Educational Services (NAICS 61): Ontario, 2025
Highlights
- There were 605,800 people employed in the educational services sector in Ontario, comprising 7.4% of Ontario’s total workforce in 2024.
- Employment in Ontario’s education sector increased by 4.4% in 2024.
- Funding and labour issues in the education sector, along with a cap on international student admissions and a freeze on domestic tuition fees, will continue to weigh on the industry’s outlook, resulting in subdued employment growth over the forecast period.
About the Sector
Composition and importance of the sector
The educational services sector is comprised of four key sub-industries: elementary and secondary schools; universities; community colleges & C.E.G.E.P.s (Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel); and other schools.
In Ontario, this sector employed 605,800 people in 2024. This made up 7.4% of the province’s total workforce and these workers accounted for over one-third (38.6%) of employment in the educational services sector across the country.
This sector in Ontario produced over $51.2 billion in GDP in 2024, contributing 2.2% to the province’s total GDP.
| Primary and Secondary | Post-Secondary | University | Other Schools and Educational Support | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58% | 9% | 20% | 13% |
Description of graphic in accessible text
A pie graph that shows the employment breakdown of educational services by subsectors. Primary and secondary schools account for the largest share of employment (58%), followed by universities (20%), other schools and educational support (13%), and post-secondary (9%).
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Custom Table
Geographical distribution of employment
As of 2024, the economic region (ER) with the highest proportion of Ontario’s workers in the educational services sector was the Toronto ER, accounting for 43.7% of employment. This is due to the high population density in the ER, as well as the area being home to a number of post-secondary institutions.
Workers in the sector were over-represented in several ERs, including Northwest ER, where 10.8% of total employment was in educational services, 8.7% for Hamilton-Niagara ER and 8.4% for Kingston-Pembroke ER, Muskoka-Kawarthas ER and London ER. In comparison, this industry made up 7.4% of overall employment in the province.
| Ottawa | 60,300 | 10.0% |
| Kingston-Pembroke | 19,800 | 3.3% |
| Muskoka-Kawarthas | 16,700 | 2.8% |
| Toronto | 264,500 | 43.7% |
| Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie | 71,800 | 11.9% |
| Hamilton-Niagara Peninsula | 71,300 | 11.8% |
| London | 35,000 | 5.8% |
| Windsor-Sarnia | 25,900 | 4.3% |
| Stratford-Bruce Peninsula | 6,800 | 1.1% |
| Northeast | 22,400 | 3.7% |
| Northwest | 11,300 | 1.9% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Custom Table
*Note: Totals may not sum due to rounding.
Workforce
Workforce characteristics
- Women accounted for more than two-thirds (68.4%) of Ontario’s educational services workforce in 2024, compared to 47.2% for all industries.
- Only 5.7% of workers in this industry were self-employed in Ontario in 2024, compared to 13.5% for all industries.
- More than one-fifth (23.7%) of employees in the sector in Ontario worked part-time in 2024, compared to 17.6% of the overall workforce in the province.
- The industry also had a greater share working in temporary roles (22.7%) in 2024, compared to Ontario as a whole (9.7%).
- In 2024, the average hourly wage rate in Ontario’s educational services sector was $41.24, above the provincial average of $36.44.
| 41229 Secondary, elementary and kindergarten school teachers, not identified elsewhere | 110,200 | 18.2% |
|---|---|---|
| 41221 Elementary school and kindergarten teachers | 67,900 | 11.2% |
| 41220 Secondary school teachers | 39,200 | 6.5% |
| 43100 Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants | 38,700 | 6.4% |
| 41201 Post-secondary teaching and research assistants | 36,600 | 6.0% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Custom Table
Note: The NOCs listed make up approximately half of those employed in the sector.
Recent History
Elementary and Secondary Schools
Ontario’s K–12 education system has undergone structural and financial changes in recent years. Employment in Ontario’s elementary and secondary schools increased in 2021–2022 as schools reopened after pandemic closures, requiring additional teachers and support staff to manage smaller class sizes, health protocols, and learning recovery programs. This growth was supported by temporary COVID-19 funding, but by 2023–2024 employment began to decline slightly as emergency funding ended, enrollment stabilized, and school boards reduced temporary positions created during the pandemic. Staffing shortages remain a challenge. In 2023–2024, 24% of elementary and 35% of secondary schools reported daily teacher shortages, with higher incidence in rural and high-needs areas and in specialized subjects such as French, Indigenous languages, and technological education. The Ontario College of Teachers reported that 8,139 new teachers were certified in 2024, below the estimated annual need of 9,600. Factors contributing to this gap include a 50% reduction in funded seats at faculties of education since 2015, the two-year teacher education program that limits throughput, as well as rising retirements, increased enrolment in newcomer communities, and regional disparities, particularly in Northern Ontario.
