Post-secondary degrees considered 'vital' by one-half of students

More than one-third feel master's degree also needed: Survey

Canadian students overwhelmingly (96 per cent) feel having a post-secondary qualification on their resumé will help them stand out from the crowd in today's job market and 49 per cent of these students think it's vital, according to the 2011 TD Canada Trust Student Finances Survey.

While 28 per cent feel practical training at a trade school or college degree is sufficient to be competitive in the workplace, 31 per cent feel an undergraduate degree is necessary and 36 per cent feel an undergraduate plus a master's degree are necessary, found the survey of 1,000 people who are currently enrolled or were previously enrolled in the past two years in post-secondary education.

The challenge for many is the cost, said TD. The average cost of a four-year university degree is $80,000 and 81 per cent of students said this feels like "a fortune." To alleviate some of their concerns, 69 per cent of students work during the school year (compared to 55 per cent in 2010) and more than one-half (56 per cent) work more than 11 hours a week to make ends meet.

With rising tuition and youth unemployment worries, more than one-half (58 per cent) of Canada's post-secondary students admit they are feeling either anxious (34 per cent) or stressed (24 per cent) when they think about how they are going to pay their way through school. Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) expect to graduate with debt hanging over their heads, with one-quarter anticipating they will owe more than $25,000, found the survey.

Latest stories