Education

National Survey of Student Engagement: Results for Canadian universities

Assessing schools on student satisfaction, teaching practices and more

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) asks first- and senior-year students dozens of specific questions about how they spend their time in and out of the classroom. In 2017, 130,291 students at 72 Canadian schools took part in the American-based survey, for an average response rate of 37 per cent. Maclean’s contacted universities and asked them to share their results.

NSSE is designed to measure student engagement and best educational practices, delivering valuable feedback for university administrators. American and Canadian schools are measured on engagement indicators, such as effective teaching and supportive environment, and high-impact practices such as service learning and study abroad. The higher a school’s scores, the better the chance, according to NSSE, that its undergrads are getting the most out of their university experience.

In addition, NSSE includes two general satisfaction questions, asking students to evaluate their entire education experience and whether they would go to the same school they are currently attending if they could start over.

Engagement indicator results from the 2017 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)

NSSE presents 10 engagement indicators organized across 4 major themes: academic challenge; learning with peers; experience with faculty; and campus environment. Each indicator reflects students’ responses to a set of questions relating to these themes.

The following charts show results from the 2017 survey for the 10 NSSE engagement indicators. We have listed the universities in descending order of achievement, according to their senior-year scores. Each chart also gives the NSSE average, which is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

Scores are on a scale of 60.

Higher-Order Learning
This engagement indicator assesses how often coursework emphasizes such skills as applying facts, analyzing ideas in depth, evaluating points of view, and forming new ideas from various pieces of information.


First-year Senior-year
Quest 48.4 50.2
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 41.5 43.1
Ambrose 38.7 41.0
St. Thomas 37.2 40.8
Trinity Western 36.8 40.6
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 37.6 39.7
ACAD 37.7 39.3
Briercrest 33.8 39.3
OCAD U 36.0 39.1
King's (Edmonton) 38.0 39.0
Mount Royal 38.1 39.0
York 36.9 39.0
UOIT 36.3 38.9
MacEwan 35.5 38.7
Mount Allison 34.8 38.7
Nipissing 37.0 38.7
Cape Breton 37.3 38.5
Sheridan 37.8 38.5
Trent 37.0 38.4
Carleton 36.1 38.3
Tyndale 36.3 38.2
McMaster 36.9 37.9
Thompson Rivers 36.1 37.9
Brock 34.7 37.8
Laurentian 36.6 37.7
Queen's 37.9 37.7
Guelph 36.0 37.6
Wilfrid Laurier 36.2 37.4
Moncton 33.3 37.3
Toronto 38.0 37.3
Calgary 35.9 37.2
Lethbridge 34.4 37.2
Simon Fraser 34.5 37.1
Ryerson 35.4 37.0
Windsor 36.4 37.0
Saskatchewan 35.2 36.9
UBC (Vancouver) 37.5 36.8
St. Francis Xavier 33.3 36.8
Sherbrooke 35.5 36.8
UBC (Okanagan) 35.2 36.7
Manitoba 34.3 36.7
Acadia 33.0 36.6
Concordia (Montreal) 35.6 36.6
UPEI 35.0 36.6
Saint Mary's 33.6 36.4
Victoria 33.3 36.4
Western 37.4 36.4
Alberta 36.1 36.3
Memorial 33.1 36.3
Dalhousie 36.3 36.1
Mount Saint Vincent 35.2 36.1
UNB (Fredericton) 35.9 36.1
Lakehead 34.3 35.9
Ottawa 33.6 35.9
Brescia (Western) 36.4 35.5
McGill 33.8 35.5
Waterloo 36.5 35.4
Winnipeg 33.0 35.1
Laval 33.9 35.0
UQAM 35.0 34.9
Brandon 32.0 33.1
*NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

Reflective and Integrative Learning

This engagement indicator looks at how students make connections between their studies, their own experiences, and the wider world by asking students how often they connect their learning to social issues, challenge their own beliefs and consider other people’s views. Also measured is how often students combine ideas from different courses.


