TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shorter, skills-focused credentials dominate the strongest early financial returns in Canadian education, outpacing most degrees two and five years after graduation, according to the 2026 Return on Education (ROE) Index released today by CourseCompare, Canada’s marketplace for education. The expanded national benchmark compares 21 popular education and career pathways by weighing graduate earnings against tuition, student debt, program duration, labour-market outlook and exposure to automation.
The pathways were selected using CourseCompare’s learner demand and enrollment data alongside Statistics Canada figures on program popularity. Tuition and program information was collected directly from Canadian institutions, while graduate earnings and student debt figures came from Statistics Canada. Federal labour-market projections, Government of Canada Job Bank data and OECD research informed assessments of employment outlook and AI exposure. Each pathway is scored against an Index average of 100: scores above 100 indicate an above-average early-career return, while scores below 100 indicate a below-average return.
“Students aren't just choosing what they want to study anymore. They're asking what it will cost, where it will lead and whether the investment will pay off,” said Robert Furtado, founder and CEO of CourseCompare. “But what people rarely see is the curve—how the payoff from different education pathways changes over time. CourseCompare’s ROE Index helps make that visible.”
Key findings from the 2026 ROE Index
- Shorter credentials dominate early returns and retain much of that advantage at five years. Non-degree programs occupy the top 11 spots at two years and eight of the top 10 at five years. Electrician training ranks first for both time horizons, with a ROE score of 177 at two years and 157 at five years.
- High-earning degrees gain ground over time, but not all degrees catch up. No bachelor’s degree scores above the Index average at two years. By year five, Engineering rises from 78 to 106, Computer Science from 82 to 104 and Nursing from 82 to 101. Fine Arts records the lowest five-year return, with a score of 57, while Education (93), Business/Commerce (90), Economics (81), Psychology (74) and Biology (70) also remain below average.
- Salary alone can give a misleading picture of return. Aviation and Early Childhood Education illustrate opposite sides of the equation. Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) graduates can earn approximately $105,000 by year five, yet the program records a ROE score of 78 as its high training costs weigh on early financial returns. ECE graduates earn approximately $54,500 by year five but post a much stronger ROE score of 123 because training costs less and they begin earning sooner.
- Career-focused pathways stand out among the strongest returns. In addition to Electrician training, which ranks first at both two and five years, Firefighter (129), Early Childhood Education (123), Automotive Service Technician (118), Pharmacy Technician/Assistant (115) and Practical Nursing (112) all post above-average five-year ROE scores. The results show how shorter training, lower costs and strong labour-market demand can combine to produce attractive early-career returns.
- An early advantage doesn’t always last. Graphic Design moves from an above-average ROE score of 107 at two years to 84 at five years, while the Marketing diploma falls from 123 to 105. The results show that low-cost training can create an early advantage, but earnings growth becomes increasingly important over time.
The Index arrives as students navigate a softer early-career job market and governments rethink which education pathways to expand. Canada’s youth unemployment rate stood at 12.9 per cent in August, above its pre-pandemic average. In Ontario, the province recently allocated 40,000 additional college and university seats as part of a $1.7-billion expansion of more than 70,000 seats concentrated in STEM, health care, education and the skilled trades—fields identified through regional labour-market needs, student demand and input from employers.
“We're seeing more learners consider skilled trades and career-focused training as AI reshapes the knowledge economy,” said Furtado. “But a pathway's financial return on paper doesn't automatically make it the right choice for every learner. Program quality, work experience opportunities, industry connections and a student's own interests, aptitudes and ambitions still matter. The ROE Index can't eliminate uncertainty, but it gives people better evidence to understand the trade-offs and make a more informed decision.”
The full 2026 Return on Education Index—including two- and five-year results, methodology and an interactive calculator—is available at CourseCompare.ca/ROE-Index.
Learners can explore thousands of programs on CourseCompare and connect directly with advisors and admissions teams across Canada. They can compare tuition, outcomes and schedules, and read verified student reviews. Programs range from electrical techniques and voice acting to computer science, nursing and online MBA programs. CourseCompare’s Career Navigator features deeper research, school and program rankings, and expert guidance on education, careers and the future of work.
About CourseCompare
CourseCompare is Canada’s marketplace for education, trusted by millions to find top-rated schools and in-demand programs backed by real employment data and verified student reviews. From AI to aviation, healthcare to the trades, and business to the creative industries, CourseCompare connects learners directly with high-quality training and funding opportunities to prepare them for the future of work.
Since 2017, CourseCompare has helped more than five million learners pursue in-demand skills, unlocked over $50 million in scholarships and financial aid, and partnered with more than 100 accredited institutions across Canada. Learn more at CourseCompare.ca, including information about CourseCompare’s institutional partnerships and student recruitment services.
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