International students earning more than Canada-born grads at leading university: Study finds

Highlights: International students earn more than Canada-born grads at leading universities

• According to a recent study, international graduates earn more than Canadian-born graduates.
• International graduates from Waterloo University are earning more than Canadian-born graduates nationally.
• International student graduates earned 37 per cent more than Native Canadian graduates.
• The difference between the median earnings of international graduates and Canadian-born graduates is 46 per cent.

 

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Earnings of International graduates surpass Canadian–born Graduates

International student graduates from the University of Waterloo are earning more than Canadian-born graduates of the same university and more than Canadian-born university graduates nationally.

 

International students who graduated between 2017 and 2019 earned 37 per cent more than the average Canadian-born student. On average, after one year of graduation, foreign students earn $57,500 per year, compared to Canadian-born students who earn $42,000 per year. The difference between the two groups shows a huge difference of 46 per cent, with International students earning $56,400 versus Canadian-born students earning $38,700.

 

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Analyzing the earnings between Canadian-born graduates and International students

According to the study, after 13 years, the average earnings of different graduates will stand at $120,000 for foreign-born PR Graduates, $100,000-120,000 for International students, and $100,000 for Canadian-born graduates. The analysis also explained that after the age of 25, the median wage of International students will surpass the median wage of Canadian Tax filers in the same age bracket.

 

The study also suggested that the higher earnings are significant because of the increasing economic returns of degrees in technology and engineering, where Waterloo’s university international students are mainly concentrated.  The University of Waterloo is known for its focus on technology and engineering, which offers cooperative programs with practical experience. The University of Waterloo ranked #115 in the QS world ranking 2025, placing it among the top five universities to make a list in Canada.

 

The study also revealed that 70% of International students who studied at the University of Waterloo have settled in the country through Canada PR and earn more than double the national wage.

 

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