First-year Senior-year
Quest 44.3 50.5
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 40.3 42.8
St. Thomas 37.1 42.0
Trinity Western 35.2 41.2
Ambrose 37.3 40.7
King's (Edmonton) 35.3 40.6
Tyndale 39.1 40.2
Briercrest 33.9 40.1
OCAD U 36.2 39.4
MacEwan 33.2 39.3
Mount Royal 35.9 39.3
Thompson Rivers 35.0 39.3
Mount Allison 34.8 38.6
Nipissing 34.8 38.6
Trent 36.1 38.6
Lethbridge 32.4 38.0
ACAD 37.1 37.9
York 33.9 37.9
Wilfrid Laurier 34.4 37.8
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 34.7 37.8
Brescia (Western) 35.1 37.6
Cape Breton 35.8 37.6
St. Francis Xavier 31.9 37.6
Acadia 32.4 37.5
Mount Saint Vincent 35.2 37.5
Guelph 33.1 37.3
Victoria 32.5 37.3
Saint Mary's 33.1 37.0
Brock 33.5 36.9
McMaster 33.6 36.9
Laurentian 33.2 36.8
Winnipeg 33.1 36.8
Carleton 33.0 36.7
UPEI 32.8 36.7
Queen's 34.4 36.6
Western 33.3 36.5
Calgary 32.0 36.4
Ryerson 34.1 36.4
UBC (Okanagan) 32.5 36.2
Lakehead 33.9 36.2
Sheridan 34.4 36.2
Moncton 31.1 35.8
Ottawa 32.9 35.8
Alberta 32.7 35.7
UOIT 32.0 35.7
Toronto 33.8 35.7
Brandon 30.9 35.6
UQAM 34.3 35.6
Saskatchewan 32.4 35.5
Windsor 33.5 35.5
Memorial 30.2 35.4
Dalhousie 33.7 35.3
Simon Fraser 32.2 35.3
Concordia (Montreal) 33.2 35.2
Manitoba 31.4 35.0
McGill 32.5 35.0
Sherbrooke 32.8 35.0
UBC (Vancouver) 33.4 34.9
Laval 32.5 34.7
UNB (Fredericton) 31.5 33.8
Waterloo 31.5 32.2
*NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

Learning Strategies

This engagement indicator recognizes that students experience improved learning and retain more if they actively engage in their course work through such things as identifying key information from reading assignments, reviewing notes after class and summarizing information from class and course materials.


First-year Senior-year
Quest 40.9 44.6
Cape Breton 38.5 39.8
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 37.7 38.2
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 38.0 37.7
Thompson Rivers 37.3 37.0
St. Thomas 36.3 36.7
Alberta 37.1 36.2
York 34.8 36.2
Concordia (Montreal) 35.3 36.1
Manitoba 36.5 35.9
Nipissing 35.7 35.8
St. Francis Xavier 34.8 35.8
Laurentian 37.4 35.7
Lethbridge 34.5 35.6
Brescia (Western) 38.0 35.5
MacEwan 35.4 35.5
Ambrose 34.3 35.4
Mount Royal 37.2 35.4
Simon Fraser 35.3 35.4
Ottawa 35.7 35.3
UBC (Okanagan) 34.6 35.1
Western 36.6 35.1
UOIT 35.3 35.0
King's (Edmonton) 36.2 34.9
Laval 36.7 34.9
OCAD U 32.9 34.9
Saint Mary's 35.4 34.9
Windsor 36.9 34.9
Victoria 34.5 34.7
Calgary 35.8 34.6
Trent 33.9 34.6
Toronto 35.0 34.5
Dalhousie 36.3 34.4
UBC (Vancouver) 34.9 34.3
Mount Allison 35.3 34.3
Brock 33.9 34.2
Wilfrid Laurier 33.6 34.2
McGill 36.1 34.1
Memorial 34.3 34.0
Mount Saint Vincent 35.2 33.9
Acadia 34.2 33.7
McMaster 34.8 33.7
UPEI 35.3 33.7
UNB (Fredericton) 34.8 33.6
Sherbrooke 35.9 33.5
Carleton 34.0 33.2
Moncton 36.5 33.2
Saskatchewan 35.3 33.2
Sheridan 34.0 33.2
Trinity Western 34.8 33.2
Guelph 33.6 33.0
Ryerson 33.9 33.0
Winnipeg 33.8 32.9
ACAD 34.0 32.8
Brandon 33.9 32.7
Lakehead 33.1 32.6
Queen's 33.4 32.5
Waterloo 34.2 32.3
Tyndale 34.3 32.0
UQAM 33.5 31.9
Briercrest 29.8 30.7
*NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

Quantitative Reasoning

This engagement indicator assesses how often students use numerical information, such as numbers, graphs and statistics, to reach conclusions, examine real-word issues, and evaluate what others have concluded from numerical information.


