Canadian universities are able to set their own tuition fees and will often charge higher prices for degrees which can lead to higher-paying jobs. Within the country, universities typically function under provincial and territorial government charters. The majority of public universities in Canada are also members of Universities Canada, a non-profit national organization that aims to coordinate university policy, providing guidance and direction.
This report looks at undergraduate and graduate tuition fees across Canadian public universities as a whole and how costs can vary between domestic and international students.
Top Canadian tuition fee statistics
- As of the 2022-23 academic year, tuition fees for domestic undergraduates average 6,834 CAD, increasing 2.61% over 2021/22 (6,660 CAD).
- Domestic undergraduate tuition fees range from 5,128 CAD to 23,963 CAD on average.
- Tuition fees for international undergraduates on average are 36,123 CAD, increasing 8.00% over 2021/22 (33,446 CAD).
- International undergraduate tuition fees range from 23,630 CAD to 68,256 CAD on average.
- Tuition fees for domestic graduates on average are 7,437 CAD, increasing 1.67% over 2021/22 (7,315 CAD).
- Domestic graduate tuition fees range from 4,018 CAD to 53,227 CAD on average.
- Tuition fees for international graduates on average are 21,111 CAD, increasing 4.27% over 2021/22 (20,246 CAD).
- International graduate tuition fees range from 9,726 CAD to 76,687 CAD on average.
Average undergraduate tuition fees by field (domestic)
Tuition fees for domestic undergraduate students have remained relatively stable overall. Although some fields of study have seen large price increases, the cost to study other topics has dropped significantly.
- As of the 2022-23 academic year, the average domestic undergraduate tuition fee is 6,834 CAD, an increase of 0.18% over 2018’s 6,822 CAD.
- Average undergraduate tuition fees range from 5,128 CAD to 23,963 CAD.
- Undergraduates studying dentistry have the highest average annual fees paid at 23,963 CAD.
- Undergraduates studying education have the lowest average annual fees to pay at 5,158 CAD.
- Veterinary medicine tuition fees showed the largest increase, rising 88.61% over the period.
- In contrast, Optometry tuition fees showed the largest decrease, falling 15.74% over the period.
| Field | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | Change |
| Education | 4,732 | 4,648 | 4,801 | 5,013 | 5,158 | + 9.00% |
| Visual and performing arts, and communications technologies | 6,131 | 5,789 | 5,843 | 6,009 | 6,135 | + 0.07% |
| Humanities | 5,773 | 5,486 | 5,635 | 5,737 | 5,889 | + 2.01% |
| Social and behavioural sciences, and legal studies | 5,902 | 5,555 | 5,639 | 5,740 | 5,864 | – 0.64% |
| Law | 13,216 | 12,527 | 12,727 | 12,852 | 13,222 | + 0.05% |
| Business, management and public administration | 7,222 | 6,795 | 6,864 | 7,045 | 7,207 | – 0.21% |
| Physical and life sciences and technologies | 6,397 | 6,068 | 6,149 | 5,860 | 5,992 | – 6.33% |
| Mathematics, computer and information sciences | 7,320 | 6,814 | 6,861 | 6,876 | 7,012 | – 4.21% |
| Engineering | 8,532 | 7,949 | 8,067 | 8,257 | 8,527 | – 0.06% |
| Architecture | 6,967 | 6,470 | 6,462 | 6,599 | 6,718 | – 3.57% |
| Agriculture, natural resources and conservation | 5,831 | 5,614 | 5,693 | 5,886 | 6,031 | + 3.43% |
| Dentistry | 22,747 | 22,242 | 22,408 | 22,920 | 23,963 | + 5.35% |
| Medicine | 14,794 | 14,201 | 14,321 | 14,627 | 15,182 | + 2.62% |
| Nursing | 5,763 | 5,583 | 5,685 | 5,826 | 5,995 | + 4.03% |
| Pharmacy | 10,780 | 10,931 | 11,154 | 11,351 | 12,291 | + 14.02% |
| Veterinary medicine | 7,867 | 7,852 | 14,162 | 14,284 | 14,838 | + 88.61% |
| Optometry | 12,330 | 11,203 | 10,687 | 10,357 | 10,389 | – 15.74% |
| Other health, parks, recreation and fitness | 6,227 | 5,867 | 5,993 | 6,097 | 6,207 | – 0.32% |
| Personal, protective and transportation services | 6,203 | 5,686 | 5,777 | 5,836 | 5,894 | – 4.98% |
A graph is given below to show the most expensive fields for domestic undergraduates in Canada on average:
A graph is given below to show the least expensive fields for domestic undergraduates in Canada on average:
Average undergraduate tuition fees by field (international)
Undergraduate tuition fees for international students have seen some of the biggest price rises in Canada. In addition, price hikes can be seen across all fields of study since 2018.
