Human resources work spans three occupations in Canada’s National Occupational Classification: human resources and recruitment officers (NOC 12101), human resources professionals (NOC 11200) and human resources managers (NOC 10011). Job Bank publishes wages for each, and the 2021 Census reports what HR professionals and HR managers earned in 2020. This page compares the three and explains the HR designations, which differ between Ontario and the rest of the country. It belongs to the salary by profession hub; what managers earn puts HR managers next to other management jobs, and what accountants earn covers another business profession with a designation path.
HR officers, professionals and managers compared
Job Bank’s national wages for the three HR occupations, on the same basis:
| Occupation (NOC) | Low (per hour) | Median (per hour) | High (per hour) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human resources and recruitment officers (12101) | $22.00 | $33.33 | $52.73 |
| Human resources professionals (11200) | $26.00 | $40.87 | $59.77 |
| Human resources managers (10011) | $37.94 | $57.69 | $87.18 |
Source: Job Bank wages (Employment and Social Development Canada), 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey. Low is the 10th percentile and high the 90th percentile of wages.
At the national median, an HR manager earns $16.82 an hour more than an HR professional, and an HR professional $7.54 more than an HR or recruitment officer.
HR professional wages by province
Job Bank’s national figures for human resources professionals cover 2023-2024 and come from the Labour Force Survey. The median is $40.87 an hour; for 37.5 hours a week over 52 weeks (1,950 hours) that is about $79,697 a year. For HR managers, the same hours at their national median of $57.69 come to about $112,496.
| Region | Low (per hour) | Median (per hour) | High (per hour) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $26.00 | $40.87 | $59.77 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $27.00 | $39.27 | $57.95 |
| Prince Edward Island | $25.00 | $33.65 | $51.79 |
| Nova Scotia | $26.92 | $37.00 | $56.41 |
| New Brunswick | $27.00 | $35.00 | $52.89 |
| Quebec | $27.40 | $42.00 | $59.39 |
| Ontario | $25.48 | $39.90 | $62.02 |
| Manitoba | $23.00 | $38.94 | $53.00 |
| Saskatchewan | $24.98 | $37.53 | $62.50 |
| Alberta | $24.23 | $42.31 | $57.00 |
| British Columbia | $27.00 | $43.27 | $57.33 |
| Yukon | $32.00 | $42.38 | $61.99 |
| Northwest Territories | $33.65 | $58.00 | $71.28 |
| Nunavut | $35.00 | $43.00 | $51.00 |
Source: Job Bank wages (Employment and Social Development Canada), NOC 11200, 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey. Low is the 10th percentile and high the 90th percentile of wages.
What HR workers earned in 2020: the Census
The Census figures are 2020 employment income for people who worked full year, full time. Nationally, HR professionals had a median of $79,500 and HR managers $99,000. The inflation-adjusted columns convert those 2020 amounts to today’s dollars with the Consumer Price Index; Job Bank, above, is the newer measure of pay.
| Occupation | Median, 2020 | Median in August 2026 dollars | Average in August 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human resources managers | $99,000 | $122,700 | $137,900 |
| Human resources professionals | $79,500 | $98,600 | $111,000 |
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population, Table 98-10-0586-01: employment income in 2020 of people who worked full year, full time. Columns in August 2026 dollars multiply the 2020 figure by the change in the Consumer Price Index from its 2020 average to August 2026 and round to the nearest $100; they are not newer survey results.
By province, for human resources professionals:
| Province | Median, 2020 | Median in August 2026 dollars | Average in August 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $79,500 | $98,600 | $111,000 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $81,000 | $100,400 | $109,100 |
| Prince Edward Island | $78,000 | $96,700 | $97,300 |
| Nova Scotia | $75,500 | $93,600 | $96,300 |
| New Brunswick | $66,500 | $82,400 | $86,800 |
| Quebec | $77,500 | $96,100 | $103,800 |
| Ontario | $80,000 | $99,200 | $116,400 |
| Manitoba | $71,500 | $88,600 | $98,900 |
| Saskatchewan | $85,000 | $105,400 | $110,000 |
| Alberta | $87,000 | $107,900 | $121,900 |
| British Columbia | $81,000 | $100,400 | $112,700 |
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population, Table 98-10-0586-01: employment income in 2020 of people who worked full year, full time. Columns in August 2026 dollars multiply the 2020 figure by the change in the Consumer Price Index from its 2020 average to August 2026 and round to the nearest $100; they are not newer survey results.
HR designations: CPHR and Ontario’s HRPA
HR designations are granted by provincial associations, and Ontario uses a different system from the rest of the country.
- CPHR (Chartered Professional in Human Resources). CPHR Canada says its member associations in nine provinces and three territories kept a single designation, the CPHR. The designation replaced the CHRP in those jurisdictions when the national body changed its name to CPHR Canada in October 2016.
- Ontario (HRPA). The Human Resources Professional Association chose a three-tiered designation instead, with levels CHRP, CHRL, and CHRE. HRPA describes the CHRP (Certified Human Resources Professional) as for HR professionals in administrative roles, the CHRL (Certified Human Resources Leader) as for professionals in specialist or generalist roles who manage projects, programs, and initiatives, and the CHRE (Certified Human Resources Executive) as recognizing senior HR leaders who oversee HR functions. The CHRP and CHRL both start with coursework: on HRPA’s standard route, approved courses in 9 subject areas, with other routes that count challenge exams, other education, designations or HR experience. Each then requires a knowledge exam and an employment law exam. The CHRP also requires HRPA’s online Job Ready Program; the CHRL requires 3 years of professional-level HR experience within the 10 years before applying, and a degree, which doesn’t have to be in human resources.
CPHR Canada notes that HRPA made the CHRP, which had been the designation shared across the country, its entry-level designation, which is why the rest of the country moved to the CPHR name. Neither Job Bank nor the Census reports pay by designation.
HR in the public sector
Governments employ HR staff under their own classification and pay scales, set by collective agreements or pay plans. The government workers pay page covers public-sector pay.
Related pages
- Salary by profession in Canada
- How much managers make in Canada
- How much accountants make in Canada
- How much government workers make in Canada
- How much marketing managers make in Canada
→ Back to: Canadian Income Guide
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them between September 24, 2026 and October 4, 2026. How we check facts.
- cphr.ca: CPHR Designation - CPHR/CRHA Canada | CPHR/CRHA Canada
- Government of Canada: Wages - Open Government Portal
- hrpa.ca: Designations - HRPA
- Statistics Canada: Statistics Canada
- Statistics Canada: Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted
- Statistics Canada: Consumer Price Index, monthly, not seasonally adjusted