CourseCompare’s annual rankings, which include everything from Canada’s best universities and best online MBA programs to its top coding bootcamps and trade schools, are guided by a comprehensive underlying methodology but a simple overarching purpose: to help you prepare for the future of work.
Overall Framework
In compiling our annual rankings, CourseCompare puts job placement rates at the centre of its methodologies, with additional metrics tailored to each category. Additional performance metrics complement these employment-focused measures:
(1) verified ratings from recent graduates along four separate dimensions of quality;
(2) industry recognition and satisfaction based on journalistic interviews, employer surveys, and third party data;
(3) graduate earning potential, typically based on salaries within six months of graduation; and
(4) graduation rates taken from a variety of sources, including but not limited to provincial governments, Colleges and Institutes Canada, Universities Canada, Colleges Ontario, and in some cases post-secondary institutions themselves.
Critically, our annual rankings are not influenced by advertising dollars – education partners cannot pay to appear in or influence our annual published reports. When evaluating the effectiveness of higher learning organizations, we start with an exhaustive list of schools in each area of specialty, which is put together by our editorial team and Learning Advisors.
The sum of our research is a score that allows us to identify schools and programs that are indeed preparing learners for in-demand careers.
Colleges & Career Training Institutions
| METRIC | DESCRIPTION | WEIGHTING |
|---|---|---|
| Job Placement Rate | Job placement rates are reported by schools or third-party organizations. They reflect the percentage of students who obtained a job in their field of study, typically within six months after graduation. | 40% |
| Student Satisfaction | Our student satisfaction scores are based on verified user ratings submitted on CourseCompare.ca. We collect ratings along four dimensions: instructor quality; curriculum; career support; and overall student satisfaction. | 25% |
| Industry Recognition | Journalistic interviews, employer surveys, and third party data are used to determine a program’s reach and reputation among employers. | 20% |
| Salary Expectations | Salary data is based on the average annual earnings of all graduates within a program, up to one year after graduation. Data is supplied by schools and student surveys. For coding bootcamps, data is sourced from the Council on Integrity in Results Reporting (CIRR). | 7.5% |
| Graduation Rate | This number reflects the percentage of students who met the requirements of their program and graduated/matriculated within the time permitted. | 7.5% |
Universities
| METRIC | DESCRIPTION | WEIGHTING |
|---|---|---|
| Student Satisfaction & Campus Life | Our student satisfaction scores are based on enrollment data, attrition rates, and verified user ratings submitted on CourseCompare.ca. We collect ratings along four dimensions: instructor quality; curriculum; career support; and overall student satisfaction. | 25% |
| Industry Reputation | Journalistic interviews, employer surveys, and third party data are used to determine a school's reach and reputation among employers, which in turn impacts graduate employability. | 15% |
| Career Preparation | Analysis of the depth and quality of employment networks, industry partnerships, and career connection opportunities is determined based on journalistic interviews, school-supplied information, and third party data, to evaluate post-graduate career opportunities and readiness. | 30% |
| Funding | Funding is measured based on total endowment size, the amount of sponsored research income a school received, and the ratio of research dollars per student. | 15% |
| Teaching & Faculty | Quality of teaching is determined based on student-teacher ratios, the average number of citations per faculty member, and appointments such as Canada Research Chairs or 3M Teaching Fellows. | 15% |
Medical Schools
| METRIC | DESCRIPTION | WEIGHTING |
|---|---|---|
| Student Satisfaction | This category reflects the experiences and feedback of current students and alumni. It evaluates factors such as the quality of instruction, access to resources, campus facilities, and overall support throughout the program. | 30% |
| Reputation | The "Reputation" category assesses a medical school's standing in the medical and academic communities, based on surveys, rankings, and contributions to research, clinical excellence, and faculty and graduate achievements. | 20% |
| Average MCAT Score | We compare the average Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores from the most recent accepted class of students to determine the competitiveness of the program. Data is supplied by schools. | 20% |
| CaRMS Match Rate | We compare the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) match rates to evaluate the likelihood of students being matched with a residency program of choice. Data is supplied by schools. | 20% |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | The student-teacher ratio indicates the hands-on nature of the instruction. Data is supplied by schools. | 10% |
Online Programs
| METRIC | DESCRIPTION | WEIGHTING |
|---|---|---|
| Online Experience | The online experience is evaluated based on the breadth of course offerings, as well as the quality of the programs, the quality of Learning Management Systems or online platforms, and the quality of live online instructional support. | 50% |
| Job Placement Rate | Job placement rates are reported by schools or third-party organizations. They reflect the percentage of students who obtained a job in their field of study, typically within six months after graduation. | 20% |
| Student Satisfaction | Our student satisfaction scores are based on verified user ratings submitted on CourseCompare.ca. We collect ratings along four dimensions: instructor quality; curriculum; career support; and overall student satisfaction. | 7.5% |
| Industry Recognition | Employer survey data is used to determine a program’s reach and reputation among employers. | 7.5% |
| Salary Expectations | Salary data is based on the average annual earnings of all graduates within a program, up to one year of graduation. Data is supplied by schools and student surveys. | 7.5% |
| Graduation Rate | This number reflects the percentage of students who met the requirements of their program and graduated/matriculated within the time permitted. | 7.5% |
Short Courses & Certificate Programs
Lifelong learners keep their skills sharp and marketability on track by taking microcredentials and other short courses. Unlike longer programs that track student success metrics such as job placement and salary expectations, we evaluate short courses and certificate programs based on a combination of factors, including on-platform user ratings and engagement, employer survey results, and CourseCompare’s own user analytics and demand trends. Based on these elements we devise a long list and, using editorial discretion, determine which courses deliver the best value for learners. As with all of our annual rankings, education partners cannot pay to appear in or influence our annual published reports.
Editorial Team
Does course compare evaluate private institutions separate from public institutions? Or are public and private institutions evaluated under the same criteria?
Hi Trevor, thank you for your question. All schools in a ranking are evaluated based on the same criteria, regardless of whether they are public or private institutions. CourseCompare puts job placement rates at the centre of its methodologies, with additional metrics tailored to each category. Factors such as school size and local employment conditions are considered when comparing job placement rates for specific programs. This methodology is further refined to include metrics specific to individual rankings. You can see our full methodology breakdown here: https://www.coursecompare.ca/how-do-coursecompares-annual-school-rankings-work/
If you have any further questions, please reach out to our team at hello@coursecompare.ca or call us at 1 (800) 750-1392.