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2. Demographic Profile of Res pondents
2.1 Gender and Age
As shown in Table 2.1, of respondents from the Statistics Canada and Youth Services and Post-
Secondary Education surveys conducted in 2000-2001, 56% were female while 44% were male.
When these results are compared to the original 1995 graduates, the ratio of females to males is
similar for all sectors. In general, there are more females than males who graduated from private
college one-year and two-year programs, and Memorial University undergraduate and master’s
programs. In contrast, more males than females graduated from public college one-year
programs, while the numbers of males and females are from the public college two- and three-
year programs are comparable.
Table 2.1 Percentage of Graduates of 1995 (n=6900)
and Respondents of 2000-2001 (n=2230)
Graduates
1995
Respondents
2000-2001
%
Memorial
Undergraduate
Female 58 58
Male 42 42
Memorial
Master’s
Female 56 58
Male 44 42
Public College
1 Year
Female 34 45
Male 66 55
Public College
2-3 Year
Female 48 50
Male 52 50
Private College
1 Year
Female 65 66
Male 35 34
Private College
2 Year
Female 70 77
Male 30 23
Total
Female 54 56
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Figure 2.1 Average Age of Respondents
by Sector
(n=2230)
Male 46 44
As of December 31, 2000, the average age of female respondents was 33 while the average age
of male respondents was 32 (Figure 2.1). Graduates from Memorial University master’s
program reported the highest average ages with 41 years for female respondents and 39 years for
male respondents. Public college two- and three-year program respondents and Memorial
University undergraduate respondents had similar average ages and were the youngest of the
respon
dents.
2.2 Dependent Children
As shown in Figure 2.2, 45% of respondents indicated they had at least one dependent child at
the time of survey. Given the greater average age of Memorial University master’s graduates, it
is not surprising that the highest percentage of respondents (60%) who indicated they had at least
one dependent child were from this group. The lowest reported percentage of respondents (29%)
with at least one dependent child was for Memorial University undergraduates who, as noted
previously, had the lowest average age.
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Figure 2.2 Percentage of Respondents
With at Least One Dependent Child
(n=2227)
Figure 2.3 Marital Status of Respondents
at Time of Survey by Sector
(n=2218)
2.3 Marita l Sta tus
Overall, fifty-five percent (55%) of all respondents reported they were married at the time of
survey, 10% reported they were in a common-law relationship and 30% of respondents reported
they were single (Figure 2.3). A small percentage reported being divorced (3%), separated (1%),
or widowed (1%).
There is little difference in marital status among most institutional sectors, with the exception of
Memorial University master’s respondents. For this cohort, 75% reported they were married or
in a common-law relationship at time of survey. This cohort also had the lowest reported
percentage of single respondents (15%) and the highest of those divorced (8%).
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2.4 Province of residence
Five to six years after graduation it can be expected that most of the 1995 graduates will have
established roots in one place or another. As shown in Table 2.4a and 2.4b, the majority (72%)
of all survey respondents resided in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2000-2001, while 28% of
respondents lived out of the province. Of those living out of the province, the most popular
provinces were: Ontario (10%), Alberta (8%), Nova Scotia (4%) and British Columbia (3%).
For Memorial University undergraduate, Memorial University master’s, and private college one-
year and two-year program respondents, out-migration to Ontario was the most common.
Alberta was the most common destination for public college one-year program respondents while
public college two- and three-year program graduates found the provinces of Ontario and Alberta
almost equally attractive.
Table 2.4a Number of Respondents Residing in Newfoundland and Labrador
or Outside the Province at Time of Survey 2000-2001 by Province, United States, or Other
(n=2036)
NL NS PE NB QC ON MB SK AB BC YT NT NU US Other
Memorial
Undergraduate
276 21 2 7 8 76 2 1 33 12 0 3 3 12 2
Memorial
Masters
119 3 0 1 1 12 1 2 1 3 0 0 0 1 0
Public College
1 Year
365 27 1 7 1 40 3 3 62 21 0 1 0 5 0
Public College
2-3 Year
206 16 1 5 0 38 4 1 35 17 0 1 1 6 1
Private College
1 Year
324 6 1 2 0 20 0 0 14 2 0 0 1 1 0
Private College
2 Year
167 2 2 1 0 11 1 0 9 1 1 0 0 0 0
Total 1457 75 7 23 10 197 11 7 154 56 1 5 5 25 3
The highest reported percentages of respondents residing outside the province are Memorial
University undergraduates (40%), followed closely by respondents from public college two- and
three-year programs (38%) and public college one-year programs (32%) (Table 2.4b).
Respondents from private college two-year (14%) and private college one-year (13%) programs
report the lowest percentages of graduates residing out of the province.
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Table 2.4b Number and Percentage of Respondents Residing in Newfoundland and Labrador
or Outside the Province at Time of Survey 2000-2001
(n=2036)
Newfoundland & Labrador Outside the Province
# % # %
Memorial
Under gradua te
276 60 182 40
Memorial
Masters
119 83 25 17
Public College
1 Year
365 68 171 32
Public College
2-3 Year
206 62 126 38
Private College
1 Year
324 87 47 13
Private College
2 Year
167 86 28 14
Total 1457 72 579 28
