Canada’s Tuition Fees Compared (2012-2013)

Attention, education bargain-hunters...

Let’s do a ‘Best to Worst’ follow up of my blog about Canada’s university fees out-running inflation.

As Statistics Canada outlined in that report, undergrad tuition rose this year an average 5%. The regional increases ranged from zero (Newfoundland has frozen rates) to 10.1% in Quebec.
Okay, tuition fees aren’t the only factor in education affordability. Some provinces give more grants to help cover those fees. Some have lower (or no) interest rates on student loans. And some have a low cost of living.

But for many students, tuition fees are the single most important number. Especially if they don’t qualify for grants and loans.

So today, Student Finance 101 Compares Canada’s Undergrad Tuition Fees (2012-2013). Ouch, that’s a long title.
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Canada’s cheapest undergrad tuition fees are now in:

1. Newfoundland & Labrador ($2,649)
2. Quebec ($2,774)
3. Manitoba ($3,729)

And here are the costliest provinces, based on 2012-2013’s average full-time undergrad tuition fees:

1. Ontario ($7,180)
2. Saskatchewan ($6,017)
3. Almost tied for third place are Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Nova Scotia costs just $17 more ($5,934).

All four of the above (plus Alberta) charge more than Canada’s average full-time undergrad tuition price tag of $5,581.

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Canada’s Tuition Rankings, from best to worst:

Newfoundland & Labrador ($2,649)
Quebec ($2,774)
Manitoba   ($3,729)
British Columbia (BC)                ($5,015)
Prince Edward Island (PEI) ($5,470)
Alberta ($5,883)
New Brunswick ($5,917)
Nova Scotia   ($5,934)
Saskatchewan   ($6,017)
Ontario ($7,180)
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Notes:

*   These are provincial averages for undergraduate programs. Fees at individual schools within each province may vary widely!

** Fees for international students tend to be much higher. They may not reflect the rankings in this table.

Contextual Factoids:

For many years, Quebec’s fees were Canada’s lowest. This may have been influenced by France’s tradition of affordable education. In any case, Quebec generally led the field. But while the 2012 Quebec student protests minimized Quebec’s recent fee increase to 10%, that still nudged Newfoundland & Labrador into first place.

Other cost factors include Manitoba’s relative support for higher education, and the granting of degree status to former colleges, a trend that has moderated average fees in B.C.

Newfoundland & Labrador deserves special mention, since it also has the lowest student loan interest rates. (Zero percent, along with PEI!)

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