There is no single figure that makes a salary good in Canada. A useful starting point is where an income ranks against everyone else’s, which tax data shows precisely, and then the things that decide how far that income goes: where you live, how many people it supports, your stage of career and what you owe. This page covers both, with links to a closer look at each common salary level. It is part of the income percentiles section.

Where each salary level ranks

Statistics Canada counts tax filers by income-size group. The table shows, for 2023, the share of Canadians with income who reported less than each amount, with the median for reference.

Annual income	Share of Canadians with income below this amount
$25,000	27.5%
$35,000	40.0%
$45,000 (median)	50%
$50,000	54.8%
$75,000	73.9%
$100,000	85.2%
$150,000	94.6%
$200,000	97.4%
$250,000	98.5%

The median Canadian with income reported $45,000. These shares include everyone who filed a return with income: part-time workers, students and retirees as well as full-time employees. Among full-time workers only, the same salary ranks lower, because their incomes are higher on average. The income percentile calculator ranks a specific income by province and by age group.

A closer look at common salaries

Each of these pages shows where one salary ranks, what it pays after tax and what it covers in the big cities:

What decides whether a salary is good

Where you live

Housing is the largest cost for most households, and it varies widely between Canadian cities. The same salary can leave a comfortable margin in one city and very little in another. The cost of living by province and city pages such as Toronto and Winnipeg set out the main costs. Incomes vary by place too, and the province and city pages in this section show each local distribution.

How many people it supports

A salary that is comfortable for one person can be tight as the only income for a family, while two moderate salaries together often put a household well up the distribution. For couples and families, the right comparison is combined income against other households: see the household income percentiles. Whether a household counts as middle income is covered in am I considered middle class?

Your age and career stage

Earnings usually rise through the twenties and thirties, peak in mid-career and fall as people move into retirement. A salary that is high for a 25-year-old can be ordinary for a 45-year-old in the same field; income by age in Canada shows the pattern.

Taxes and deductions

What reaches your bank account is lower than the salary, and the gap grows with income because each extra dollar is taxed at a higher marginal rate. The salary after tax calculator shows take-home pay in every province.

Debts and savings goals

Student loans, a car loan, credit card balances or child care costs take a fixed bite out of every paycheque, and saving for a home or retirement takes another. Two people on the same salary can have very different room to spare.

Average, median and percentile

The average income is pulled up by a small number of very high earners, so most Canadians earn less than the average. The median, the income in the middle, is closer to a typical income, and percentiles show the whole spread. The median income in Canada and average salary in Canada pages have both measures by province.

Sources

The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them on October 4, 2026. How we check facts.

Statistics Canada: Tax filers and dependants with income by total income, sex and age

What Is a Good Salary in Canada? Salary Percentiles Explained