First-year Senior-year
Quest 34.3 37.8
Dalhousie 25.1 30.8
Carleton 24.9 29.7
Guelph 24.8 29.5
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 26.9 29.4
UOIT 26.4 29.3
McMaster 26.3 29.2
Saint Mary's 25.0 29.1
Waterloo 27.1 29.0
Queen's 27.2 28.9
UBC (Okanagan) 25.2 28.6
Western 25.9 28.3
UNB (Fredericton) 24.5 28.1
Trent 23.5 27.9
McGill 24.1 27.7
UBC (Vancouver) 26.1 27.6
Calgary 26.1 27.5
St. Francis Xavier 22.4 27.5
Cape Breton 26.0 27.4
Mount Royal 24.4 27.2
Simon Fraser 22.6 27.2
Acadia 25.2 27.1
Brock 24.5 27.1
Ottawa 23.6 27.0
Ryerson 23.3 27.0
Toronto 25.1 27.0
Alberta 25.0 26.9
Laurentian 23.7 26.9
Mount Allison 25.4 26.9
Saskatchewan 23.8 26.5
MacEwan 22.7 26.4
Wilfrid Laurier 26.2 26.1
Thompson Rivers 24.5 26.0
UPEI 23.3 25.9
Memorial 20.7 25.8
Victoria 22.8 25.7
King's (Edmonton) 24.1 25.6
Windsor 25.3 25.6
Manitoba 21.5 25.5
Nipissing 23.7 25.4
York 24.1 25.4
Lethbridge 23.3 25.3
Lakehead 24.5 24.9
Moncton 22.4 24.9
Mount Saint Vincent 22.7 24.8
Sherbrooke 20.4 24.6
Concordia (Montreal) 22.9 24.5
Brescia (Western) 22.9 23.5
Laval 21.1 23.1
St. Thomas 20.7 23.0
Trinity Western 23.6 22.7
Sheridan 21.0 22.6
Brandon 18.8 22.5
Ambrose 20.0 22.3
UQAM 19.8 22.3
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 21.6 21.9
OCAD U 17.4 20.5
Winnipeg 19.7 19.9
ACAD 14.1 19.4
Tyndale 17.9 15.5
Briercrest 15.1 15.2
*NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

Collaborative Learning

This engagement indicator gauges how often students work with other students on course projects or to prepare for exams, as well as how often students explain course material to other students or ask other students for help.


First-year Senior-year
Quest 42.4 48.2
Sherbrooke 36.8 37.2
Moncton 35.0 36.6
Sheridan 37.1 36.6
Queen's 38.8 36.4
Guelph 36.1 36.3
Lakehead 34.6 36.2
Calgary 35.5 36.0
UNB (Fredericton) 34.6 36.0
St. Francis Xavier 33.3 36.0
McMaster 36.1 35.9
Thompson Rivers 30.7 35.6
Trinity Western 30.5 35.6
UBC (Okanagan) 35.1 35.4
Cape Breton 31.1 35.3
UOIT 35.4 35.3
Mount Royal 33.6 35.1
Ryerson 34.9 35.1
Brock 33.7 34.8
Dalhousie 32.9 34.8
McGill 33.0 34.5
Acadia 34.8 34.4
Laval 34.0 34.3
Nipissing 31.8 34.1
UQAM 32.1 34.0
Western 35.6 33.9
Mount Allison 33.2 33.7
Waterloo 36.2 33.6
King's (Edmonton) 33.5 33.5
Wilfrid Laurier 35.4 33.5
Windsor 34.6 33.5
UBC (Vancouver) 35.2 33.4
Carleton 31.7 33.0
Ottawa 32.7 32.9
Alberta 33.3 32.6
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 33.8 32.4
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 32.3 32.4
Ambrose 35.1 32.3
Lethbridge 32.0 32.3
Simon Fraser 31.8 32.3
Mount Saint Vincent 29.8 32.2
Victoria 33.4 32.2
Brescia (Western) 33.6 31.9
UPEI 31.9 31.9
St. Thomas 28.2 31.6
Trent 33.0 31.6
Saskatchewan 31.3 31.5
ACAD 28.9 31.2
MacEwan 26.4 31.1
Memorial 28.7 31.1
Briercrest 31.7 30.9
Laurentian 32.2 30.9
Toronto 31.5 30.9
Concordia (Montreal) 29.8 30.3
York 29.8 30.3
OCAD U 29.5 29.6
Saint Mary's 30.8 29.6
Brandon 25.4 29.2
Manitoba 26.4 28.1
Winnipeg 24.0 28.0
Tyndale 29.8 25.7
*NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

