Explaining the Difference in Income Growth Among Post-Secondary Graduates: An Analysis of Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Early Career Income Growth in Canada

Kevin Mongeon () and Janique Dubois ()
Additional contact information
Kevin Mongeon: University of Ottawa
Janique Dubois: University of Ottawa

Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy, 2025, vol. 8, issue 3, No 6, 278-294

Abstract: Abstract This study examines how differences in educational pathways, credential levels, and fields of study influence early-career income growth for Indigenous and non-Indigenous post-secondary graduates in Canada. Using confidential data from both the 2018 and 2023 National Graduates Surveys, we compare income at graduation and 3 years post-graduation to assess how observed characteristics shape earnings trajectories. Our findings reveal that although disparities in certification levels and field distributions help explain income growth differences, an unexplained income gap persists at graduation and 3 years later. We conclude that addressing these differences will require policy interventions that not only support access to advanced degrees and high-return fields but also recognize Indigenous worldviews and consider structural factors that shape economic outcomes.

Keywords: Indigenous economics; Grade gap; Socioeconomic outcomes; Indigenous income; National Graduate Survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s41996-024-00166-y Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:joerap:v:8:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s41996-024-00166-y

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.springer ... policy/journal/41996

DOI: 10.1007/s41996-024-00166-y

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy is currently edited by Gary A. Hoover

More articles in Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().