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Average Salary in Canada 2023

How much money does a person working in Canada make?


Average Yearly Salary
120,000 CAD
( 9,960 CAD monthly)

LOW
30,200
CAD
AVERAGE
120,000
CAD
HIGH
534,000
CAD

A person working in Canada typically earns around 120,000 CAD per year. Salaries range from 30,200 CAD (lowest average) to 534,000 CAD (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).

This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.

Distribution of Salaries in Canada

Median and salary distribution yearly Canada
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The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range

  • Salary Range

    Salaries in Canada range from 30,200 CAD per year (minimum salary) to 534,000 CAD per year (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher).

  • Median Salary

    The median salary is 112,000 CAD per year, which means that half (50%) of the population are earning less than 112,000 CAD while the other half are earning more than 112,000 CAD. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.

  • Percentiles

    Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of the population are earning less than 64,200 CAD while 75% of them are earning more than 64,200 CAD. Also from the diagram, 75% of the population are earning less than 304,000 CAD while 25% are earning more than 304,000 CAD.


What is the difference between the median and the average salary?

Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary

Salary Comparison by Years of Experience

How does a person's salary progress over time?

Salary Comparison By Experience Level
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.

Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average 32% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.

Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average 36% more than those with five years or less of work experience.


Change in salary based on experience varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of many different jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.

As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by 21% and an additional 14% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.

Those figures are presented as guidelines only. The numbers become more significant if you consider one job title at a time.

On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years* experience mark.
* Based on the average change in salary over time. Salary variations differ from person to person.

Salary Comparison By Education

How does the education level affect your salary?

Salary Comparison By Education
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It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.


Change in salary based on education varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of multiple jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.

Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average 17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.

Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn 24% more than those who only managed to attain a cerificate or diploma.

Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are 29% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.

Finally, PhD holders earn 23% more than Master's Degree holders on average while doing the same job.


Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?

A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in Canada costs anywhere from 49,800 Canadian Dollar(s) to 149,000 Canadian Dollar(s) and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.

You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.

Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch into a higher paying job. The numbers seem to support this tactic. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.

The decision really depends on your situation and experience among many other factors. Putting all variables aside, if you can afford the costs of higher education then the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.



Salary Comparison By Gender

Salary comparison by gender yearly Canada
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Canada earn 5% more than their female counterparts on avergae across all sectors.

Male
122,000 CAD
Female-5%
116,000 CAD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Canada

How much are annual salary increments in Canada? How often do employees get salary raises?

Canada

Employees in Canada are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 9% every 15 months.

Annual Salary Increment Rate Canada
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The figures provided here are averages of numbers. Those figures should be taken as general guidelines. Salary increments will vary from person to person and depend on many factors, but your performance and contribution to the success of the organization remain the most important factors in determining how much and how often you will be granted a raise.

The term 'Annual Salary Increase' usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rarely that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.

How to calculate the salary increment percentage?

The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency

The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Canada is 7%.

Annual Increment Rate By Industry 2022

Banking
2%
Energy
4%
Information Technology
6%
Healthcare
8%
Travel
1%
Construction
3%
Education
5%

Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in Canada for the year 2022. Companies within thriving industries tend to provide higher and more frequent raises. Exceptions do exist, but generally speaking, the situation of any company is closely related to the economic situation in the country or region. These figures tend to change frequently.


Average Salary Increase Rate by Experience Level

Junoir Level
3% - 5%
Mid-Career
6% - 9%
Senior Level
10% - 15%
Top Management
15% - 20%

The difference in increment rates is somehow justified because employers put more effort to retain more experienced staff since they are harder to acquire than less experienced ones.

Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs

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Bonus and Incentive Rates in Canada

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate Canada
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48% of surveyed staff in Canada reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 52% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.

Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 5% of their annual salary.

Received Bonus
52%
No Bonus
48%

Types of Bonuses Considered

Individual Performance-Based Bonuses

The most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.

Company Performance Bonuses

Occasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.

Goal-Based Bonuses

Granted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.

Holiday / End of Year Bonuses

These types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.

Bonuses Are Not Commissions!

People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.


Bonus Rates Comparison by Career Field

Finance
High
Architecture
High
Sales
High
Business Development
High
Marketing / Advertising
High
Information Technology
Moderate
Healthcare
Moderate
Insurance
Moderate
Customer Service
Moderate
Human Resources
Moderate
Construction
Low
Transport
Low
Hospitality
Low

What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?

The main two types of jobs

Revenue GeneratorsSupporting Cast

Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business.

Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations.

Example:
A graphics designer working for a graphics designing company.

Example:
A graphic designer in the marketing department of a hospital.


Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.

Try to work for companies where your skills can generate revenue. We can't all generate revenue and that's perfectly fine.

Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level

Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.

