Lawyer Average Salary in Canada 2023
How much money does a Lawyer make in Canada?
LOW
128,000
CAD AVERAGE
238,000
CAD HIGH
359,000
CAD
A person working as a Lawyer in Canada typically earns around 238,000 CAD per year. Salaries range from 128,000 CAD (lowest) to 359,000 CAD (highest).
This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Lawyer salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Lawyer Salary Distribution in Canada
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
Salary Range
Lawyer salaries in Canada range from 128,000 CAD per year (minimum salary) to 359,000 CAD per year (maximum salary).
Median Salary
The median salary is 219,000 CAD per year, which means that half (50%) of people working as Lawyer(s) are earning less than 219,000 CAD while the other half are earning more than 219,000 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 Lawyer(s) are earning less than 156,000 CAD while 75% of them are earning more than 156,000 CAD. Also from the diagram, 75% of Lawyer(s) are earning less than 266,000 CAD while 25% are earning more than 266,000 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
Lawyer Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does experience and age affect your pay?
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher your wage. We broke down Lawyer salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
A Lawyer with less than two years of experience makes approximately 149,000 CAD per year.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 188,000 CAD per year, 26% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 248,000 CAD per year, 32% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Lawyer(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 292,000 CAD per year, 18% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 323,000 CAD per year, 11% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 344,000 CAD per year, 6% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Lawyer average salary change by experience in Canada
| 0 - 2 Years | 149,000 CAD | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +26% | 188,000 CAD |
| 5 - 10 Years | +32% | 248,000 CAD |
| 10 - 15 Years | +18% | 292,000 CAD |
| 15 - 20 Years | +11% | 323,000 CAD |
| 20+ Years | +6% | 344,000 CAD |
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Lawyer Salary Comparison By Education
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary difference between different Lawyer(s) who have the same experience but different education levels.
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down Lawyer salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is Bachelor's Degree, the average salary of a Lawyer is 179,000 CAD per year.
While someone with a Master's Degree gets a salary of 239,000 CAD per year, 33% more than someone having a Bachelor's Degree degree.
A PhD gets its holder an average salary of 341,000 CAD per year, 42% more than someone with a Master's Degree.
Lawyer average salary difference by education level in Canada
| Bachelor's Degree | 179,000 CAD | |
| Master's Degree | +33% | 239,000 CAD |
| PhD | +42% | 341,000 CAD |
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 the thoery. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.
If you can afford the costs of higher education, the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers
Lawyer Salary Comparison By Gender
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male Lawyer employees in Canada earn 4% more than their female counterparts on average.
| Male | 243,000 CAD | |
| Female | -4% | 232,000 CAD |
Salary Comparison By Gender in Canada for all Careers
Lawyer Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Canada
How much are annual salary increments in Canada for Lawyer(s)? How often do employees get salary raises?
Lawyer
Lawyer(s) in Canada are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 13% every 15 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 9% granted to employees every 15 months.
Canada / All Professions
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
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.
Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs
Lawyer Bonus and Incentive Rates in Canada
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
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A Lawyer is considered to be a high bonus-based job due to the generally limited involvement in direct revenue generation, with exceptions of course. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.
20% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 80% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 6% to 7% of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | 80% | |
| No Bonus | 20% |
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based BonusesThe most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, 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 BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese 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.
What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?
The main two types of jobs | |
| Revenue Generators | Supporting 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: | Example: |
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.
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.
Lawyer Average Hourly Wage in Canada
110 CAD per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Canada is 110 CAD. This means that the average Lawyer in Canada earns approximately 110 CAD for every worked hour.
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.
Lawyer VS Other Jobs
The average salary for Lawyer is 65% more than that of Legal. Also, Legal salaries are 21% more than those of All Jobs.
