The University of New Brunswick in Saint John, N.B. (Image: UNB MBA Facebook page.)
Two new reports out of the UNB’s New Brunswick Institute for Research, Data, and Training (NB-IRDT) showed that 70 percent of graduates who attend a New Brunswick university were still in the province a year after graduation.
Additionally, 90 percent of community college students remain in the province a year after graduating.
According to the researchers, the discrepancy between the two figures is likely due to the number of graduates who lived in New Brunswick before starting their programs: 90 percent of community college graduates are New Brunswick residents, while 64 percent of university graduates are New Brunswick residents.
Thirty-five percent of students from other provinces and international students stay in the province after graduating.
The research conducted also showed nursing students had a higher retention rate, particularly compared to years past.
“These two companion reports really showcase the power of using linked data to answer questions of great importance to our province,” said Ted McDonald, director of NB-IRDT, in a release.
“Analyzing datasets that link student graduation data from public New Brunswick community colleges and universities with residents’ Medicare health insurance information, and residents’ income tax information, we are able to see how many of our postsecondary graduates are staying in New Brunswick to live, and how much they earn if they do.”
The reports further found that on average, education students earned the most one year after graduation at around $52,000, while arts, humanities, and communications graduates earned the least at around $21,000.
“We are supportive of efforts to collect data and research on the experiences of graduates, including whether they stay and work in the province after graduation,” said Trevor Holder, Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training, and Labour. “These reports provide valuable insights on the factors that contribute to graduate retention, and by extension the impact this will have on our economy.”
The research team was able to find these results by using Statistics Canada data, which was accessed through the Canadian Research Data Centre Network, the New Brunswick University and Community College Registrar Databases, and the Citizen Database.
Liam Floyd is a summer intern at Huddle, an Acadia Broadcasting content partner.