Discussions with Diverse Others

This engagement indicator gauges opportunities for students to interact with and learn from people with different backgrounds and experiences, including people of different ethnicity, with different religions, economic backgrounds and political beliefs.


First-year Senior-year
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 43.6 43.9
Ryerson 40.9 42.8
McMaster 40.8 42.7
York 38.7 42.6
Mount Royal 39.9 41.7
UOIT 39.8 41.7
Calgary 40.5 41.6
OCAD U 39.0 41.3
Carleton 40.1 41.2
Brescia (Western) 38.3 41.0
Toronto 39.5 41.0
McGill 41.4 40.9
Ottawa 39.4 40.5
Wilfrid Laurier 40.2 40.4
UBC (Okanagan) 38.7 40.3
MacEwan 35.9 40.3
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 39.4 40.3
Concordia (Montreal) 40.4 40.2
Western 40.8 40.2
UBC (Vancouver) 41.8 40.1
Simon Fraser 38.0 40.0
ACAD 40.7 39.9
Trent 38.6 39.7
Alberta 40.0 39.5
Waterloo 40.2 39.4
Sheridan 39.8 39.2
Windsor 39.5 38.9
Queen's 40.0 38.8
St. Thomas 37.1 38.7
Brock 39.0 38.5
Guelph 39.5 38.5
Lethbridge 36.4 38.5
Saint Mary's 36.7 38.4
Ambrose 36.9 38.2
Cape Breton 34.6 38.2
Thompson Rivers 35.1 37.9
Brandon 30.7 37.7
Dalhousie 36.4 37.6
Saskatchewan 35.8 37.3
Acadia 36.0 36.9
Lakehead 37.3 36.9
Winnipeg 35.5 36.9
Manitoba 33.8 36.8
UQAM 34.6 36.8
Quest 43.2 36.7
Laurentian 35.1 36.5
Trinity Western 35.1 36.4
King's (Edmonton) 38.1 36.3
Mount Saint Vincent 34.2 36.3
UNB (Fredericton) 35.3 36.0
Tyndale 37.4 36.0
Victoria 37.0 35.7
Mount Allison 37.0 35.6
Nipissing 33.9 35.5
St. Francis Xavier 35.8 35.5
UPEI 34.4 35.2
Memorial 32.9 32.4
Moncton 30.4 32.3
Laval 30.1 31.7
Sherbrooke 31.5 31.7
Briercrest 28.2 29.8
*NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

Student-Faculty Interaction

This engagement indicator assesses such things as how often students discuss topics with a faculty member outside class, work with faculty on activities other than coursework, or discuss their academic performance and career plans with faculty.