- As of the 2022-23 academic year, the average international undergraduate tuition fee is 36,123 CAD, an increase of 30.82% over 2018’s 27,613 CAD.
- Average undergraduate tuition fees range from 23,630 CAD to 68,256 CAD.
- Undergraduates studying veterinary medicine have the highest average annual fees to pay at 68,256 CAD.
- Undergraduates studying education have the lowest average annual fees to pay at 23,630 CAD.
- Architecture tuition fees showed the largest increase, rising 126.23% over the period.
- In contrast, pharmacy tuition fees showed the smallest increase, 8.79% for the period.
| Field | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | Change |
| Education | 18,761 | 21,057 | 22,842 | 22,564 | 23,630 | + 25.95% |
| Visual and performing arts, and communications technologies | 23,520 | 25,467 | 27,431 | 28,874 | 46,980 | + 99.74% |
| Humanities | 26,617 | 27,517 | 29,845 | 32,293 | 34,186 | + 28.44% |
| Social and behavioural sciences, and legal studies | 25,673 | 27,891 | 30,320 | 31,937 | 33,776 | + 31.56% |
| Law | 30,932 | 34,273 | 37,015 | 39,758 | 42,224 | + 36.51% |
| Business, management and public administration | 26,723 | 29,039 | 31,095 | 32,338 | 33,901 | + 26.86% |
| Physical and life sciences and technologies | 29,203 | 32,394 | 34,465 | 35,366 | 37,411 | + 28.11% |
| Mathematics, computer and information sciences | 30,370 | 32,989 | 35,182 | 36,957 | 39,000 | + 28.42% |
| Engineering | 31,393 | 33,462 | 35,527 | 36,656 | 39,562 | + 26.02% |
| Architecture | 24,698 | 27,751 | 30,995 | 31,575 | 55,875 | + 126.23% |
| Agriculture, natural resources and conservation | 24,510 | 26,260 | 28,661 | 30,781 | 32,462 | + 32.44% |
| Dentistry | 53,521 | 55,102 | 56,244 | 57,606 | 59,515 | + 11.20% |
| Medicine | 31,214 | 35,271 | 44,648 | 55,756 | 58,790 | + 88.34% |
| Nursing | 20,861 | 21,921 | 23,105 | 24,444 | 26,203 | + 25.61% |
| Pharmacy | 38,903 | 39,531 | 39,855 | 40,661 | 42,323 | + 8.79% |
| Veterinary medicine | 60,432 | 63,406 | 65,652 | 66,571 | 68,256 | + 12.95% |
| Other health, parks, recreation and fitness | 23,269 | 24,553 | 24,973 | 25,510 | 26,837 | + 15.33% |
| Personal, protective and transportation services | 19,489 | 23,694 | 26,861 | 25,782 | 27,325 | + 40.21% |
A graph is given below to show the most expensive fields for international undergraduates in Canada on average:
A graph is given below to show the least expensive fields for international undergraduates in Canada on average:
Average graduate tuition fees by field (domestic)
As with domestic undergraduates, tuition fees for graduates have remained stable on average, despite some fields seeing large increases and decreases in pricing.
- As of the 2022-23 academic year, the average domestic graduate tuition fee is 7,437 CAD, an increase of 0.66% over 2018’s 7,388 CAD.
