Aboriginal secondary education: Non completion and returns

I use 2001 Canadian Public Use Microdata Files (PUMF) Census data to assess two dimensions of Aboriginal educational attainment: (1) what proportion of Aboriginals fail to complete high school; and (2) what is the return to different levels of education for Aboriginals. I find that Aboriginals, for certain age groups, are two times more likely than non Aboriginals to leave high school before completion. Further, I find that in terms of high school completion within the Aboriginal population, registered Indians fare worst, band members better, those with self reported Aboriginals identity better still, and those with Aboriginal ethnic ancestry perform the best. I also find that the returns to high school education are higher for Aboriginals than for the white control group, and that this return varies significantly by Aboriginal group, gender, and census metropolitan area.