Average Salaries in Canada by Job Type
How much do jobs really pay in Canada? Many websites publish salary ranges without saying where the numbers come from. This guide uses official data from Statistics Canada for 2025 to show the typical hourly wage for the main types of jobs, how wages differ between provinces and what affects your own pay. All figures are for employees, including both full-time and part-time workers, before tax.
Median and Average: What the Numbers Mean
The median wage is the middle value: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average is usually higher, because a smaller number of people with very high wages pull it up. For most job seekers, the median is a better guide to what is typical. In 2025, the median hourly wage for all employees in Canada was $30.77, and the average was $36.40. At the median, a full-time job of 40 hours a week for 52 weeks works out to about $64,000 a year before tax.
Hourly Wages by Type of Job (Canada, 2025)
| Type of job | Examples | Median hourly wage | Average hourly wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales and service support | Cashiers, store shelf stockers, food counter attendants, kitchen helpers, cleaners | $18.00 | $19.50 |
| Sales and service representatives | Retail salespersons, customer service representatives | $21.00 | $25.25 |
| Care providers and support workers | Home child care providers, home support workers | $21.00 | $21.65 |
| Labourers in manufacturing and processing | Labourers in food processing and factories | $21.32 | $22.78 |
| Skilled sales and service occupations | Cooks, bakers, butchers, hairstylists | $22.00 | $26.25 |
| Helpers, labourers and transport drivers | Material handlers, delivery drivers, construction helpers | $24.00 | $25.55 |
| Office support and supply chain | Office support workers, receptionists, shippers and receivers | $25.00 | $26.70 |
| Health support occupations | Nurse aides and personal support workers, pharmacy assistants, dental assistants | $25.00 | $25.78 |
| Machine operators and assemblers | Machine operators, assemblers and inspectors in manufacturing | $25.00 | $26.72 |
| Retail and service supervisors | Retail sales supervisors, food service supervisors, chefs | $25.00 | $29.66 |
| General trades | Transport truck drivers, roofers, installers | $29.00 | $30.68 |
| Mail and other transport operators | Letter carriers, couriers | $29.33 | $29.59 |
| Administrative occupations | Administrative assistants | $29.33 | $31.72 |
| Technical occupations in sciences and IT | Computer and user support technicians, engineering technologists | $36.92 | $39.46 |
| Technical trades | Electricians, plumbers, welders, industrial mechanics | $37.00 | $38.48 |
| Nursing and allied health professionals | Registered nurses | $46.00 | $46.00 |
| Professionals in natural and applied sciences | Software developers, engineers | $50.19 | $54.36 |
| Management | Managers in all sectors | $56.25 | $60.11 |
| All occupations | $30.77 | $36.40 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0417-01, “Employee wages by occupation, annual”, 2025, Canada, full-time and part-time employees aged 15 and over. The examples are typical jobs within each group.
Median Hourly Wage by Province (2025)
| Province | Median hourly wage, all jobs | Sales and service support jobs | Helpers, labourers and transport drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | $32.49 | $19.00 | $24.04 |
| Alberta | $32.00 | $17.00 | $24.00 |
| Ontario | $31.25 | $18.00 | $23.81 |
| Quebec | $30.00 | $17.87 | $24.00 |
| Saskatchewan | $28.85 | $16.25 | $22.50 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $28.00 | $17.00 | $21.00 |
| Nova Scotia | $27.37 | $17.00 | $22.00 |
| New Brunswick | $27.00 | $16.67 | $21.35 |
| Manitoba | $26.75 | $16.75 | $22.00 |
| Prince Edward Island | $26.63 | $17.00 | $22.88 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0417-01, 2025. Data for the territories is not shown in this table.
What Affects Your Own Pay
- Province and city – wages and minimum wages differ across the country, and so does the cost of living.
- Training and certification – jobs that require an apprenticeship, a licence or a degree usually pay more, as the table shows.
- Experience – many employers raise pay as you gain experience or stay longer.
- Hours and shifts – overtime and some night or weekend shifts can pay more.
- The employer – pay for the same job can differ a lot between companies, so compare actual postings.
How to Use These Numbers
Use the table to get a realistic idea of what a type of job pays, then check the rate in the specific posting you are interested in. Many large employers state the pay in their postings: Walmart Canada, for example, lists a minimum hourly rate in each store posting. Remember that a typical wage is not a guarantee, and that no employer can pay less than the minimum wage of your province or territory.