Engineering salaries in Canada span a remarkably wide range depending on the discipline. Software engineers at top tech companies earn 2-3x more than civil engineers with the same experience, creating one of the largest within-profession pay gaps in the country. The P.Eng designation matters for traditional disciplines (civil, mechanical, electrical) where it is legally required to sign off on designs, but is largely irrelevant in software engineering. Province and industry also play a large role — petroleum engineers in Alberta can earn $200,000+, while environmental engineers in Atlantic Canada may top out at $140,000.
Verified Against Statistics Canada Data
The figures below come directly from Statistics Canada’s 2021 Census (employment income reported for 2020), the most detailed occupation-level income data StatCan publishes. Because the Census figures are from 2020, they are shown alongside an inflation-adjusted equivalent so the numbers reflect today’s purchasing power.
| Occupation | Median (2020 Census) | Median (Today, Inflation-Adjusted) | Average (Today, Inflation-Adjusted) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical engineers | $104,000 | $129,000 | $154,400 |
| Civil engineers | $97,000 | $120,300 | $137,000 |
| Electrical and electronics engineers | $106,000 | $131,500 | $145,500 |
| Mechanical engineers | $96,000 | $119,100 | $136,000 |
Civil Engineers Income by Province (StatCan Verified)
| Province | Median (2020 Census) | Median (Today, Inflation-Adjusted) | Average (Today, Inflation-Adjusted) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $97,000 | $120,300 | $137,000 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $105,000 | $130,300 | $141,700 |
| PEI | $93,000 | $115,400 | $121,600 |
| Nova Scotia | $92,000 | $114,100 | $130,500 |
| New Brunswick | $87,000 | $107,900 | $115,100 |
| Quebec | $90,000 | $111,600 | $118,100 |
| Ontario | $95,000 | $117,800 | $134,000 |
| Manitoba | $99,000 | $122,800 | $181,400 |
| Saskatchewan | $97,000 | $120,300 | $132,700 |
| Alberta | $111,000 | $137,700 | $163,300 |
| British Columbia | $99,000 | $122,800 | $142,700 |
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population, Table 98-10-0586-01. Figures are for those who worked full year, full time in 2020, and are inflation-adjusted to today’s dollars using the Consumer Price Index. *Some province/occupation combinations show “too few workers to report” because StatCan suppresses Census income cells with too few respondents to protect individual privacy — the data isn’t missing, it’s withheld for confidentiality.
Average Engineer Salary by Discipline
| Engineering Discipline | Entry Level (0–3 yr) | Mid-Career (4–9 yr) | Senior (10+ yr) | Management/Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software engineering | $70,000–$110,000 | $110,000–$170,000 | $150,000–$250,000+ | $180,000–$350,000+ |
| Petroleum engineering | $75,000–$110,000 | $110,000–$160,000 | $140,000–$200,000 | $170,000–$250,000 |
| Mining engineering | $70,000–$100,000 | $100,000–$140,000 | $130,000–$180,000 | $150,000–$220,000 |
| Chemical engineering | $65,000–$90,000 | $90,000–$130,000 | $120,000–$170,000 | $140,000–$200,000 |
| Electrical engineering | $60,000–$85,000 | $85,000–$120,000 | $110,000–$160,000 | $130,000–$190,000 |
| Mechanical engineering | $58,000–$80,000 | $80,000–$115,000 | $105,000–$155,000 | $130,000–$185,000 |
| Aerospace engineering | $60,000–$85,000 | $85,000–$125,000 | $115,000–$165,000 | $140,000–$200,000 |
| Biomedical engineering | $55,000–$80,000 | $80,000–$120,000 | $110,000–$160,000 | $130,000–$190,000 |
| Civil engineering | $55,000–$75,000 | $75,000–$110,000 | $100,000–$145,000 | $120,000–$180,000 |
| Environmental engineering | $55,000–$75,000 | $75,000–$105,000 | $95,000–$140,000 | $120,000–$170,000 |
| Industrial engineering | $55,000–$78,000 | $78,000–$110,000 | $100,000–$145,000 | $120,000–$175,000 |
| Structural engineering | $55,000–$78,000 | $78,000–$115,000 | $105,000–$155,000 | $125,000–$185,000 |
Software Engineer Salary by Company Type
| Company Type | Junior (0–2 yr) | Intermediate (3–5 yr) | Senior (6+ yr) | Staff/Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAANG/Big Tech (Canada offices) | $100,000–$130,000 | $140,000–$200,000 | $200,000–$350,000+ | $300,000–$500,000+ |
| Shopify, Wealthsimple, etc. | $80,000–$110,000 | $110,000–$160,000 | $160,000–$240,000 | $220,000–$350,000 |
| Mid-size tech | $65,000–$90,000 | $90,000–$130,000 | $130,000–$180,000 | $160,000–$220,000 |
| Startup | $55,000–$85,000 | $85,000–$130,000 | $120,000–$180,000 | $150,000+ + equity |
| Non-tech company (IT dept) | $55,000–$75,000 | $75,000–$105,000 | $100,000–$140,000 | $130,000–$170,000 |
| Government | $60,000–$80,000 | $80,000–$105,000 | $100,000–$130,000 | $120,000–$150,000 |
| Consulting | $60,000–$90,000 | $90,000–$130,000 | $125,000–$175,000 | $150,000–$220,000 |
Big Tech total compensation includes base salary + stock (RSUs) + bonus. Base alone may be $120K–$180K for seniors, but total comp reaches $250K–$400K+.