- Average graduate tuition fees range from 4,018 CAD to 53,227 CAD.
- Graduates studying executive MBAs have the highest average annual fees to pay at 53,227 CAD.
- Graduates studying veterinary medicine have the lowest average annual fees paid at 4,018 CAD.
- Business, management, and public administration tuition fees showed the largest increase, rising 9.61% over the period.
- In contrast, other health, parks, recreation, and fitness tuition fees showed the largest decrease, falling 18.44% over the period.
| Field | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | Change |
| Education | 6,546 | 6,423 | 6,523 | 6,640 | 6,747 | + 3.07% |
| Visual and performing arts, and communications technologies | 5,440 | 5,263 | 5,506 | 5,588 | 5,681 | + 4.43% |
| Humanities | 4,827 | 4,881 | 4,678 | 4,817 | 4,898 | + 1.47% |
| Social and behavioural sciences, and legal studies | 6,135 | 5,801 | 6,008 | 6,006 | 6,056 | – 1.29% |
| Law | 6,179 | 6,036 | 6,087 | 6,499 | 6,589 | + 6.64% |
| Business, management and public administration | 13,524 | 13,145 | 14,052 | 14,630 | 14,823 | + 9.61% |
| Executive MBA | 59,709 | 50,459 | 51,005 | 52,101 | 53,227 | – 10.86% |
| Regular MBA | 31,818 | 29,028 | 29,065 | 29,544 | 30,464 | – 4.26% |
| Physical and life sciences and technologies | 7,056 | 6,741 | 6,740 | 6,828 | 6,935 | – 1.71% |
| Mathematics, computer and information sciences | 8,456 | 8,395 | 8,562 | 8,702 | 8,902 | + 5.27% |
| Engineering | 7,369 | 6,990 | 7,037 | 7,243 | 7,454 | + 1.15% |
| Architecture | 6,567 | 6,742 | 6,349 | 6,533 | 6,679 | + 1.71% |
| Agriculture, natural resources and conservation | 5,669 | 5,938 | 5,896 | 5,892 | 6,045 | + 6.63% |
| Dentistry | 13,726 | 13,002 | 12,995 | 13,112 | 13,223 | – 3.66% |
| Nursing | 6,684 | 6,328 | 6,532 | 6,777 | 6,956 | + 4.07% |
| Pharmacy | 4,055 | 4,245 | 4,171 | 4,340 | 4,403 | + 8.58% |
| Veterinary medicine | 4,358 | 4,170 | 3,948 | 3,968 | 4,018 | – 7.80% |
| Optometry | 5,012 | 4,508 | 4,508 | 4,508 | 4,508 | – 10.06% |
| Other health, parks, recreation and fitness | 8,786 | 8,401 | 8,570 | 7,043 | 7,166 | – 18.44% |
| Personal, protective and transportation services | 6,007 | 5,513 | 4,500 | 5,795 | 5,839 | – 2.80% |
A graph is given below to show the most expensive fields for domestic graduates in Canada on average:
A graph is given below to show the least expensive fields for domestic graduates in Canada on average:
Average graduate tuition fees by field (international)
For international graduate students, tuition fees have risen steadily over time. However, the cost of graduate degrees for international degrees is much cheaper on average than at undergraduate level.
- As of the 2022-23 academic year, the average international graduate tuition fee is 21,111 CAD, an increase of 24.22% over 2018’s 16,995 CAD.
- Average graduate tuition fees range from 9,726 CAD to 76,687 CAD.
- Graduates studying executive MBAs have the highest average annual fees to pay at 76,687 CAD.
- Graduates studying veterinary medicine have the lowest average annual fees to pay at 9,726 CAD.
- Pharmacy tuition fees showed the largest increase, rising 34.11% over the period.
