The 2025 Return on Education (ROE) Index published by CourseCompare ranks the 20 most popular diplomas and degrees offered by Canadian postsecondary institutions according to how quickly they deliver a return on investment to students. Looking at the 10 most popular diplomas, the report states that graduates typically broke even in just over five years, with programs in the trades and healthcare delivering the strongest, most reliable returns. Among the 10 most popular bachelor’s degrees, graduates typically took over eight years to break even, with the strongest returns seen in select STEM and healthcare programs. The authors note that despite the clear, measurable returns of the programs in the index, public perceptions of the value of PSE are generally uncertain.
