Average Salary in Canada 2026 by Province and Job
The average Canadian employee earned $1,343.86 a week in June 2026, including overtime, according to Statistics Canada (seasonally adjusted). Over 52 weeks, that is roughly $69,900 a year before tax. The typical worker earns less than the average: the median full-time employee earned $1,320 a week in 2025, about $68,600 a year. Every figure below comes from Statistics Canada or Job Bank, with its reference period and a link to the source table.
What Is the Average Salary in Canada in 2026?
Statistics Canada's payroll survey puts average weekly earnings at $1,343.86 in June 2026 (seasonally adjusted), up 3.4% from June 2025. Its household survey shows employees averaged $37.02 an hour in August 2026, while the median was $31.00 an hour (not seasonally adjusted). Both measures include part-time workers.
The two numbers come from different surveys, so it helps to know which is which:
- Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (SEPH): built mainly from payroll deduction records that employers file with the Canada Revenue Agency, plus a sample survey of businesses. Average weekly earnings are gross pay before deductions, include overtime, and exclude the self-employed and agricultural employees. Source: table 14-10-0223-01, June 2026, seasonally adjusted.
- Labour Force Survey (LFS): a monthly household survey. Employees report the usual wages at their main job before taxes, including tips, commissions and bonuses. Source: table 14-10-0063-01, August 2026, not seasonally adjusted.
Wage growth is slowing. Average hourly wages rose 2.0% year over year in August 2026, after 3.3% in June and 2.8% in July. Statistics Canada said it was the slowest growth since November 2017, excluding 2021 (The Daily, September 4, 2026). The latest month of SEPH data is preliminary and is revised with the next release, so check the table for the newest figure.
Average Salary by Province
Alberta ($1,387.44) and Ontario ($1,383.94) had the highest average weekly earnings among the provinces in June 2026, followed by British Columbia ($1,351.02). Prince Edward Island ($1,193.19) and Manitoba ($1,210.66) had the lowest. All three territories averaged more than any province, led by Nunavut at $1,883.29 a week.
| Province or territory | Average weekly earnings, June 2026 (SEPH) | Full-time average weekly wage, 2025 (LFS) | Full-time median weekly wage, 2025 (LFS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $1,343.86 | $1,510.24 | $1,320.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $1,302.07 | $1,445.99 | $1,248.00 |
| Prince Edward Island | $1,193.19 | $1,236.58 | $1,133.25 |
| Nova Scotia | $1,229.95 | $1,341.53 | $1,192.13 |
| New Brunswick | $1,246.25 | $1,292.04 | $1,148.63 |
| Quebec | $1,291.91 | $1,415.83 | $1,254.40 |
| Ontario | $1,383.94 | $1,570.24 | $1,349.60 |
| Manitoba | $1,210.66 | $1,300.02 | $1,134.00 |
| Saskatchewan | $1,306.71 | $1,409.99 | $1,254.80 |
| Alberta | $1,387.44 | $1,599.56 | $1,399.64 |
| British Columbia | $1,351.02 | $1,572.71 | $1,383.60 |
| Yukon | $1,502.89 | Not available | Not available |
| Northwest Territories | $1,705.04 | Not available | Not available |
| Nunavut | $1,883.29 | Not available | Not available |
Sources: SEPH figures from Statistics Canada table 14-10-0223-01 (seasonally adjusted, including overtime; June 2026 is preliminary). LFS figures from table 14-10-0064-01 (annual 2025; this table excludes the territories). Full-time means usually working 30 hours or more a week at the main job.
On the full-time median, Alberta also ranked first in 2025 at $1,399.64 a week, followed by British Columbia ($1,383.60) and Ontario ($1,349.60). Prince Edward Island ($1,133.25) and Manitoba ($1,134.00) were lowest. A bigger paycheque does not always mean more take-home pay, because provincial income tax differs, so compare after-tax figures before deciding where to work.
Average vs Median Salary: Which Number Should You Use?
Use the median to judge what a typical worker earns and the average to track overall pay. An average adds up all pay and divides by the number of workers, so a small group of high earners pulls it up. The median is the middle worker: half earn less, half earn more.
Canadian pay shows the gap clearly. In 2025, the average hourly wage for all employees was $36.40, while the median was $30.77 (table 14-10-0064-01). For full-time employees, the average weekly wage was $1,510.24 and the median $1,320.00. In August 2026, the median hourly wage ($31.00) sat well below the average ($37.02), which means more than half of employees earned less than the average.
The spread across the pay scale explains why. In August 2026, employees in the bottom quarter of the wage distribution averaged $18.66 an hour, the second quarter $26.61, the third quarter $37.99 and the top quarter $65.15 (LFS, not seasonally adjusted). The top quarter lifts the overall average above what most people earn.
For salary research, compare yourself with the median for your occupation and region, not the national average. The national figure mixes part-time and full-time work, every industry and every level of experience.