- In contrast, personal, protective, and transportation services tuition fees showed the largest decrease, falling 6.25% over the period.
| Field | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | Change |
| Education | 15,267 | 16,068 | 17,135 | 18,160 | 18,854 | + 23.50% |
| Visual and performing arts, and communications technologies | 14,122 | 14,724 | 15,619 | 16,391 | 16,895 | + 19.64% |
| Humanities | 13,250 | 13,702 | 14,217 | 14,909 | 15,406 | + 16.27% |
| Social and behavioural sciences, and legal studies | 14,550 | 14,985 | 16,040 | 16,745 | 17,127 | + 17.71% |
| Law | 16,586 | 17,529 | 18,208 | 18,760 | 19,442 | + 17.22% |
| Business, management and public administration | 23,808 | 24,408 | 26,472 | 26,969 | 27,875 | + 17.08% |
| Executive MBA | 67,657 | 55,424 | 63,005 | 75,099 | 76,687 | + 13.35% |
| Regular MBA | 38,406 | 38,668 | 39,674 | 40,238 | 41,767 | + 8.75% |
| Physical and life sciences and technologies | 14,910 | 15,125 | 16,030 | 16,671 | 17,138 | + 14.94% |
| Mathematics, computer and information sciences | 16,114 | 17,441 | 18,406 | 19,239 | 19,865 | + 23.28% |
| Engineering | 18,236 | 19,736 | 21,717 | 22,405 | 23,708 | + 30.01% |
| Architecture | 23,082 | 24,951 | 25,011 | 26,425 | 27,550 | + 19.36% |
| Agriculture, natural resources and conservation | 13,953 | 13,763 | 14,886 | 15,886 | 16,521 | + 18.40% |
| Dentistry | 21,533 | 22,507 | 25,120 | 26,626 | 27,712 | + 28.70% |
| Nursing | 15,518 | 16,318 | 16,192 | 17,783 | 18,425 | + 18.73% |
| Pharmacy | 11,421 | 11,646 | 13,396 | 14,856 | 15,317 | + 34.11% |
| Veterinary medicine | 9,896 | 9,834 | 9,163 | 9,749 | 9,726 | – 1.72% |
| Optometry | 13,608 | 14,014 | 14,436 | 14,868 | 15,092 | + 10.91% |
| Other health, parks, recreation and fitness | 17,734 | 18,109 | 19,620 | 20,785 | 21,868 | + 23.31% |
| Personal, protective and transportation services | N/A | N/A | 12,550 | 11,609 | 11,765 | – 6.25% |
A graph is given below to show the most expensive fields for international graduates in Canada on average:
A graph is given below to show the least expensive fields for international graduates in Canada on average:
Average tuition fees by level of study (domestic and international)
Trends show that average tuition fees for domestic students have remained relatively stable whilst average tuition fees for international students have increased significantly.
- As of 2023, domestic students enrolled in undergraduate degrees have the lowest average tuition fees at 6,834 CAD.
- Domestic students enrolled in graduate degrees have the second-lowest average tuition fees at 7,437 CAD.
- International students enrolled in undergraduate degrees have the highest average tuition fees at 36,123 CAD.
- International students enrolled in graduate degrees have the second-highest average tuition fees at 21,111 CAD.
| Student type | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | Change |
| Domestic undergraduate | 6,822 | 6,468 | 6,580 | 6,660 | 6,834 | + 0.18% |
| International undergraduate | 27,613 | 29,883 | 32,039 | 33,446 | 36,123 | + 30.82% |
| Domestic graduate | 7,388 | 7,186 | 7,361 | 7,315 | 7,437 | + 0.66% |
| International graduate | 16,995 | 17,934 | 19,429 | 20,246 | 21,111 | + 24.22% |
A graph is given below to show average tuition fees by level of study for domestic and international students:
Canadian university tuition fees FAQ
Does the Canadian government subsidize study for domestic students?
- The Canadian government does subsidize study for domestic students.
- This allows domestic students to receive higher education at reduced rates of tuition.
Why do international students pay more for tuition in Canada?
- In Canada, international students are charged higher prices for their tuition.
- As the Canadian government does not subsidize international students, international students are required to pay the full cost of their higher education.