First-year Senior-year
Quest 22.6 32.7
Cape Breton 16.9 27.9
King's (Edmonton) 17.9 27.1
Trinity Western 17.2 26.0
Ambrose 19.0 25.3
Sheridan 19.1 25.0
Acadia 15.1 24.7
Mount Allison 15.7 24.2
St. Francis Xavier 14.9 24.2
St. Thomas 13.3 23.8
Thompson Rivers 16.1 23.8
ACAD 15.8 23.6
Tyndale 19.4 23.6
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 19.3 22.9
Briercrest 15.9 22.7
Mount Royal 15.2 22.1
Windsor 16.1 22.1
UBC (Okanagan) 13.3 22.0
Nipissing 14.8 21.6
Trent 13.8 21.6
OCAD U 13.3 21.0
Wilfrid Laurier 15.4 20.9
Brescia (Western) 14.8 20.8
Moncton 13.5 20.8
UPEI 15.5 20.7
Saint Mary's 13.0 20.7
UOIT 14.3 20.2
Brock 14.2 20.1
Western 15.1 20.1
Calgary 15.3 20.0
Dalhousie 15.3 19.9
MacEwan 10.7 19.9
Brandon 14.3 19.8
Lethbridge 13.6 19.8
McMaster 14.8 19.8
Mount Saint Vincent 16.1 19.7
Guelph 10.8 19.6
Carleton 12.5 19.2
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 13.6 19.2
Memorial 12.9 19.1
UNB (Fredericton) 15.2 18.9
Lakehead 13.4 18.7
York 13.8 18.7
Simon Fraser 12.2 18.3
Queen's 13.1 18.2
Alberta 13.4 18.1
Saskatchewan 12.5 18.1
Toronto 13.7 18.0
Ryerson 12.8 17.9
Victoria 10.9 17.7
Laurentian 14.2 17.4
Winnipeg 11.7 17.3
Concordia (Montreal) 12.3 17.2
Manitoba 11.6 17.1
McGill 11.5 17.1
Waterloo 15.9 17.0
UBC (Vancouver) 13.4 16.7
Ottawa 11.6 16.4
Sherbrooke 10.6 16.4
Laval 8.7 12.7
UQAM 9.4 12.6
*NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

Effective Teaching Practices
This engagement indicator assesses how well instructors teach in an organized way, clearly explain course requirements, use examples or illustrations to explain difficult points, and provide prompt and detailed feedback on tests and assignments.


First-year Senior-year
Quest 45.1 48.7
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 35.0 42.3
Cape Breton 37.4 41.9
Tyndale 39.3 41.5
Ambrose 38.5 40.2
ACAD 40.1 40.0
Thompson Rivers 37.7 40.0
Briercrest 37.8 39.7
Trinity Western 38.4 39.7
Mount Allison 34.9 39.6
St. Francis Xavier 36.0 39.6
King's (Edmonton) 41.0 39.5
St. Thomas 38.2 39.5
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 38.0 39.0
MacEwan 36.2 38.1
Mount Royal 38.3 38.1
Nipissing 36.5 38.1
UNB (Fredericton) 35.9 37.9
Brescia (Western) 36.4 37.8
Sheridan 41.4 37.8
Acadia 34.3 37.5
Saint Mary's 35.0 37.1
Trent 35.7 37.1
Carleton 35.8 36.9
Lethbridge 35.3 36.9
UPEI 35.6 36.8
Wilfrid Laurier 34.8 36.7
UBC (Okanagan) 33.5 36.6
Guelph 31.9 36.0
Saskatchewan 34.7 36.0
OCAD U 35.2 35.9
Simon Fraser 32.9 35.9
Alberta 35.9 35.8
Moncton 36.4 35.8
Concordia (Montreal) 34.1 35.7
Manitoba 34.5 35.6
UOIT 34.4 35.6
Memorial 35.1 35.3
Western 33.5 35.3
Mount Saint Vincent 35.8 35.2
York 33.6 35.2
UBC (Vancouver) 34.8 34.9
Brock 33.3 34.8
Calgary 34.3 34.8
McMaster 32.9 34.8
Windsor 34.9 34.5
Toronto 34.1 34.3
Sherbrooke 35.6 34.2
Dalhousie 35.0 34.1
Laval 34.7 34.0
Queen's 32.6 34.0
Victoria 33.2 34.0
Waterloo 34.7 34.0
UQAM 34.5 33.9
Brandon 38.0 33.8
Laurentian 34.6 33.5
Ottawa 33.3 33.4
McGill 33.5 32.8
Winnipeg 35.8 32.7
Ryerson 31.8 32.4
Lakehead 33.2 32.2
*NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

Quality of Interactions
This engagement indicator assesses if students have positive, supportive relationships with other students, faculty, academic advisors, student services staff and administrative staff.


