How much does a arts & humanities earn in Quebec?

Roughly $58,800 in the first years and $70,000 by year five (Quebec median, before tax). Source: Cégep fees; CCAFE 2025-26 tuition and fees; Relance université 2025 (lettres $28.27/h, 53.3% employed).

What does it cost in Quebec?

About $16,000 in tuition and fees; typical debt if you borrow $8,000. Year-5 and demand are estimates. Quebec cost is roughly half Ontario's.

How long does it take?

About 5 years, first real paycheque in about 5 years.

University degree

Arts & humanities

Pre-university DEC (2 years) + BA arts, lettres ou sciences humaines (3 years)

Numbers for 22 of 30 verified for Quebec; "start something" routes use national figures · How we verify

Quebec works differently: trades are a nearly free DEP then a CCQ apprenticeship; college is a 3-year DEC at a cégep (tuition-free for residents); university is 3 years after a 2-year pre-university DEC. Numbers from IMT en ligne, CCQ, FIQ scales and the Relance surveys.

Years to credential5

First real paycheque~5 years

Time in a classroom85%

Total cost$16,000

Typical debt after$8,000

Demand in QuebecLimited

The first ten years

schoolschoolschoolschoolschoolearnearnearnearnearn

Mostly in schoolEarning

Earnings by year, roughly

Quebec median before tax. Overtime, location and specialisation change this a lot. Net by year 10 after program cost: $312k, low to high $260k to $362k.

What's in "net by year 10"

Earnings, years 1 to 10	$328k	5 years at $0 while in school, then $58,800 rising to $70,000 by year five, flat after
Program cost	−$16k	tuition and fees
Typical (medians)	$312k	the number on the card
Low to high	$260k to $362k	pay 15% under or over the median, cost 15% more or 10% less

Not counted: income tax, rent, food, loan interest, inflation, and unemployment gaps. They apply to every route, so they change the size of each number more than the order. Pay is the Quebec median before tax from the sources on this page.

The picture

What the day-to-day isReading, writing, argument. Small seminars in upper years.

What actually stops peopleNone on entry. Direction has to come from the student.

The downsideStarting salaries are the lowest of any degree. Earnings catch up by mid-career for those who move into law, teaching, policy or management.

If you're the parentNot a waste, but not a job either. It works best with a clear next step in mind: law school, teacher's college, a professional certificate.

Local opportunities in Quebec

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How to enter

What you need

Courses: English (U)
Average around 65+

Deadlines in Quebec

Université applications: March 1 for fall (McGill January 15); cégep DEC required for Quebec students
AFE (Aide financière aux études) in spring

Next steps in Quebec

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In QuebecYear-5 and demand are estimates. Quebec cost is roughly half Ontario's.

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◐ Partly verified Cégep fees; CCAFE 2025-26 tuition and fees; Relance université 2025 (lettres $28.27/h, 53.3% employed)

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