Co-op

A peek at the numbers from our first co-op term, including info on our workplaces and earnings 💰


Co-op Search Process

Over half of us got our co-op placement in the 1st or 2nd round and 81% of us found our job through WaterlooWorks. Looks like WaterlooWorks really does work!

Co-op Locations

67% of us had an in-person job, while 33% of us had a remote job. Among those who had in-person jobs, most were located in the GTA.

Job Types

Software Development was the most popular choice for co-op placements during this term. This was likely due to the large amount of software-related job postings on WaterlooWorks and the high demand for software engineering skills in the job market (during the time of application).

Job Type vs Pay

The overall average pay for this term was $22/hr, with the lowest reported pay being $17/hr and the highest being $33.9/hr. Product Management had the highest median co-op pay among all job sectors this term.

Note: This data set, and the following data sets pertaining to co-op pay, exclude respondents who reported being unemployed or doing an unpaid co-op.

1A Average vs Co-op Pay

There doesn't appear to be any correlation between grades and co-op pay. In other words, achieving high grades does not necessarily result in higher pay during co-op.

Co-op Pay vs Job Satisfaction

This chart aims to explore the relationship between job compensation and satisfaction, where a score of 1 indicates extreme dissatisfaction and 5 indicates extreme satisfaction.

While the data reveals a discernible pattern, it is worth noting that all individuals earning more than $24/hr rated their satisfaction level 4 or higher. Maybe money does buy happiness after all 🤷‍♀️