First-year Senior-year
Quest 46.5 50.1
Ambrose 44.9 45.8
Tyndale 47.8 45.6
St. Francis Xavier 43.5 44.9
King's (Edmonton) 41.8 44.8
Sherbrooke 43.9 44.7
Trinity Western 43.0 43.5
Briercrest 43.9 43.4
Mount Royal 41.7 43.4
Brescia (Western) 42.5 43.3
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 45.9 43.2
Guelph 38.9 42.8
Moncton 40.4 42.7
Trent 40.7 42.6
Laval 40.8 42.4
Nipissing 41.1 42.3
Acadia 40.9 42.1
Wilfrid Laurier 42.1 41.8
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 41.3 41.8
Lethbridge 40.4 41.6
St. Thomas 40.5 41.6
UQAM 40.3 41.0
Cape Breton 43.8 40.7
Queen's 40.8 40.3
MacEwan 38.0 40.2
Mount Allison 40.5 40.2
Saint Mary's 38.2 40.2
UOIT 40.4 40.1
Saskatchewan 38.3 40.0
Mount Saint Vincent 40.1 39.9
UNB (Fredericton) 39.9 39.9
McMaster 40.7 39.8
Sheridan 41.2 39.6
Thompson Rivers 40.1 39.6
UBC (Okanagan) 40.1 39.5
UPEI 38.0 39.5
Dalhousie 40.0 39.4
Carleton 38.0 39.2
Brock 39.2 39.0
Calgary 39.7 39.0
Alberta 40.3 38.8
ACAD 39.8 38.8
Brandon 39.3 38.8
Victoria 39.5 38.7
Western 38.2 38.5
Simon Fraser 35.9 37.9
UBC (Vancouver) 38.2 37.8
Laurentian 39.9 37.8
Winnipeg 36.1 37.5
Waterloo 38.1 37.3
Lakehead 37.7 37.1
Manitoba 35.2 37.0
Concordia (Montreal) 35.3 36.9
Ryerson 36.9 36.8
Memorial 38.8 36.7
McGill 37.8 36.6
Windsor 36.5 36.3
Toronto 36.9 36.2
York 34.4 36.0
OCAD U 36.9 35.8
Ottawa 35.9 35.1
*NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

Supportive Environment
This engagement indicator assesses how well universities provide support for academic and non-academic endeavours, ranging from tutoring services and writing centres to recreation, health care and counselling. Also measured are opportunities for students to be involved socially at campus events and activities and to interact with students from different backgrounds.


First-year Senior-year
Quest 40.6 42.1
Trinity Western 32.9 36.1
Tyndale 37.2 36.0
Briercrest 32.7 34.2
King's (Edmonton) 34.7 34.0
St. Francis Xavier 35.2 34.0
St. Thomas 34.9 33.8
Cape Breton 31.9 32.0
Trent 32.8 31.9
Brescia (Western) 35.0 31.7
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 35.3 31.7
Mount Royal 34.0 31.4
Mount Allison 33.4 31.2
Ambrose 35.0 31.1
Queen's 35.0 31.1
Acadia 32.7 30.9
Wilfrid Laurier 35.1 30.9
Guelph 31.4 30.3
ACAD 32.6 30.2
Sherbrooke 30.8 30.2
Saint Mary's 30.6 30.0
Thompson Rivers 29.8 29.6
Moncton 31.4 29.5
McMaster 31.4 29.0
Carleton 30.9 28.8
Mount Saint Vincent 31.6 28.8
Nipissing 30.4 28.7
Western 32.6 28.6
Brock 30.8 28.5
Laval 30.8 28.4
Concordia (Montreal) 29.8 28.2
Ryerson 31.4 28.2
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 29.6 27.7
UPEI 29.5 27.6
Brandon 30.5 27.2
UBC (Vancouver) 31.7 27.2
Calgary 31.2 27.2
Saskatchewan 30.5 27.2
UNB (Fredericton) 30.3 27.1
Alberta 31.4 27.0
MacEwan 28.5 27.0
Windsor 31.9 26.9
UOIT 32.4 26.8
UBC (Okanagan) 31.0 26.7
UQAM 29.7 26.7
York 30.1 26.7
Lethbridge 31.0 26.2
Dalhousie 30.6 26.1
Sheridan 30.1 25.9
Manitoba 28.2 25.8
Victoria 28.2 25.6
Memorial 29.9 25.4
Lakehead 29.8 25.3
McGill 32.2 25.0
Ottawa 29.3 24.9
Simon Fraser 27.2 24.9
Toronto 30.1 24.9
Winnipeg 27.5 24.9
Waterloo 29.8 24.3
Laurentian 28.0 22.9
OCAD U 28.9 22.9
*NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

