TORONTO, Aug. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nearly two in five Canadians (39%) are unsure whether a diploma or degree is worth the time, cost, and effort, according to a new national survey commissioned by CourseCompare with Ipsos. Confidence in higher education is strongest in Ontario and Quebec, but skepticism runs higher in Alberta and British Columbia, while more than half of Atlantic Canadians remain uncertain. Generational divides are stark: 46% of Gen Z are unsure about the value of post-secondary education, compared with 54% of Baby Boomers who remain confident.
At the same time, graduates themselves tend to see strong value in higher education. Two-thirds (67%) of university graduates say their education was definitely worth it, while only one in ten (10%) believe it was definitely not worth it. This suggests the perception gap is widest before or during study, not after graduation.
This growing uncertainty underscores the perception gap revealed by CourseCompare’s new Return on Education (ROE) Index, Canada’s first national benchmark ranking diplomas and degrees by how quickly graduates can break even on their education investment. By analyzing tuition, debt, program length, and early career earnings, the Index shows that many programs deliver faster, more measurable returns than Canadians believe.
“Every Canadian deserves to know if their education will pay off,” said Robert Furtado, founder and CEO of CourseCompare. “Understanding the likely return on a diploma or degree is as essential as knowing the interest …