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Researchers at NB-IRDT are busy producing a new report series with the aim of building a comprehensive body of work on New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) students and graduates.

The first report (released May 2023) looked at the mobility and retention of NBCC graduates. It found that most New Brunswickers who attended NBCC study at campuses near their hometowns – but whether they studied locally or moved across the province to attend NBCC, the majority of graduates are likely to settle in the same area where they lived before school. 

In this second report, researchers focus on the earnings of NBCC graduates who finished their degrees between 2017 and 2019 to shed light on what graduates might expect to earn once they complete their degrees. Some of the highlights from this report include:

• NBCC graduates in math, computer and information sciences have the highest median salary one year after graduation.
• Graduates from architecture, engineering, and related technologies display the highest income growth in the first three years after graduating.

In recent years, New Brunswick has been struggling to attract and retain qualified workers. NBCC graduates make up an important part of the NB labour force. With a median age of 27, 90% of NBCC graduates are working within one year after graduation, and 90% of those who are employed have a job here in NB,¹ making them a key demographic for labour market researchers to study.

1. Prairie Research Associates. (2022). 2021 Survey of graduates of 2020 of the New Brunswick Community College. Government of New Brunswick – Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour. Retrieved June 8, 2022