How Satisfied are Students?

Below are two NSSE questions that are the broadest and most representative of the student experience. Responses are ordered according to the percentage of students who chose the highest level of satisfaction, e.g., “Excellent.” Each chart also gives the NSSE average, which is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

How would you evaluate your entire educational experience at this institution?

First-year students


Excellent (%) Good (%)
Quest 61 33
Tyndale 61 28
Ambrose 49 44
Trinity Western 48 42
Queen's 44 44
Sherbrooke 41 48
Mount Royal 40 50
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 40 54
St. Francis Xavier 39 43
Wilfrid Laurier 39 47
Trent 38 45
Briercrest 37 49
Brescia (Western) 36 50
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 36 49
King's (Edmonton) 35 53
McMaster 35 49
St. Thomas 35 51
Sheridan 35 50
Mount Allison 34 48
Cape Breton 33 53
Alberta 32 52
McGill 32 51
Nipissing 32 51
ACAD 31 56
Western 31 53
Guelph 30 52
MacEwan 30 55
Mount Saint Vincent 30 54
Acadia 29 56
UBC (Okanagan) 29 58
Dalhousie 29 54
Moncton 29 55
Waterloo 29 51
Carleton 28 55
Brock 27 54
Laval 27 60
Montréal 27 57
UOIT 26 56
Thompson Rivers 26 56
UBC (Vancouver) 25 54
Lethbridge 25 58
UNB (Fredericton) 25 57
Brandon 24 58
UQAM 24 62
Laurentian 23 58
Memorial 23 53
Ryerson 23 54
Saskatchewan 23 56
Toronto 23 50
Calgary 22 56
UPEI 22 62
Saint Mary's 22 57
Victoria 22 57
Windsor 22 57
Winnipeg 22 57
Concordia (Montreal) 21 57
Lakehead 21 52
Ottawa 20 59
OCAD U 19 53
York 16 54
Manitoba 15 56
Simon Fraser 15 53
*NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

Senior-year students


Excellent (%) Good (%)
Quest 78 20
Trinity Western 69 25
Ambrose 62 35
Tyndale 58 30
King's (Edmonton) 54 39
Briercrest 53 36
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 53 42
Mount Royal 51 40
St. Francis Xavier 51 40
St. Thomas 51 41
Mount Allison 48 43
Acadia 47 41
Guelph 46 42
Sherbrooke 46 46
Queen's 44 41
Trent 44 46
Wilfrid Laurier 44 43
MacEwan 43 46
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 41 44
Brescia (Western) 40 51
Cape Breton 36 49
McMaster 36 47
Mount Saint Vincent 35 44
Thompson Rivers 35 50
Western 34 48
Saint Mary's 33 48
UBC (Okanagan) 32 51
Nipissing 32 52
Alberta 31 51
Lethbridge 31 54
Waterloo 31 52
Brock 29 54
Carleton 29 51
UNB (Fredericton) 29 52
Victoria 29 52
Winnipeg 29 53
UBC (Vancouver) 28 54
McGill 28 52
Memorial 28 54
ACAD 27 57
Concordia (Montreal) 27 53
Dalhousie 27 49
Laval 27 57
Brandon 26 47
Sheridan 26 57
Montréal 25 56
UPEI 25 58
Saskatchewan 25 58
UOIT 24 51
Toronto 24 49
Calgary 21 54
Moncton 21 51
Ryerson 21 51
Laurentian 20 52
Simon Fraser 20 56
UQAM 19 62
York 19 54
Windsor 18 53
Lakehead 17 50
Ottawa 17 57
Manitoba 16 56
OCAD U 15 53

If you could start over, would you go to the institution you are now attending?

