Education in Cape Breton, Canada: official figures
21.7% of people aged 25 to 64 in Cape Breton held a bachelor's degree or higher in 2021, 6th lowest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site, below the national 32.9%.
How many adults in Cape Breton did not finish high school?
10.4% of people aged 25 to 64 in Cape Breton had no certificate, diploma or degree in 2021, joint 18th highest of 69 Canadian cities and metropolitan areas on this site, and 27.4% had a high school diploma as their highest qualification (Canada: 9.9% and 23.0%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow many people in Cape Breton have a college diploma or trade certificate?
In 2021, 25.6% of people aged 25 to 64 in Cape Breton had a college, CEGEP or other non-university diploma as their highest qualification and 11.7% an apprenticeship or trades certificate (Canada: 21.4% and 9.6%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow many people in Cape Breton have a master's degree or PhD?
1,890 people aged 25 to 64 in Cape Breton, 4.0% of that age group, held a master's degree or an earned doctorate in 2021 (Canada: 8.5%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow many people in Cape Breton work in education?
7.5% of the labour force in Cape Breton, 3,135 people, worked in educational services in 2021 (Canada: 7.3%).
Source: Statistics Canada · saved copyHow Cape Breton compares with other cities in Canada
Bachelor's degree or higher, ages 25 to 64, 2021 Census (2021)
Cape Breton ranks 64 of 69, highest first.
| Rank | City | Bachelor's degree or higher, ages 25 to 64, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 61 | Abbotsford-Mission | 22.2% |
| 62 | Saguenay | 22.1% |
| 63 | Red Deer | 22.0% |
| 64 | Cape Breton | 21.7% |
| 65 | Terrebonne | 20.9% |
| 66 | Belleville | 20.4% |
| 67 | Brantford | 19.7% |
No certificate, diploma or degree, ages 25 to 64, 2021 Census (2021)
Cape Breton ranks 19 of 69, highest first.
| Rank | City | No certificate, diploma or degree, ages 25 to 64, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Chilliwack | 10.6% |
| 17 | Thunder Bay | 10.5% |
| 18 | Hamilton | 10.4% |
| 19 | Cape Breton | 10.4% |
| 20 | Kitchener | 10.2% |
| 21 | Oshawa | 10.2% |
| 22 | Sherbrooke | 10.2% |
Any postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree, ages 25 to 64, 2021 Census (2021)
Cape Breton ranks 55 of 69, highest first.
| Rank | City | Any postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree, ages 25 to 64, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 52 | Barrie | 63.0% |
| 53 | Kamloops | 62.6% |
| 54 | St. Catharines | 62.2% |
| 55 | Cape Breton | 62.2% |
| 56 | Lethbridge | 61.9% |
| 57 | St. Catharines-Niagara | 61.6% |
| 58 | Surrey | 61.5% |
More on Cape Breton: overview · economy and jobs · poverty and living standards · all cities in Canada
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population (98-316-X2021001): census subdivisions, selected characteristics (Census Profile SDMX API extract, dataflow DF_CSD, gender total, counts and rates), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 46d086943a5e…)
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