Highest-Paying Jobs in Canada 2026 (Ranked by NOC + Median Wage)

Canada's highest-paying jobs cluster in three fields: medicine, resource engineering, and senior tech / finance. Here's the 2026 ranking by Job Bank median wage, with NOC codes so you can dig into the source.

How this list is ranked

All figures are 2026 median wages from Job Bank Canada, cross-checked against Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey. Median beats average — average is skewed by outliers. When a role has a wide provincial spread we note the leader.

The top 20 highest-paying jobs

1. Specialist physicians — NOC 31102, TEER 1. Median ~$400,000. Requires residency + college certification.
2. Dental specialists — NOC 31110, TEER 1. Median ~$350,000.
3. Family physicians — NOC 31102, TEER 1. Median ~$280,000.
4. Dentists — NOC 31110, TEER 1. Median ~$220,000.
5. Senior managers — financial, communications — NOC 00012. Median ~$210,000.
6. Petroleum engineers — NOC 21331, TEER 1. Median ~$180,000 (Alberta leads).
7. Software development managers — NOC 20012. Median ~$165,000.
8. Pharmacists — NOC 31120, TEER 1. Median ~$140,000.
9. Senior software engineers (staff+) — NOC 21231. Median ~$150,000; Big Tech offices in Toronto/Vancouver clear $250k+ TC.
10. Air traffic controllers — NOC 22272, TEER 2. Median ~$135,000.
11. Financial managers — NOC 10010. Median ~$130,000.
12. Airline pilots — NOC 72600, TEER 2. Median ~$125,000 (senior captains clear $250k).
13. Investment bankers / M&A associates — NOC 11109. Base ~$120k, total comp $200–350k with bonus.
14. Nuclear power reactor operators — NOC 92100. Median ~$115,000.
15. Data scientists — NOC 21211, TEER 1. Median ~$115,000; FAANG in Canada $180k+ TC.
16. Optometrists — NOC 31111. Median ~$115,000.
17. Chiropractors — NOC 31201. Median ~$110,000.
18. Utilities managers — NOC 90010. Median ~$110,000.
19. Cybersecurity engineers — NOC 21220, TEER 1. Median ~$105,000.
20. Lawyers — NOC 41101, TEER 1. Median ~$100,000 (Bay St. firms $180k+ as associate).

Jobs that pay over $150k

Beyond the top 10, several roles reach $150k+ once you're senior or in the right region:

• Mining and forestry managers (NOC 80020) in Alberta / BC / Saskatchewan.
• Utilities and construction managers (NOC 70010) in northern regions with LOA/travel premiums.
• Actuaries (NOC 21210) with FSA / FCIA designation.
• Judges (NOC 41100) — appointment role, not applied to.
• Senior AI/ML engineers in Toronto and Montreal (NOC 21211).

Jobs that pay $100k without a Master's

• Software engineers — bachelor's, bootcamp, or self-taught. Big Tech Canadian offices don't require a Master's.
• Trades journeypersons — Red Seal electricians, pipefitters, ironworkers, boilermakers. Union roles + overtime routinely clear $100k, especially on turnarounds.
• Commercial pilots — after 3–5 years, first officer at a major carrier crosses $100k. No degree required; commercial licence + type rating is.
• Underground miners, drillers — NOC 82020. LOA + shift premiums in Sask/NWT can hit $120k.
• Locomotive engineers — NOC 72602. CN/CP after 5 years.
• Air traffic controllers — Nav Canada training programme, no degree, cross $100k within 3 years.
• Nuclear reactor operators — OPG / Bruce Power training, $100k+ within a few years.

Which industries pay the most

Aggregated across Canada, the highest-paying industries in 2026 are:

1. Oil, gas and mining extraction (avg hourly wage ~$52).
2. Utilities (~$46).
3. Finance and insurance (~$40).
4. Professional, scientific and technical services (~$40) — software, engineering, law, accounting.
5. Public administration (~$38) — federal government, defence.

How to break into a high-paying role

Three practical paths for career-changers:

• Software engineering: boot camp or self-taught → junior role at a Canadian scale-up → Big Tech Canada office (Toronto, Vancouver, Waterloo, Montreal). Realistic timeline: 3–5 years to $150k+.
• Trades: apprenticeship (2–4 years) → Red Seal certification → union work in a high-demand province. Realistic timeline: 4–6 years to $100k with overtime.
• Finance: CFA Level 1 while working → analyst role → associate at a Canadian bank or PE firm. Realistic timeline: 3–5 years to $150k total comp.

For salary negotiation once you land the interview, see our salary expectations guide. To make sure your resume gets past ATS, run it through our free ATS checker.