Average Salary by Province
| Province | Average Salary | Median Salary | After Tax (Single) |
|---|
| Alberta | $72,000 | $62,000 | $55,000 |
| Ontario | $67,000 | $58,000 | $50,500 |
| British Columbia | $65,000 | $56,000 | $49,000 |
| Saskatchewan | $63,000 | $54,000 | $48,000 |
| Manitoba | $58,000 | $50,000 | $44,000 |
| Quebec | $57,000 | $49,000 | $42,500 |
| Nova Scotia | $55,000 | $47,000 | $41,000 |
| New Brunswick | $53,000 | $45,000 | $40,000 |
| Newfoundland | $58,000 | $50,000 | $44,000 |
| PEI | $52,000 | $44,000 | $39,000 |
Note: Average skewed by high earners. Median is more representative of typical income.
Average Salary by Age
| Age Group | Average Salary | Median Salary |
|---|
| 15-24 | $32,000 | $28,000 |
| 25-34 | $58,000 | $52,000 |
| 35-44 | $72,000 | $63,000 |
| 45-54 | $76,000 | $65,000 |
| 55-64 | $70,000 | $60,000 |
| 65+ | $48,000 | $38,000 |
Peak earning years are typically 45-54.
Average Salary by Occupation
High-Paying Occupations
| Occupation | Average Salary | Entry Level | Senior Level |
|---|
| Physician | $250,000+ | $80,000 (resident) | $400,000+ |
| Dentist | $180,000 | $120,000 | $300,000+ |
| Software Engineer | $110,000 | $70,000 | $180,000+ |
| Lawyer | $130,000 | $70,000 | $250,000+ |
| Pharmacist | $115,000 | $95,000 | $140,000 |
| Engineering Manager | $140,000 | $90,000 | $200,000+ |
| Data Scientist | $105,000 | $70,000 | $150,000+ |
| Actuary | $120,000 | $65,000 | $200,000+ |
| Pilot | $130,000 | $50,000 | $250,000+ |
| Investment Banker | $150,000 | $85,000 | $300,000+ |
Mid-Range Occupations
| Occupation | Average Salary | Entry Level | Senior Level |
|---|
| Registered Nurse | $80,000 | $65,000 | $100,000 |
| Accountant | $72,000 | $50,000 | $120,000 |
| Teacher | $75,000 | $55,000 | $100,000 |
| Marketing Manager | $85,000 | $50,000 | $130,000 |
| Electrician | $75,000 | $45,000 | $100,000 |
| Police Officer | $90,000 | $60,000 | $120,000 |
| Project Manager | $95,000 | $60,000 | $140,000 |
| Financial Analyst | $75,000 | $55,000 | $110,000 |
| HR Manager | $85,000 | $55,000 | $130,000 |
Entry-Level Occupations
| Occupation | Average Salary | Range |
|---|
| Administrative Assistant | $45,000 | $38,000-55,000 |
| Customer Service Rep | $42,000 | $35,000-52,000 |
| Retail Manager | $50,000 | $42,000-65,000 |
| Bank Teller | $40,000 | $35,000-48,000 |
| Medical Office Assistant | $45,000 | $38,000-55,000 |
| Junior Developer | $60,000 | $50,000-75,000 |
Tech Industry Salaries
| Role | Vancouver | Toronto | Remote (CAD) |
|---|
| Junior Developer | $65,000 | $70,000 | $65,000 |
| Intermediate Developer | $90,000 | $100,000 | $95,000 |
| Senior Developer | $130,000 | $140,000 | $135,000 |
| Staff/Principal | $170,000+ | $180,000+ | $175,000+ |
| Engineering Manager | $160,000 | $170,000 | $165,000 |
| Product Manager | $120,000 | $130,000 | $125,000 |
| Data Scientist | $100,000 | $110,000 | $105,000 |
| DevOps Engineer | $110,000 | $120,000 | $115,000 |
Tech salaries are higher at FAANG/big tech companies (often 1.5-2x above).
Salary by Experience
General Progression
| Experience | Salary Multiple | Example ($60k base) |
|---|
| Entry (0-2 years) | 1.0x | $60,000 |
| Mid (3-5 years) | 1.3x | $78,000 |
| Senior (6-10 years) | 1.6x | $96,000 |
| Lead (10-15 years) | 2.0x | $120,000 |
| Director (15+ years) | 2.5x+ | $150,000+ |
Gender Pay Gap
| Group | Average Salary | Gap |
|---|
| Men | $70,000 | — |
| Women | $58,000 | 17% less |
The gap varies by industry and narrows at higher education/experience levels.
Education Premium
| Education Level | Average Salary | vs High School |
|---|
| Less than high school | $38,000 | -25% |
| High school | $50,000 | Baseline |
| Trades certificate | $62,000 | +24% |
| College diploma | $58,000 | +16% |
| Bachelor’s degree | $75,000 | +50% |
| Master’s degree | $90,000 | +80% |
| Professional degree | $120,000+ | +140%+ |
| PhD | $95,000 | +90% |
Professional degrees (MD, JD, MBA from top schools) have highest premium.
What Is a “Good” Salary?
| City | Comfortable Single | Comfortable Family |
|---|
| Toronto | $75,000+ | $150,000+ |
| Vancouver | $80,000+ | $160,000+ |
| Calgary | $60,000+ | $120,000+ |
| Montreal | $55,000+ | $100,000+ |
| Ottawa | $65,000+ | $130,000+ |
| Winnipeg | $50,000+ | $90,000+ |
“Comfortable” = modest savings, occasional dining out, reasonable housing.
Salary Growth Over Time
Historical Average Wage Growth
| Period | Wage Growth | Inflation | Real Growth |
|---|
| 2020-2021 | 2.5% | 3.4% | -0.9% |
| 2021-2022 | 3.8% | 6.8% | -3.0% |
| 2022-2023 | 4.5% | 3.9% | +0.6% |
| 2023-2024 | 4.2% | 2.8% | +1.4% |
| 2024-2025 | 3.8% | 2.3% | +1.5% |
Real wage growth (after inflation) has been modest.
How You Compare
Use our Income Percentile Calculator to see where your income ranks.
| Income | Percentile (Canada) |
|---|
| $30,000 | 25th |
| $45,000 | 40th |
| $55,000 | 50th (median) |
| $75,000 | 65th |
| $100,000 | 80th |
| $150,000 | 90th |
| $250,000 | 97th |
Salary Negotiation Tips
- Know your worth — Research salaries on Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Levels.fyi
- Consider total compensation — Benefits, bonus, RRSP match, stock options
- Time it right — During hiring, annual reviews, after big wins
- Practice — Rehearse your ask
- Get it in writing — Confirm any agreement via email