In 2023, the province introduced the Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, which replaced the long-standing Grants for Student Needs (GSN) model with a new Core Education Funding framework. The updated approach simplifies the funding formula and aimed to improve school board accountability. For the 2024–2025 school year, the province allocated approximately $28.6 billion to public education, including targeted investments in student transportation, special education, and labour-related adjustments, and an additional $403 million for Responsive Education Programs. While overall funding has increased, it has not fully kept pace with inflation or enrolment growth, resulting in real-dollar declines in per-student funding.
Universities and Colleges
Employment in Ontario colleges grew in 2021–2022 as campuses reopened, enrollments surged, and new government investments expanded programs, but declined sharply in late 2023–2024 due to tuition freezes, federal caps on international students, and resulting budget shortfalls that led to program cuts and staff reductions. Universities, in contrast, saw relatively flat or modest employment growth in staffing levels during the same period. Like colleges, they experienced higher enrolment after the pandemic, however the subsequent decline in 2023–2024 was sharper for colleges as they rely more heavily on international tuition, making them more vulnerable to federal caps and tuition freezes.
Despite public funding constraints and limits on tuition revenue, full-time faculty salaries increased. Median pay for Canadian university teaching staff rose 3.9% in 2023-2024, signaling negotiated stabilization even as precarious contract positions remained widespread. Ontario’s post-secondary institutions also experienced a freeze on domestic tuition, limited growth in provincial funding, with the province having the lowest per-student funding among Canadian provinces for more than a decade, and provincial contributions have not kept pace with inflation. Domestic tuition was reduced by 10% in 2019 and has remained frozen since, contributing to ongoing budget pressures.
Over the past decade, overall post-secondary enrolment in Ontario grew steadily, supported in part by increased international student participation. The federal government’s 2024 cap on international student permits has significantly affected this trend. Some colleges report enrolment declines of more than 50%, which has resulted in staffing reductions, program suspensions, campus closures, hiring freezes, and scaled-back student services.
A range of occupations have been affected among academic and administrative staff, including College Instructors (NOC 41210), Librarians (NOC 51100), and Administrative Assistants (NOC 13110). Currently, the Ontario government is engaging with stakeholders and reviewing the long-standing tuition freeze and per-student funding model as part of efforts to stabilize the post-secondary education sector.
| Year** | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | 100.0 | 104.6 | 102.0 | 101.2 | 105.8 | 109.3 | 105.5 | 113.4 | 117.3 | 119.1 | 124.4 |
| GDP | 100.0 | 101.2 | 101.2 | 101.9 | 105.2 | 106.1 | 100.9 | 107.4 | 109.9 | 112.8 | 117.5 |
| K-12 Enrolment | 100.0 | 99.5 | 100.2 | 100.8 | 101.9 | 101.1 | 101.1 | 101.1 | 101.3 | 102.6 | 103.9 |
| Postsecondary Enrolment | 100.0 | 101.3 | 103.3 | 105.3 | 109.6 | 113.7 | 115.7 | 116.9 | 118.9 | 123.7 | 136.6 |
Description of graphic in accessible text
This line graph shows changes in four indicators related to Ontario’s educational services industry over a 10-year period. Sector employment and sector GDP have moved in tandem, increasing steadily between 2014 and 2024, except for a brief dip in 2020. Post-secondary enrollment has also been on an upward trajectory, while K-12 enrolment has remained flat.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Custom Table; Statistics Canada, Gross Domestic Product by Industry - Provincial and Territorial (Annual), Table 36-10-0711-01; Government of Ontario, Ontario Data Catalogue; and Government of Ontario, Ministry of Education
*Data are expressed as an index, where year 2014 = 100%
**The year 2014 corresponds with the 2014-15 academic year, etc.
Employment Outlooks
Between 2025 and 2027, Ontario’s educational services sector is projected to experience a modest decline in employment.
Population growth and evolving economic conditions are contributing to increased demand for elementary and secondary education in Ontario. However, the sector faces persistent challenges, most notably a growing shortage of qualified teachers, specifically in French-language and technological education.
Teacher retirements are also rising, while the supply of new educators remains limited. Recruitment and retention are further impacted by the structure of teacher certification. Since 2015, the province has required prospective teachers to complete a minimum three-year undergraduate degree followed by a two-year teacher education program. This change reduced the number of annual graduates from over 7,600 in 2011 to approximately 4,500 in 2021. Although the extended program includes enhanced practicum experience, it has also contributed to a smaller pool of newly qualified teachers.
