Vancouver Island University
university · British Columbia
- Students
- 9,303
- International
- 16.1%
- Graduates
- 3,486
- Women
- 57.8%
5,922 full-time
1,494 students
in the latest year
Enrolment over time
2009 to 2023 — -8.6% over the period.
What students study
Share of this institution's enrolment across the fields Statistics Canada publishes for it.
After graduating
BC Stats' Student Outcomes surveys ask former students of B.C.'s public institutions about their work and further study one to two years after their programme. Each figure pools the 2023, 2024 and 2025 surveys. “Working” is the share of ALL respondents working at a paid job or business when surveyed — people in further study count in the denominator. Pay is the median: an annual salary for bachelor's graduates, an hourly wage for every other credential.
| Credential | Respondents | Working | Median salary, a year | Median wage, an hour | Job related to programme | Went on to study |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degrees | 927 | 87.3% | $65,000 a year | — | 80.6% | 40.4% |
| Diplomas | 208 | 90.4% | — | $30.00 an hour | 93.6% | 17.4% |
| Certificates | 438 | 91.0% | — | $27.32 an hour | 92.4% | 15.9% |
| Trades foundation | 436 | 84.6% | — | $22.00 an hour | 83.3% | not asked |
| Apprenticeships | 195 | 93.8% | — | $35.00 an hour | 94.5% | not asked |
Bachelor's degrees by programme (28)
| Programme | Respondents | Working | Median salary, a year | Job related |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological Science and Life Sciences | ||||
| Bachelor of Science in Biology | 38 | 56.8% | $51,960 | 57.1% |
| Business and Management | ||||
| Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting | 24 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $65,000 | 91.3% |
| Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance | 20 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $68,419 | 94.7% |
| Bachelor of Business Administration in Management | 20 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $66,319 | 61.1% |
| Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing | 13 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $58,156 | 83.3% |
| Bachelor of Hospitality Management | 12 | 100.0% | $43,646 | 66.7% |
| Bachelor of Tourism Management | 18 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $46,872 | 76.5% |
| Education | ||||
| Bachelor of Education | 193 | 93.8% | $65,100 | 96.7% |
| Engineering and Applied Sciences | ||||
| Bachelor of Natural Resource Protection | 19 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $70,925 | 88.2% |
| Bachelor of Science in Computer Science | 29 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $72,500 | 83.3% |
| Health | ||||
| Bachelor of Science in Nursing | 69 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $88,226 | 100.0% |
| Human and Social Services | ||||
| Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care | 26 | 80.8% | $57,422 | 100.0% |
| Bachelor of Kinesiology | 32 | 78.1% | $54,038 | 64.0% |
| Bachelor of Social Work | 50 | 100.0% | $82,500 | 96.0% |
| Humanities | ||||
| Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing | 19 | 73.7% | $43,968 | 35.7% |
| Bachelor of Arts in English | 26 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $50,000 | 55.0% |
| Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous/Xwulmuxw Studies | 17 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $58,625 | 86.7% |
| Social Sciences | ||||
| Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology | 10 | majority (exact figure withheld) | too few responses | 50.0% |
| Bachelor of Arts in Criminology | 41 | 87.8% | $68,712 | 77.8% |
| Bachelor of Arts in Digital Media | 18 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $41,568 | 37.5% |
| Bachelor of Arts in Geography | 14 | 100.0% | $60,543 | 50.0% |
| Bachelor of Arts in History | 16 | 68.8% | $65,670 | 63.6% |
| Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies | 10 | too few responses | too few responses | 85.7% |
| Bachelor of Arts in Psychology | 51 | 82.4% | $58,764 | 64.3% |
| Bachelor of Arts in Sociology | 15 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $69,354 | 92.3% |
| Visual and Performing Arts | ||||
| Bachelor of Arts in Visual Art | 23 | 60.9% | $44,686 | 28.6% |
| Bachelor of Design in Graphic Design | 20 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $53,449 | 75.0% |
| Bachelor of Interior Design | 15 | 100.0% | $55,502 | 66.7% |
Diplomas by programme (8)
| Programme | Respondents | Working | Median wage, an hour | Job related |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering and Applied Sciences | ||||
| Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology Diploma | 17 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $29.63 | 92.3% |
| Forestry Technology Diploma | 24 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $26.50 | 80.0% |
| Information Technology and Applied Systems Diploma | 16 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $25.01 | 92.9% |
| Resource Management Officer Technology Diploma | 13 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $31.00 | 100.0% |
| Health | ||||
| Dental Hygiene Diploma | 37 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $53.00 | 100.0% |
| Practical Nursing Diploma | 44 | 100.0% | $31.25 | 95.5% |
| Human and Social Services | ||||
| Early Childhood Education and Care Diploma | 21 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $25.00 | 94.7% |
| Social Services Diploma | 24 | 79.2% | $25.00 | 100.0% |
Certificates by programme (7)
| Programme | Respondents | Working | Median wage, an hour | Job related |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business and Management | ||||
| Event Management Certificate | 13 | 53.8% | $28.86 | 71.4% |
| Office Administration Certificate | 44 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $27.75 | 89.5% |
| Education | ||||
| Education Assistant and Community Support Certificate | 56 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $29.00 | 98.0% |
| Engineering and Applied Sciences | ||||
| Fundamentals of Forest Harvesting Practices Certificate | 15 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $33.00 | 72.7% |
| Health | ||||
| Community Mental Health Worker Certificate | 37 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $25.95 | 87.5% |
| Dental Assistant Certificate | 43 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $28.00 | 100.0% |
| Health Care Assistant Certificate | 207 | 95.1% | $27.00 | 93.9% |
Trades foundation by programme (12)
| Programme | Respondents | Working | Median wage, an hour | Job related |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive and Other Mechanics | ||||
| Automotive Service Technician Certificate | 40 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $20.00 | 75.0% |
| Marine and Motorcycle Mechanical Technician Certificate | 24 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $23.00 | 65.0% |
| Carpentry | ||||
| Carpentry Certificate | 50 | 77.6% | $23.50 | 86.8% |
| Culinary Arts and Personal Services | ||||
| Culinary Arts Certificate | 34 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $19.00 | 90.3% |
| Culinary Management Diploma | 10 | too few responses | $23.41 | 100.0% |
| Hairstylist Foundation Certificate | 52 | 78.4% | $19.00 | 71.8% |
| Professional Baking Certificate | 16 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $23.25 | 84.6% |
| Electrician | ||||
| Electrical/Electronic Technician Certificate | 50 | 86.0% | $21.00 | 88.4% |
| Industrial and Heavy Duty Mechanics and Other Repair Trades | ||||
| Heavy Mechanical Trades Foundation Certificate | 35 | 85.7% | $25.00 | 96.7% |
| Refrigeration Air-Conditioning Mechanic Certificate | 40 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $25.00 | 91.4% |
| Other Trades Foundation Programs | ||||
| Horticultural Technician Foundation Certificate | 28 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $22.00 | 69.6% |
| Welding and Precision Production | ||||
| Welder Foundation Certificate | 52 | 78.0% | $26.25 | 82.1% |
Apprenticeships by programme (7)
| Programme | Respondents | Working | Median wage, an hour | Job related |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive and Other Mechanics | ||||
| Automotive Apprenticeship | 28 | 100.0% | $31.00 | 92.9% |
| Carpentry | ||||
| Carpentry Apprenticeship | 35 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $33.50 | 97.1% |
| Culinary Arts and Personal Services | ||||
| Hairstylist Apprenticeship | 10 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $16.25 | 100.0% |
| Electrician | ||||
| Electrician Apprenticeship | 44 | 88.6% | $39.00 | 94.9% |
| Industrial and Heavy Duty Mechanics and Other Repair Trades | ||||
| Heavy Duty Equipment Technician Apprenticeship | 34 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $48.00 | 100.0% |
| Refrigeration Apprenticeship | 14 | 100.0% | $38.49 | 85.7% |
| Welding and Precision Production | ||||
| Welding Level 'A' & 'B' Certificate | 23 | majority (exact figure withheld) | $28.75 | 88.9% |
Across all of B.C.'s public institutions, in the same surveys: 81.5% of bachelor's graduates were working, at a median salary of $66,000 a year.