Salaries for popular jobs

Job TitleAverage Salary
Accounting and Finance
Accountant80,600 CAD
Accounting Assistant65,600 CAD
Accounting Manager178,000 CAD
Bookkeeper57,700 CAD
Chartered Accountant104,000 CAD
Corporate Treasurer154,000 CAD
Financial Analyst160,000 CAD
Financial Manager241,000 CAD
Internal Auditor109,000 CAD

Administration / Reception / Secretarial
Administrative Assistant65,800 CAD
Office Manager108,000 CAD
Receptionist54,800 CAD
Secretary53,500 CAD

Advertising / Grapic Design / Events
Art Director124,000 CAD
Creative Director120,000 CAD
Graphic Designer75,800 CAD
Photographer65,100 CAD

Airlines / Aviation / Aerospace / Defense
Aerospace Engineer154,000 CAD
Air Traffic Controller137,000 CAD
Flight Attendant82,800 CAD
Pilot205,000 CAD

Architecture
Architect147,000 CAD
CAD Drafter59,400 CAD

Automotive
Mechanic44,600 CAD
Service Advisor80,200 CAD

Banking
Bank Branch Manager224,000 CAD
Teller46,700 CAD

Bilingual
Teacher93,700 CAD
Translator104,000 CAD

Business Planning
Business Analyst154,000 CAD
Business Development Manager191,000 CAD
Project Manager148,000 CAD

Care Giving and Child Care
Nanny47,900 CAD
Nursery Teacher46,200 CAD

Construction / Building / Installation
Civil Engineer111,000 CAD
Construction Project Manager204,000 CAD
Health and Safety Officer52,400 CAD

Customer Service and Call Center
Call Center Representative45,300 CAD
Customer Service Manager170,000 CAD
Customer Service Representative44,400 CAD

Engineering
Civil Engineer107,000 CAD
Electrical Engineer116,000 CAD
Engineer109,000 CAD
Mechanical Engineer118,000 CAD

Executive and Management
Chief Executive Officer268,000 CAD
Chief Financial Officer243,000 CAD
General Manager220,000 CAD
Project Manager140,000 CAD

Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering
Chef72,500 CAD
Executive Chef90,400 CAD
Hotel Manager225,000 CAD
Receptionist46,100 CAD
Travel Agent72,400 CAD
Waiter / Waitress37,600 CAD

Health and Medical
Dentist274,000 CAD
Dietitian242,000 CAD
Laboratory Technician93,400 CAD
Nurse95,500 CAD

Human Resources
Human Resources Manager178,000 CAD
Human Resources Officer74,900 CAD

Information Technology
Computer Technician92,600 CAD
Database Administrator124,000 CAD
Developer / Programmer117,000 CAD
Information Technology Manager189,000 CAD
Network Engineer99,400 CAD

Law Enforcement / Security / Fire
Police Officer72,100 CAD

Legal
Attorney244,000 CAD
Legal Assistant61,900 CAD

Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment
Journalist137,000 CAD

Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology
Biomedical Engineer98,500 CAD
Pharmacist151,000 CAD

Sales Retail and Wholesale
Cashier43,700 CAD
Sales Manager199,000 CAD
Sales Representative78,000 CAD

Teaching / Education
Elementary School Teacher83,000 CAD
Secondary School Teacher95,900 CAD

Average Hourly Wage in Canada


57 CAD per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Canada is 57 CAD. This means that the average person in Canada earns approximately 57 CAD for every worked hour.


Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ ( 52 x 5 x 8 )

The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fix amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.

Salary Comparison By City

CityAverage Salary
Brampton122,000 CAD
Calgary126,000 CAD
Edmonton125,000 CAD
Gatineau115,000 CAD
Halifax117,000 CAD
Hamilton124,000 CAD
Kitchener121,000 CAD
Markham119,000 CAD
Mississauga127,000 CAD
Montreal134,000 CAD
Ottawa128,000 CAD
Quebec126,000 CAD
Regina113,000 CAD
Richmond107,000 CAD
Saskatoon115,000 CAD
Surrey118,000 CAD
Toronto134,000 CAD
Vancouver129,000 CAD
Vaughan117,000 CAD
Windsor116,000 CAD
Winnipeg124,000 CAD

Salary Comparison By State

StateAverage Salary
Alberta129,000 CAD
British Columbia131,000 CAD
Manitoba124,000 CAD
New Brunswick110,000 CAD
Newfoundland-Labrador108,000 CAD
Northwest Territories120,000 CAD
Nova Scotia113,000 CAD
Nunavut125,000 CAD
Ontario134,000 CAD
Prince Edward Island104,000 CAD
Quebec132,000 CAD
Saskatchewan116,000 CAD
Yukon106,000 CAD

Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison

Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in Canada earn 4% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.

Private Sector
117,000 CAD
Public Sector+4%
122,000 CAD
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

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