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New Brunswickers love their province’s universities and colleges – so much so that, in a given year, approximately 80% of New Brunswick residents in pursuit of a post-secondary education choose to stay and study in New Brunswick.

But, what about the other 20%? Where do they go? And do they come back after they graduate?

NB-IRDT researchers explore these questions in our most recent report: Post-secondary graduates’ province of study, post-graduation residence in New Brunswick, and labour market outcomes (2011-2016).

While there are many factors that influence a student’s decision to attend a college or university close to home, most are tied to the cost associated with leaving, the students’ emotional ties to home, and the reputation and availability of programs and courses at nearby institutions.

For those students who decide to leave New Brunswick for university or college, this report aims to describe what percentage of them come back and why (or why not). It examines the proportion of those graduates who return and stay in NB, looking at return migration patterns, contributing factors, and earnings post-graduation to provide insights into possible reasons why NB residents who pursue a post-secondary degree outside the province may choose to return or remain outside NB.

Want to learn more? Check out the summary for highlights, or read the report for a full breakdown of results.