College Tuition Fees in Ontario

Breaking down the costs of a college education

Researching college tuition fees is an important part of planning for college. Typically, college tuition costs are lower than university costs, but you'll still want to be aware of the variations from college to college, from program to program and between the different types of college programs.

College Tuition and Fee Breakdown


Below is a summary of the average cost of tuition for one academic year in an Ontario college program. Please note that these figures do not include living costs, such as rent, utilities, transportation, etc. We have also included information on ancillary fees (student activity fees, athletic fees, health insurance, etc.) as well as estimates for books and supplies.

  • Diploma Programs - $2,400
  • Graduate Certificate Programs - $3,600
  • Bachelor’s Degree Programs - $6,100
  • Collaborative Programs - $5,000
  • Ancillary Fees - $800
  • Books and Supplies - $1,300

Factors Affecting College Tuition Fees


The above breakdown represents the average costs for college programs, but tuition for specialized programs may be higher. For example, programs that involve training on specialized equipment (such as heavy equipment operator or aviation) require college investment in this equipment, as well as in facilities and ongoing maintenance. These costs are often factored into tuition costs.Other programs, such as photography or fine arts programs, may require you to buy extra equipment or supplies on top of the cost of tuition fees, which can increase your expenses.

Paying for College


Before the bills start rolling in, there are things you can do to help manage or even lower your tuition expenses. Applying for scholarships and awards or bursaries and grants is a good place to start. You may also qualify for financial assistance, which can help make paying for college more manageable.

Creating a budget that can help you stretch your money throughout your year in college is also smart. We can help you create this plan on our Budgeting Advice page.