Québec, April 2, 2026. – In 2021, in Québec, the share of university graduates who obtained their highest educational qualification in a field of study related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) was 24.6%. This share stood at:
- 37.8% for men and 14.3% for women
- 18.7% for non-immigrants, 34.8% for immigrants, and 44.3% for non-permanent residents (NPRs)
Among university graduates who obtained their highest educational qualification in STEM, 1 in 2 were either immigrants or NPRs.
This information comes from the fourth issue in a series on the study Les titulaires d’un grade universitaire au Québec : ce qu’en disent les données du Recensement de 2021 (In French only) released today by the Institut de la statistique du Québec. It looks at the population of university graduates by field of study and by location of highest educational qualification.
Men and women are overrepresented in different fields of study
Nearly a third (32.2%) of university graduates obtained their highest educational qualification in one of the three fields of study where men or women are most overrepresented:
- Engineering and engineering technology: 79.2% are men and 20.8% are women
- Health care: 22.5% are men and 77.5% are women
- Education and teaching: 21.7% are men and 78.3% are women
Highest educational qualification obtained in Québec
In 2021, 72.6% of university graduates obtained their highest educational qualification in the province of Québec. This proportion stands at 92.0% among non-immigrants, 36.8% among immigrants and 18.2% among NPRs.
By comparison, 22.3% of university graduates obtained their highest educational qualification outside Canada, 94.5% of whom are either immigrants or NPRs.
The Institut de la statistique du Québec is the public body responsible for providing reliable, objective statistical information about Québec society. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and an essential source of information for all those wishing to learn more about Québec.