Programmes are grouped into BC Stats' own programme areas. Where BC Stats withholds a figure to protect respondents it publishes a code instead; we show what the code means (for example “majority (exact figure withheld)”) and never a number.
Source: BC Stats, BC Student Outcomes Program data file (surveys 2023 to 2025). These figures are for Vancouver Island University only and are measured differently in each province — don't compare them with another province's.
Tuition
- Domestic students, 2025/26
- $5,092 a year
- International students, 2025/26
- $24,473 a year
full-time undergraduate arts
full-time undergraduate arts
B.C.'s Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills publishes one annual tuition figure per public institution: two semesters of five courses for a typical full-time undergraduate arts student, domestic and international. It is an arts figure — other programmes can cost more or less. The ministry publishes mandatory fees in a separate dataset, not shown here. Since 2005, domestic tuition increases at B.C. public institutions have been limited to 2% a year.
Every year since 2016/17
| Academic year | Domestic | International |
|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | $5,092 | $24,473 |
| 2024/25 | $4,992 | $23,993 |
| 2023/24 | $4,894 | $21,741 |
| 2022/23 | $4,798 | $19,227 |
| 2021/22 | $4,704 | $19,575 |
| 2020/21 | $4,612 | $16,680 |
| 2019/20 | $4,521 | $16,680 |
| 2018/19 | $4,433 | $15,240 |
| 2017/18 | $4,346 | $15,240 |
| 2016/17 | $4,261 | $13,920 |
Source: B.C. Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, tuition fees for arts programs at B.C. public post-secondary institutions (published September 2025).
By field of study, for Canadian students
Statistics Canada's averages for the Nanaimo area, where — on our mapping — this is the only degree-granting institution. Statistics Canada publishes average undergraduate tuition for Canadian students by field of study for census areas, not institutions, combining every institution in an area. We show an area's figures only where, on our own mapping, it holds one degree-granting institution, and where Statistics Canada's figure for one field matches that institution's own fee in B.C.'s data (to within a dollar of rounding) in every year from 2016/17 to 2025/26 — a check that the figures are that institution's, not a guarantee that no other institution is counted. 2026/2027 figures are preliminary. They take no account of financial aid or tax rebates.
| Field of study | 2025/2026 | 2026/2027 (preliminary) |
|---|---|---|
| Education | $5,092 | $5,194 |
| Visual and performing arts, and communications technologies | $5,092 | $5,194 |
| Humanities | $5,092 | $5,194 |
| Social and behavioural sciences, and legal studies | $5,092 | $5,194 |
| Business management and public administration | $9,474 | $9,663 |
| Physical and life sciences and technologies | $5,092 | $5,194 |
| Mathematics, computer and information sciences | $5,092 | $5,194 |
| Agriculture, natural resources and conservation | $5,092 | $5,194 |
| Nursing | $5,092 | $5,194 |
| Other health, parks, recreation and fitness | $5,092 | $5,194 |
| All fields (Statistics Canada's weighted average) | $5,883 | $6,001 |
A field not listed has no figure for this area. Statistics Canada's and B.C.'s figures are built differently, so the two tables don't always agree.
What isn't here
B.C. publishes one tuition figure per institution, for one typical programme (arts at most institutions) — check Vancouver Island University for the fee of the programme you want, and note that domestic and international rates differ sharply. The graduate figures come from a survey, not tax records, so they describe the graduates who answered. Entry requirements are set by each institution.
Largest institutions in British Columbia
Adapted from Statistics Canada, tables 37-10-0277-01 and 37-10-0278-01, Postsecondary Student Information System. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product. “Not published” in the enrolment figures means Statistics Canada suppressed the cell for confidentiality; it does not mean zero.
Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 37-10-0120-01, Undergraduate tuition fees, Canadian students, by selected standard geographic areas and by field of study, 2025/2026 and 2026/2027. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – British Columbia.
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