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  2. School Drop-outs

Indicators of Well-being in Canada


Learning - School Drop-outs

Status

  1. Educational Attainment
  2. Job-related Training
  3. Adult Literacy
  4. Adult Numeracy
  5. Student Literacy
  6. Student Numeracy
  7. College and Trade Participation
  8. University Participation

Life events

  1. School Drop-outs

Key influences

  1. Computer Access in Schools
Definition and Methodology | Display High Contrast Charts

Relevance

A high school diploma prepares a student for post-secondary education and is an important step toward success at work. Dropping out of high school can reduce a person's opportunities for employment and earnings.

The school drop-outs indicator shows the number of Canadians aged 20 to 24 who might be at risk of reduced opportunities in the workforce and in society.

Summary

  • National Picture — Canada's drop-out rate has declined steadily since the academic year 1990-1991, reaching a low of 7.8% in 2011-2012.
  • Gender — Drop-out rates for women were consistently lower than for men between 1990-1991 and 2011-2012, with an average disparity of 4.2 percentage points.
  • Regions — Drop-out rates declined in all provinces between 1990-91 and 2011-12. This decline was most evident in the Atlantic provinces where drop-out rates fell by more than 50%.
  • International Picture — In 2002, Canada's drop-out rate was 3.8 percentage points lower than the average for countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

National Picture

The percentage of those aged 20 to 24 in Canada who were not attending school and had not graduated from high school decreased steadily from 1990-1991 (16.6%) to 2011-2012 (7.8%).


This Chart contains data for Drop-out rate, Canada, 1990-1991 to 2011-2012. Information is available in table below 2012 = 8.0 2011 = 8.0 2010 = 8.5 2009 = 9.0 2008 = 9.3 2007 = 9.3 2006 = 9.1 2005 = 9.8 2004 = 9.7 2003 = 10.8 2002 = 10.8 2001 = 11.0 2000 = 11.5 1999 = 11.2 1998 = 12.3 1997 = 12.1 1996 = 12.5 1995 = 13.5 1994 = 14.1 1993 = 14.5 1992 = 15.9 1991 = 16.6 (percent) Drop-out rate, Canada, 1990-1991 to 2011-2012

Note: Figures are based on the academic year from September to April. Years correspond to the year in which the academic period ended (e.g., the academic year 1990-1991 appears as 1991).

Source: Data produced by Statistics Canada. Labour Force Survey 2012. Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2012.


Warning: This data table may contain very wide content. Horizontal scrolling may be necessary.

Drop-out rate, Canada, 1990-1991 to 2011-2012 (percent)
1991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012
16.615.914.514.113.512.512.112.311.211.511.010.810.89.79.89.19.39.39.08.58.08.0

Gender

Drop-out rates have decreased for both men and women, from 19.2% for men and 14.0% for women in 1990-1991, to 9.7% for men and 5.9% for women in 2011-2012.

Drop-out rates have also been consistently lower for women than for men. Between 1990-1991 and 2011-2012, the average disparity was 4.2 percentage points.


This Chart contains data for Drop-out rate, by gender, Canada, 1990-1991 to 2011-2012. Information is available in table below 2012 (Men) = 9.7 2011 (Men) = 9.4 2010 (Men) = 10.3 2009 (Men) = 10.7 2008 (Men) = 11.0 2007 (Men) = 11.1 2006 (Men) = 11.2 2005 (Men) = 12.2 2004 (Men) = 11.7 2003 (Men) = 13.4 2002 (Men) = 12.7 2001 (Men) = 13.2 2000 (Men) = 13.9 1999 (Men) = 13.5 1998 (Men) = 14.6 1997 (Men) = 14.3 1996 (Men) = 14.5 1995 (Men) = 15.8 1994 (Men) = 16.2 1993 (Men) = 16.3 1992 (Men) = 18.2 1991 (Men) = 19.2 2012 (Women) = 5.9 2011 (Women) = 6.4 2010 (Women) = 6.6 2009 (Women) = 7.3 2008 (Women) = 7.5 2007 (Women) = 7.3 2006 (Women) = 7.0 2005 (Women) = 7.2 2004 (Women) = 7.6 2003 (Women) = 8.1 2002 (Women) = 8.7 2001 (Women) = 8.9 2000 (Women) = 8.9 1999 (Women) = 8.9 1998 (Women) = 9.8 1997 (Women) = 9.8 1996 (Women) = 10.5 1995 (Women) = 11.1 1994 (Women) = 11.9 1993 (Women) = 12.6 1992 (Women) = 13.6 1991 (Women) = 14.0 (percent) Drop-out rate, by gender, Canada, 1990-1991 to 2011-2012

Note: Figures are based on the academic year from September to April. Years correspond to the year in which the academic period ended (e.g., the academic year 1990-1991 appears as 1991).