To address these challenges, the Ontario government is investing $55.8 million beginning in the 2025 school year to add 2,600 teacher education spaces by 2027, prioritizing underserved regions and accelerated programs. Additionally, core education funding in Ontario increased by nearly 6% from 2024, reaching $30.3 billion for the 2025-2026 school year. Thus, the employment outlook for the primary and secondary subsector, may be limited by ongoing shortages, despite overall labor force growth.
In contrast, Ontario’s post-secondary institutions are facing mounting financial pressures due to a combination of frozen domestic tuition and federal caps on international student admissions. These factors have led to a 48% drop in first-semester college enrolment in 2025. With international tuition previously accounting for approximately 32% of college revenue, institutions now face funding shortfalls. In response, some colleges have suspended programs and closed campuses, particularly those with a greater reliance on international students compared to universities. Similarly, the Council of Ontario Universities estimates that universities could lose approximately $300 million in 2024–2025 due to the international student cap, with losses potentially doubling in 2025–2026. As such, structural and financial limitations in the post-secondary education subsector will likely result in subdued employment growth during the forecast period.
Key trends affecting the outlook of the educational services sector
- Population growth is increasing demand for elementary and secondary education.
- Public school boards are constrained by funding gaps and staffing shortages.
- Post-secondary institutions are under financial strain due to tuition freezes and declining international enrolment.
For Further Information
Note: In preparing this document, the authors have taken care to provide clients with labour market information that is timely and accurate at the time of publication. Since labour market conditions are dynamic, some of the information presented here may have changed since this document was published. Users are encouraged to also refer to other sources for additional information on the local economy and labour market. Information contained in this document does not necessarily reflect official policies of Employment and Social Development Canada.
Portions of this sector profile were prepared with support from artificial intelligence (AI) tools, in accordance with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) guidelines. All AI-assisted content has been reviewed for accuracy and compliance with ESDC standards.
Prepared by: Labour Market and Socio-economic Information Directorate, Service Canada, Ontario Region
For further information, please contact the Labour Market Information Directorate.
Appendix
| 2022-2024 Average | 2022-2024 Average | |
| Ontario | 100.0% | 7.3% |
| Ottawa | 9.6% | 7.0% |
| Kingston-Pembroke | 3.7% | 9.1% |
| Muskoka-Kawarthas | 2.7% | 8.0% |
| Toronto | 44.1% | 6.8% |
| Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie | 12.0% | 8.2% |
| Hamilton-Niagara Peninsula | 11.2% | 8.1% |
| London | 5.6% | 8.1% |
| Windsor-Sarnia | 4.2% | 7.2% |
| Stratford-Bruce Peninsula | 1.4% | 5.0% |
| Northeast | 3.8% | 8.2% |
| Northwest | 1.7% | 9.2% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Custom Table
| |
|
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment, 2024 | Share of Total (%) | AAGR (%)* | Share of Total (%) | AAGR (%)* | |
| Employment | 605,800 | 100.0% | 2.3% | 100.0% | 1.8% |
| Male | 191,200 | 31.6% | 2.5% | 52.8% | 1.9% |
| Female | 414,600 | 68.4% | 2.3% | 47.2% | 1.7% |
| 15-24 years old | 55,300 | 9.1% | 3.5% | 12.6% | 1.0% |
| 25-54 years old | 438,100 | 72.3% | 2.5% | 66.2% | 1.8% |
| 55 years and older | 112,500 | 18.6% | 1.5% | 21.2% | 2.6% |
| Worked full-time | 462,600 | 76.4% | 2.5% | 82.4% | 2.1% |
| Worked part-time | 143,300 | 23.7% | 1.7% | 17.6% | 0.8% |
| Self-employed | 34,600 | 5.7% | 1.7% | 13.5% | 0.9% |
| Employees | 571,200 | 94.3% | 2.4% | 86.5% | 2.0% |
| Permanent job | 430,300 | 71.0% | 2.1% | 77.0% | 2.2% |
| Temporary job | 140,900 | 23.3% | 3.6% | 9.5% | 0.8% |
| Less than high school | 12,300 | 2.0% | 2.5% | 5.8% | -2.0% |
| High school graduate | 57,400 | 9.5% | -0.8% | 21.2% | -0.9% |
| Postsecondary cert. or diploma | 122,900 | 20.3% | 2.3% | 31.3% | 1.3% |
| University degree | 412,300 | 68.1% | 3.1% | 41.7% | 5.1% |
Sources: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Custom Tables
*Average annual growth rate for last ten years available data