Three Routes Start
College diploma

Computer programming

DEC Techniques de l'informatique (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 classroom70%
Total cost$2,600
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$493k3 years at $0 while in school, then $58,900 rising to $75,000 by year five, flat after
Program cost−$3ktuition and fees
Typical (medians)$490kthe number on the card
Low to high$416k to $564kpay 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 isCoding, testing, working in small teams. Co-op terms matter enormously.
What actually stops peopleGetting the first job; entry-level tech hiring has tightened since 2023.
The downsideEmployers increasingly expect a degree or a strong portfolio. AI tools are changing what junior developers do.
If you're the parentCheaper and faster than a CS degree, with decent pay if your child builds real projects. The market is crowded at the bottom right now.
Local opportunities in Quebec

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How to enter

What you need
  • Courses: Advanced Functions
  • 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

  1. 1
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In QuebecYear-5 is an estimate. Only about half of DEC grads land related jobs; many bridge to a DEC-BAC.
cdn-contenu.quebec.ca · www.quebec.ca

◐ Partly verified Cégep fees; Relance collégial 2024 ($28.33/h, 52.8% in related jobs); IMT 21232 median $47.80/h; MESS Diagnostic 2025-2029: léger déficit

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