Source: Data produced by Statistics Canada. Labour Force Survey 2012. Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2012.


Warning: This data table may contain very wide content. Horizontal scrolling may be necessary.

Drop-out rate, by gender, Canada, 1990-1991 to 2011-2012 (percent)
1991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012
Men19.218.216.316.215.814.514.314.613.513.913.212.713.411.712.211.211.111.010.710.39.49.7
Women14.013.612.611.911.110.59.89.88.98.98.98.78.17.67.27.07.37.57.36.66.45.9

Regions

As with the national trend, drop-out rates for all provinces declined between 1990-1991 and 2011-2012. The decline was most apparent in the Atlantic provinces. Although Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia had the highest average percentages of drop-outs in the early 1990s, averages between 2009-2010 and 2011-2012 fell by more than half. The largest decrease occurred in Newfoundland and Labrador, where drop-out rates fell from 19.9% to 8.7%. By comparison, the least change occurred in Manitoba, where drop-out rates fell from 16.0% to 10.4%.

Between 2009-2010 and 2011-2012, five provinces had average drop-out rates greater than the national average of 8.1%: Quebec (10.6%), Manitoba (10.4%), Alberta (10.0%), Saskatchewan (9.2%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (8.7%).


This Chart contains data for Drop-out rate, by region, 1990-1993 and 2009-2012. Information is available in table below BC (2009-2012) = 5.9 BC (1990-1993) = 13.3 AB (2009-2012) = 10.0 AB (1990-1993) = 15.7 SK (2009-2012) = 9.2 SK (1990-1993) = 16.2 MB (2009-2012) = 10.4 MB (1990-1993) = 16.0 ON (2009-2012) = 6.6 ON (1990-1993) = 14.7 QC (2009-2012) = 10.6 QC (1990-1993) = 17.4 NB (2009-2012) = 7.4 NB (1990-1993) = 15.4 NS (2009-2012) = 7.6 NS (1990-1993) = 17.8 PE (2009-2012) = 8.1 PE (1990-1993) = 18.9 NL (2009-2012) = 8.7 NL (1990-1993) = 19.9 CAN (2009-2012) = 8.1 CAN (1990-1993) = 15.7 (percent) Drop-out rate, by region, 1990-1993 and 2009-2012

Note: Data are based on three-year averages for the academic years 1990-1991 to 1992-1993 and 2009-2010 to 2011-2012.

Source: Data produced by Statistics Canada. Labour Force Survey 2012. Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2012.


Warning: This data table may contain very wide content. Horizontal scrolling may be necessary.

Drop-out rate, by region, 1990-1993 and 2009-2012 (percent)
CANNLPENSNBQCONMBSKABBC
1990-199315.719.918.917.815.417.414.716.016.215.713.3
2009-20128.18.78.17.67.410.66.610.49.210.05.9

International Picture

A study of 2002 drop-out rates in 25 OECD countries shows that Canada fares relatively well on an international scale.The study showed that 10.9% of those aged 20 to 24 in Canada were not attending school and had not completed their secondary school education, compared with an average of 14.7% in the 25 OECD countries. Canada also fared well compared with G7 countries. Of the six countries for which data were available, only the United Kingdom (8.0%) had an average drop-out rate lower than the Canadian average.


This Chart contains data for Drop-out rate, selected OECD countries, 2002. Information is available in table below Italy = 26.6 OECD-25 = 14.7 France = 14.5 Germany = 14.2 United States = 12.3 Canada = 10.9 United Kingdom = 8.0 (percent) Drop-out rate, selected OECD countries, 2002

Note: Data for the US is from 2001.

Source: de Broucker, Patrice. Without a Paddle: What to do About Canada's Young Drop-outs.. Ottawa, Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN), 2005 (see Table B 1: Distribution of 20- to 24-year-olds, by educational situation (2002)).


Warning: This data table may contain very wide content. Horizontal scrolling may be necessary.

Drop-out rate, selected OECD countries, 2002 (percent)
United KingdomCanadaUnited StatesGermanyFranceOECD-25Italy
8.010.912.314.214.514.726.6

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Date Modified:
2013-06-19