Great high school grades in languages, math and science will definitely open doors for students applying to post-secondary schools in terms of career options. Once in college or university, however, the career path ultimately taken by students will likely play a far greater role in their future economic prospects than high school grades, according to a new study.
The study looks at high school records from students in British Columbia, postsecondary administrative data and personal taxation data to explore the association between the earnings of postsecondary graduates by field of study and academic performance in high school (Grade 10 English, science and mathematics grades), along with several other factors.
Numerous studies have shown that graduates from engineering, business and mathematics programs earn considerably more than their counterparts in the arts and the humanities.
These earnings disparities may reflect differences in skills that are independent of the programs themselves rather than simply the best and brightest high school students choosing the most lucrative fields of study.
High school is therefore the ideal time to measure skills, as it is generally the last time students are administered the same tests in languages, math and science, and the skills were acquired independently of the chosen postsecondary program.
The study found that bachelor’s degree graduates of physical and life sciences and technologies programs registered average earnings (for men) or below average earnings (for women), despite being among the top academic performers in high school.
By contrast, both men and women graduates of business, management and public administration programs were among the highest earners even when they had achieved average academic performance in high school.
Among certificate and diploma graduates, earnings differences by field of study were smaller than among their counterparts who graduated with a bachelor’s degree, but again, high school academic performance played little to no role in understanding these differences.
The bottom line is that while high school grades play a vital role in gaining entrance into postsecondary institutions, once there, field of study will likely play a larger role in future earnings than that bad grade someone received in grade 10 math, language or science.
For graduating high school students this year keen on making money, high grades in languages, math and science (90% or over) increase the odds of admission to a highly sought-after Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program, as well as the prospect of higher-than-average earnings. After STEM programs, business, management and public administration programs offer the best shot at future prosperity.
Most importantly of all, one should find a field and job they love, and no matter their wage or occupation, they are guaranteed to succeed.
The study “High school academic performance and earnings by postsecondary field of study” is available on our website as part of our Economic and Social Reports series.
Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).