Canadian cities are the most student-friendly when it comes to population and tuition costs.
According to a recent Studee report, Quebec is the best province to be a post-secondary student. So, how did they break it all down? Studee scored cities across Canada by comparing the cost of tuition, rent and the percentage of young people and graduates living in the city. They’ve even included research around access to vegan food, crime statistics, the average cost of beer and proximity to national parks.
The city that hits all the right notes for students? That honour falls to Montreal. Check out the infographic below for the full breakdown.
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In the breakdown, four of the top five cities are in the province of Quebec. The only outlier: Charlottetown, in Prince Edward Island. As evidenced from the breakdown above (and below), Montreal has the highest tuition costs of the Quebec cities; however, it has a greater student and graduate population.
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1. Montreal
• Average cost of tuition: $3,384
• Percent of the population 15-24 years old: 12.1%
• Percent of population that are graduates: 51.35%
2. Rouyn-Noranda
• Average cost of tuition: $2,636
• Percent of the population 15-24 year old: 13%
• Percent of population that are graduates: 26.89%
3. Trois-Rivieres
• Average cost of tuition: $2,649
• Percent of the population 15-24 year old: 11.6%
• Percent of population that are graduates: 29.67%
4. Charlottetown
• Average cost of tuition: $6,878
• Percent of the population 15-24 year old: 13.9%
• Percent of population that are graduates: 45.37%
5. Quebec
• Average cost of tuition: $2,676
• Percent of the population 15-24 year old: 11.4%
• Percent of population that are graduates: 41.95%
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The study was compiled to empower students across the country to travel outside their home provinces for educational purposes. “Research has proven employers like to hire graduates with intercultural experience because they know they enhance their brand’s competitiveness,” Laura Rettie, VP of global communications at Studee said in a press release. “Shockingly just 10 per cent of students in Canada leave their province to attend university, meaning they risk being left behind. To help students feel more confident about leaving home to study further afield, we’ve collected information from university locations in Canada in the hope to make students’ decisions simpler.”
Related: 20 underrated Canadian towns you should visit.
Get the full Studee report breakdown here.
