Three Routes Start
College diploma

Civil engineering technology

DEC Technologie du génie civil (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 classroom65%
Total cost$2,800
Typical debt after$0
Demand in QuebecHigh

The first ten years

schoolschoolschoolearnearnearnearnearnearnearn
Mostly in schoolEarning

Earnings by year, roughly

What's in "net by year 10"
Earnings, years 1 to 10$495k3 years at $0 while in school, then $57,100 rising to $76,200 by year five, flat after
Program cost−$3ktuition and fees
Typical (medians)$492kthe number on the card
Low to high$418k to $567kpay 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 isSurveying, materials testing, CAD, site inspection for roads, bridges and buildings.
What actually stops peopleMath. Students who scraped through Advanced Functions struggle in first year.
The downsideYou do the field and drafting work engineers sign off on; the P.Eng ceiling requires going back for a degree.
If you're the parentInfrastructure spending in Ontario means steady hiring. A practical, outdoors-and-office mix with a clear path to a degree later.
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
  • Courses: Advanced Functions, Physics
  • Average around 65+
Deadlines in Quebec
  • SRAM (cégep) March 1 for fall; a DEC takes 2 or 3 years
  • AFE in spring

Next steps in Quebec

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In QuebecQuebec rates this a mild shortage, unlike Ontario's steady.
www.quebec.ca

✓ Verified 2026-10-09 for Quebec Sources: Cégep fees; Relance collégial 2024 ($27.43/h); IMT 22300 median $36.64/h; MESS Diagnostic 2025-2029: léger déficit

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