Average Salary by Job in Canada
Pay varies far more by occupation than by province. Among the common jobs in Job Bank's national wage data below, median hourly wages range from $16.00 for cashiers to $56.49 for software engineers and designers. Registered nurses and elementary school teachers share a median of $43.27 an hour, and electricians sit at $35.00.
| Occupation (NOC 2021 code) | Low (10th percentile) | Median | High (90th percentile) | Median × 2,080 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software engineers and designers (21231) | $35.00 | $56.49 | $91.35 | $117,500 |
| Software developers and programmers (21232) | $30.00 | $48.08 | $76.92 | $100,000 |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (31301) | $30.00 | $43.27 | $54.37 | $90,000 |
| Elementary school and kindergarten teachers (41221) | $26.67 | $43.27 | $56.59 | $90,000 |
| Human resources professionals (11200) | $26.00 | $40.87 | $59.77 | $85,000 |
| Financial auditors and accountants (11100) | $25.00 | $40.36 | $71.43 | $83,900 |
| Electricians, except industrial and power system (72200) | $20.00 | $35.00 | $48.00 | $72,800 |
| Carpenters (72310) | $22.00 | $32.12 | $44.23 | $66,800 |
| Administrative assistants (13110) | $19.23 | $26.44 | $36.88 | $55,000 |
| Transport truck drivers (73300) | $19.45 | $26.42 | $37.00 | $55,000 |
| Early childhood educators and assistants (42202) | $16.95 | $22.30 | $30.03 | $46,400 |
| Cooks (63200) | $15.00 | $18.00 | $25.00 | $37,400 |
| Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers (64100) | $15.00 | $17.31 | $28.85 | $36,000 |
| Cashiers (65100) | $15.00 | $16.00 | $19.02 | $33,300 |
Source: Job Bank wages, national level, hourly, updated November 19, 2025, with a reference period of 2023 to 2024 (also published as open data). Job Bank's main source is the Labour Force Survey, and its methodology defines the low wage as the 10th percentile and the high wage as the 90th. The last column is our arithmetic (40 hours × 52 weeks), not an official figure; if your job has a shorter standard week, multiply by your actual hours.
Two cautions. First, these wages describe 2023 and 2024 pay, and average hourly wages have risen since (growth averaged 3.4% in 2025, according to Statistics Canada). Second, local pay differs: Job Bank also publishes each occupation's wages by province and economic region, which is the better comparison if you know where you will work. Job Bank reviews its wage data once a year, usually in the fall.
Why Posted Salary Ranges Differ From These Averages
Statistics Canada and Job Bank measure what current employees are paid. Salary ranges in job postings show what employers are offering for open roles right now. Postings lean toward occupations that are actively hiring, and a range has a floor and a ceiling rather than one pay rate, so the two measures rarely match.
LANDTHATROLE's salary guide and Canadian hiring report are built from the salary ranges employers include in their job postings. Use them to see what a specific role is advertising today. Use the Statistics Canada and Job Bank figures above to see how that pay compares with what people in the occupation earn across the workforce.
How to Use These Numbers When Job Hunting
Start with the Job Bank median for your occupation and region, then place yourself between the low and high wage based on your experience. Next, check the posted ranges on the specific roles you want. Finally, convert any offer into take-home pay before comparing provinces, since income tax rates differ.
- Find your NOC code. Search Job Bank by job title. Each wage page lists the five-digit National Occupational Classification code and wages for Canada, each province and each economic region.
- Read the percentiles. 10% of workers in the occupation earn at or below the low wage, and 90% earn at or below the high wage. The gap between the two shows how much room the occupation has for pay growth.
- Compare against live postings. Look at the ranges for your target title and city in current job listings, where salary ranges are shown when employers list them.
- Model take-home pay. Run each offer through the tax calculator, especially when comparing jobs in different provinces.
- Negotiate with data. Bring the occupation median and the posted range to the conversation. The salary negotiation guide covers what to say at each stage.
Sources and Reference Periods
Every figure in this article comes from Statistics Canada or Job Bank, the Government of Canada's job and labour market service. Payroll earnings for June 2026 were released on August 27, 2026, and Labour Force Survey wages for August 2026 on September 4, 2026. Newer months may be available when you read this, so check the tables below.
- Statistics Canada, table 14-10-0223-01: Employment and average weekly earnings (including overtime) for all employees by province and territory, monthly, seasonally adjusted. Reference period: June 2026 (preliminary).
- Statistics Canada, The Daily, August 27, 2026: Payroll employment, earnings and hours, and job vacancies, June 2026.
- Statistics Canada, table 14-10-0063-01: Employee wages by industry, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality. Reference period: August 2026.
- Statistics Canada, The Daily, September 4, 2026: Labour Force Survey, August 2026.
- Statistics Canada, table 14-10-0064-01: Employee wages by industry, annual. Reference period: 2025.
- Job Bank, Search wages: national wages updated November 19, 2025. Reference period: 2023 to 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary in Canada in 2026?
Statistics Canada reported average weekly earnings of $1,343.86 in June 2026 (seasonally adjusted, including overtime), or roughly $69,900 a year over 52 weeks. The figure includes part-time employees, so full-time pay is higher.
What is the median salary in Canada?
The median full-time weekly wage was $1,320 in 2025, about $68,600 over 52 weeks (Labour Force Survey, table 14-10-0064-01). For all employees, the median hourly wage was $31.00 in August 2026, not seasonally adjusted.
Which province has the highest average salary?
Among the provinces, Alberta had the highest average weekly earnings in June 2026 at $1,387.44, just ahead of Ontario at $1,383.94. The territories were higher still, led by Nunavut at $1,883.29.
Is $70,000 a year a good salary in Canada?
$70,000 a year is about $1,346 a week, close to the June 2026 national average weekly earnings of $1,343.86 and above the 2025 full-time median of $1,320 a week. How far it goes depends on your city, household and provincial taxes.
Why do salaries in job postings differ from Statistics Canada averages?
Posted ranges show what employers offer for open roles today, while Statistics Canada measures what all current employees are paid. The mix of occupations hiring and the use of a range instead of a single rate mean the two rarely match.
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