First-year students


Definitely Yes (%) Probably Yes (%)
Tyndale 71 28
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 66 25
Sherbrooke 64 29
Ambrose 59 31
Quest 59 35
Laval 55 37
St. Francis Xavier 55 30
Queen's 53 35
Briercrest 52 33
Montréal 52 38
UQAM 52 39
Sheridan 51 41
Trinity Western 50 40
Mount Royal 48 43
Wilfrid Laurier 48 41
McGill 47 42
Trent 46 39
Acadia 45 40
Guelph 45 42
McMaster 45 42
St. Thomas 44 43
Brescia (Western) 43 45
MacEwan 43 47
ACAD 42 44
Moncton 42 46
Nipissing 42 41
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 42 42
Alberta 41 49
Mount Allison 41 41
Waterloo 41 45
Western 41 46
Mount Saint Vincent 40 42
OCAD U 40 45
UBC (Vancouver) 39 49
Cape Breton 39 51
Dalhousie 39 46
King's (Edmonton) 39 47
UNB (Fredericton) 39 48
Winnipeg 39 47
Carleton 38 48
Laurentian 38 47
UBC (Okanagan) 37 49
Concordia (Montreal) 37 49
Ryerson 37 46
Saskatchewan 37 51
Brandon 36 52
Memorial 36 49
Brock 35 50
UOIT 34 49
Lethbridge 33 52
Toronto 33 48
Ottawa 31 51
UPEI 31 50
Saint Mary's 31 51
Victoria 31 54
Calgary 30 53
Lakehead 30 46
Thompson Rivers 29 52
Windsor 28 52
Manitoba 25 57
York 25 52
Simon Fraser 24 56
*NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

Senior-year students


Definitely Yes (%) Probably Yes (%)
Sherbrooke 64 30
Tyndale 62 23
Quest 61 28
Trinity Western 61 31
Ambrose 58 37
Saint Paul (Ottawa) 57 35
St. Francis Xavier 56 33
St. Thomas 56 34
Briercrest 55 31
Mount Royal 54 36
MacEwan 53 38
Guelph 52 35
Brescia (Western) 49 40
Wilfrid Laurier 49 38
Acadia 48 36
Laval 48 39
Queen's 48 36
Trent 47 39
King's (Edmonton) 45 40
Montréal 44 39
Mount Allison 44 41
Winnipeg 44 42
NSSE 2016 & 2017 average 44 39
UQAM 42 44
McMaster 41 42
Mount Saint Vincent 41 39
Cape Breton 39 42
Concordia (Montreal) 39 45
Memorial 39 43
Sheridan 39 43
McGill 38 44
Nipissing 38 45
Western 38 41
UBC (Vancouver) 37 48
Waterloo 37 46
Saint Mary's 36 44
Brock 35 42
Victoria 35 47
Alberta 34 49
UBC (Okanagan) 34 45
Lethbridge 34 49
UNB (Fredericton) 34 47
Saskatchewan 33 48
Thompson Rivers 33 48
Carleton 32 48
Brandon 31 44
Ryerson 31 44
Toronto 31 42
Dalhousie 28 46
Moncton 28 46
UPEI 28 49
UOIT 27 45
OCAD U 26 39
Laurentian 25 45
Manitoba 25 51
Simon Fraser 24 52
York 24 48
ACAD 23 57
Calgary 23 48
Lakehead 23 45
Windsor 23 48
Ottawa 22 49
*NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.

Results for Guelph are for the main University of Guelph campus and Guelph-Humber.
The University of Northern British Columbia and the University of Regina did not conduct NSSE in 2017.
Ten universities that conducted NSSE in 2017 did not provide Maclean’s with results.

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