Engineer Salary by Province
Alberta offers the highest salaries for traditional engineering disciplines due to the oil and gas sector, while Ontario and BC lead in software engineering thanks to their tech ecosystems. Quebec’s emergence as an AI and gaming hub (Montreal) has significantly boosted software engineer pay in the province. For non-software engineers, the gap between provinces is smaller but still meaningful — roughly 15-25% between the highest (Alberta) and lowest (Atlantic Canada) paying regions.
| Province | General Engineer Avg | Software Engineer Avg | Oil & Gas Engineer Avg | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $85,000–$130,000 | $90,000–$150,000 | $100,000–$200,000 | Oil & gas premium |
| Ontario | $75,000–$120,000 | $85,000–$200,000+ | N/A | Toronto tech hub |
| British Columbia | $72,000–$115,000 | $80,000–$180,000 | N/A | Vancouver tech hub |
| Saskatchewan | $72,000–$110,000 | $70,000–$110,000 | $90,000–$150,000 | Mining, potash |
| Quebec | $65,000–$100,000 | $70,000–$140,000 | N/A | Montreal AI hub |
| Manitoba | $65,000–$100,000 | $65,000–$110,000 | N/A | Aerospace |
| New Brunswick | $58,000–$90,000 | $60,000–$100,000 | N/A | Lower cost of living |
| Nova Scotia | $58,000–$90,000 | $60,000–$105,000 | N/A | Growing tech sector |
| Newfoundland | $65,000–$100,000 | $60,000–$95,000 | $90,000–$150,000 | Offshore oil |
Engineering Career Path
| Stage | Duration | Earnings | Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering degree (BEng/BASc) | 4 years | −$30,000–$80,000 (tuition) | None |
| Engineer-in-Training (EIT) | 4 years | $55,000–$100,000/year | EIT |
| P.Eng license | After 4 yr experience | Salary bump (~5–15%) | P.Eng |
| Senior engineer | 8–15 years | $100,000–$180,000 | P.Eng |
| Engineering manager | 10+ years | $120,000–$200,000+ | P.Eng + MBA (optional) |
| VP Engineering/Director | 15+ years | $150,000–$300,000+ | — |
| Master’s degree (MEng/MASc) | 1–2 years | Salary bump $5K–$15K | — |
| PhD | 4–6 years | $25,000–$35,000/yr stipend | — |
Canada vs US Engineering Salary Comparison
The Canada-US salary gap varies dramatically by discipline. Software engineers face the largest gap (30-50% less in Canada) primarily because US Big Tech firms use aggressive stock-based compensation that inflates total packages. For traditional engineering disciplines like mechanical and civil, the gap is a more modest 20-30%. Many Canadian engineers who want US-level pay now work remotely for US companies, which is an increasingly common arrangement in software but rare in other engineering disciplines that require on-site presence.
| Discipline | Canada (CAD) | US (USD) | US (CAD equiv.) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software (senior) | $150,000–$250,000 | $150,000–$350,000+ | $205,000–$480,000 | 30–50% higher in US |
| Mechanical (mid) | $80,000–$115,000 | $80,000–$110,000 | $110,000–$150,000 | 20–30% higher in US |
| Civil (mid) | $75,000–$110,000 | $75,000–$100,000 | $103,000–$137,000 | 20–25% higher in US |
| Petroleum (senior) | $140,000–$200,000 | $140,000–$200,000 | $192,000–$274,000 | 25–35% higher in US |
The US-Canada gap is largest in software engineering due to Big Tech compensation structures (heavy stock-based comp in the US).
Top Industries for Engineers by Pay
| Industry | Avg Engineer Salary | Top Disciplines | Growth Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil & gas | $100,000–$200,000 | Petroleum, chemical, mechanical | Cyclical |
| Technology | $85,000–$250,000+ | Software, data, ML/AI | Strong |
| Mining | $90,000–$180,000 | Mining, geological, mechanical | Moderate |
| Nuclear/power generation | $85,000–$150,000 | Nuclear, electrical, mechanical | Growing |
| Aerospace/defence | $80,000–$165,000 | Aerospace, mechanical, electrical | Growing |
| Construction/infrastructure | $70,000–$140,000 | Civil, structural, geotechnical | Strong |
| Manufacturing | $65,000–$130,000 | Mechanical, industrial, electrical | Stable |
| Consulting | $65,000–$150,000 | All disciplines | Stable |
| Government/public sector | $65,000–$130,000 | Civil, environmental, electrical | Stable |
Similar-Paying Professions
At a StatCan-verified median of $120,300/year (inflation-adjusted to today’s dollars), civil engineers earn about the same as several other professions covered on this site:
- Veterinarians — $119,100/year
- Data Scientists — $117,800/year
- Psychologists — $117,800/year
Based on the same Statistics Canada 2021 Census occupation income data (Table 98-10-0586-01) used throughout this page, inflation-adjusted to today’s dollars.