Three Routes Start
College diploma

Business administration

DEC Techniques de comptabilité et de gestion (3 years)

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 credential3
First real paycheque~3 years
Time in a classroom75%
Total cost$2,600
Typical debt after$0
Demand in QuebecSteady

The first ten years

schoolschoolschoolearnearnearnearnearnearnearn
Mostly in schoolEarning

Earnings by year, roughly

What's in "net by year 10"
Earnings, years 1 to 10$394k3 years at $0 while in school, then $46,800 rising to $60,000 by year five, flat after
Program cost−$3ktuition and fees
Typical (medians)$391kthe number on the card
Low to high$332k to $450kpay 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 isAccounting, marketing and operations courses; group projects; a co-op term if you pick the right stream.
What actually stops peopleEasy to get in. Hard to stand out at the end.
The downsideGeneric credential; outcomes depend almost entirely on co-op and networking.
If you're the parentAccessible and flexible, but your child needs a plan for what they will do with it. Pairing it with a specific skill (accounting, HR, logistics) matters.
Local opportunities in Quebec

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Eight quick questions about whether this route fits your life, not just your grades. You'll get a readiness check, and if you want, we'll introduce you to employers, unions or programs in your region.

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How to enter

What you need
  • No specific courses or average; Grade 12 (or equivalent) and a willingness to show up
Deadlines in Quebec
  • SRAM (cégep) March 1 for fall; a DEC takes 2 or 3 years
  • AFE in spring

Next steps in Quebec

  1. 1
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In QuebecStart pay uses the 2022 survey, likely ~8% low today. Program is being replaced by 410.G0 in some cégeps.
www.quebec.ca

✓ Verified 2026-10-09 for Quebec Sources: Cégep fees; Relance collégial 2022 ($22.51/h); IMT 12200 median $28.85/h; MESS Diagnostic 2025-2029: équilibre

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