Salary comparison with similar jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Administrative Law Judge | 322,000 CAD |  +35% |
| Arbitrator | 154,000 CAD |  -35% |
| Associate Attorney | 159,000 CAD | -33% |
| Attorney | 244,000 CAD | +3% |
| Bailiff | 72,800 CAD | -69% |
| Barrister | 60,400 CAD | -75% |
| Candidate Attorney | 130,000 CAD | -45% |
| Conciliator | 117,000 CAD | -51% |
| Contracts Manager | 129,000 CAD | -46% |
| Contracts Negotiator | 113,000 CAD | -52% |
| Conveyancing Secretary | 60,500 CAD | -75% |
| Corporate Counsel | 174,000 CAD | -27% |
| Counsel | 176,000 CAD | -26% |
| Court Clerk | 55,900 CAD | -76% |
| Court Judicial Assistant | 87,700 CAD | -63% |
| Court Liaison Specialist | 106,000 CAD | -55% |
| Court Reporter | 86,800 CAD | -63% |
| Court Representative | 68,400 CAD | -71% |
| Crown Prosecution Service Lawyer | 337,000 CAD | +42% |
| Immigration Executive | 168,000 CAD | -29% |
| In House Counsel | 176,000 CAD | -26% |
| Intellectual Property Specialist | 120,000 CAD | -50% |
| Judge Advocate | 245,000 CAD | +3% |
| Law Clerk | 52,800 CAD | -78% |
| Lawyer | 238,000 CAD | +0% |
| Legal Administrative Assistant | 60,400 CAD | -75% |
| Legal Advisor | 140,000 CAD | -41% |
| Legal Assistant | 61,900 CAD | -74% |
| Legal Associate | 114,000 CAD | -52% |
| Legal Consultant | 145,000 CAD | -39% |
| Legal Counsel | 177,000 CAD | -26% |
| Legal Editor | 111,000 CAD | -53% |
| Legal Executive | 206,000 CAD | -13% |
| Legal Executive Secretary | 63,000 CAD | -74% |
| Legal IP Officer | 57,300 CAD | -76% |
| Legal Officer | 73,600 CAD | -69% |
| Legal Services Director | 275,000 CAD | +16% |
| Legal Services Manager | 279,000 CAD | +17% |
| Legal Support Worker | 43,000 CAD | -82% |
| Legislative Liaison | 114,000 CAD | -52% |
| Litigation Attorney | 294,000 CAD | +24% |
| Litigation Paralegal | 151,000 CAD | -36% |
| Magistrate Judge | 361,000 CAD | +52% |
| Paralegal | 91,800 CAD | -61% |
| Patent Attorney | 168,000 CAD | -29% |
| Staff Attorney | 177,000 CAD | -26% |
Salary Comparison By City
| City | Average Salary |
| Brampton | 230,000 CAD |
| Calgary | 255,000 CAD |
| Edmonton | 254,000 CAD |
| Gatineau | 209,000 CAD |
| Halifax | 234,000 CAD |
| Hamilton | 231,000 CAD |
| Kitchener | 234,000 CAD |
| Markham | 227,000 CAD |
| Mississauga | 236,000 CAD |
| Montreal | 265,000 CAD |
| Ottawa | 237,000 CAD |
| Quebec | 250,000 CAD |
| Regina | 217,000 CAD |
| Richmond | 212,000 CAD |
| Saskatoon | 217,000 CAD |
| Surrey | 231,000 CAD |
| Toronto | 246,000 CAD |
| Vancouver | 250,000 CAD |
| Vaughan | 223,000 CAD |
| Windsor | 223,000 CAD |
| Winnipeg | 238,000 CAD |
Salary Comparison By State
| State | Average Salary |
| Alberta | 250,000 CAD |
| British Columbia | 253,000 CAD |
| Manitoba | 237,000 CAD |
| New Brunswick | 215,000 CAD |
| Newfoundland-Labrador | 212,000 CAD |
| Northwest Territories | 236,000 CAD |
| Nova Scotia | 224,000 CAD |
| Nunavut | 249,000 CAD |
| Ontario | 270,000 CAD |
| Prince Edward Island | 210,000 CAD |
| Quebec | 269,000 CAD |
| Saskatchewan | 237,000 CAD |
| Yukon | 219,000 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 |
