Unionized nurses in Canada are paid under collective agreements that set an hourly rate for each step of experience, and each province has its own. This page gathers three sources: Job Bank’s current hourly wages for registered nurses (RNs), nurse practitioners (NPs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs), the 2021 Census incomes, and one collective agreement grid as an example of how pay rises with experience. It is part of the salary by profession hub; what midwives make and what physiotherapists make are covered on their own pages.
Hourly wages by nursing role
Job Bank’s figures for nurses come from the Labour Force Survey. They include tips and commissions, before taxes and other deductions, and they do not include non-wage benefits (Job Bank, Questions and Answers on Wages). Low is the 10th percentile and high the 90th.
| Occupation (NOC) | Low (per hour) | Median (per hour) | High (per hour) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (31301) | $30.00 | $43.27 | $54.37 |
| Nurse practitioners (31302) | $42.00 | $61.54 | $75.00 |
| Licensed practical nurses (32101) | $25.00 | $31.32 | $38.00 |
| Nursing coordinators and supervisors (31300) | $29.11 | $46.43 | $59.00 |
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.
Turning an hourly wage into a yearly figure takes an hours assumption. At 37.5 hours a week for 52 weeks, the RN median works out to $84,377 a year and the NP median to $120,003, before overtime, premiums and unpaid time off. Part-time nurses, and nurses whose agreement sets different hours, earn a different amount.Registered nurse wages by province
| Region | Low (per hour) | Median (per hour) | High (per hour) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $30.00 | $43.27 | $54.37 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $33.65 | $44.00 | $52.00 |
| Prince Edward Island | $31.50 | $42.00 | $49.98 |
| Nova Scotia | $30.20 | $41.50 | $50.00 |
| New Brunswick | $31.00 | $44.77 | $49.00 |
| Quebec | $27.00 | $40.00 | $50.00 |
| Ontario | $29.00 | $42.00 | $55.00 |
| Manitoba | $34.00 | $45.00 | $52.40 |
| Saskatchewan | $38.00 | $47.13 | $52.20 |
| Alberta | $30.00 | $47.50 | $54.49 |
| British Columbia | $35.00 | $47.58 | $57.00 |
| Yukon | $33.00 | $48.50 | $60.88 |
| Northwest Territories | $45.00 | $58.00 | $69.23 |
| Nunavut | $45.00 | $57.99 | $71.57 |
Source: Job Bank wages (Employment and Social Development Canada), NOC 31301, 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey. Low is the 10th percentile and high the 90th percentile of wages.
Nurse practitioners by province:
| Region | Low (per hour) | Median (per hour) | High (per hour) | Period and data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $42.00 | $61.54 | $75.00 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $49.50 | $54.00 | $62.40 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| Prince Edward Island | $37.74 | $50.65 | $59.54 | 2024, Small Area Estimation |
| Nova Scotia | $41.41 | $55.88 | $67.63 | 2024, Small Area Estimation |
| New Brunswick | $50.00 | $59.00 | $66.00 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| Quebec | $40.00 | $57.69 | $66.26 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| Ontario | $40.00 | $62.00 | $75.00 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| Manitoba | $50.00 | $55.00 | $63.00 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| Saskatchewan | $43.04 | $56.14 | $67.79 | 2024, Small Area Estimation |
| Alberta | $38.88 | $53.25 | $67.85 | 2024, Small Area Estimation |
| British Columbia | $42.49 | $59.53 | $74.59 | 2024, Small Area Estimation |
Source: Job Bank wages (Employment and Social Development Canada), NOC 31302. Low is the 10th percentile and high the 90th percentile of wages.
For some provinces Job Bank draws the NP figure from a Small Area Estimation rather than the Labour Force Survey; the source column shows which. Licensed practical nurses by province (in Ontario the regulated title is registered practical nurse, or RPN, per the College of Nurses of Ontario):
| Region | Low (per hour) | Median (per hour) | High (per hour) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $25.00 | $31.32 | $38.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $26.44 | $29.58 | $32.08 |
| Prince Edward Island | $25.00 | $31.00 | $32.25 |
| Nova Scotia | $28.00 | $30.42 | $35.11 |
| New Brunswick | $27.00 | $31.50 | $35.00 |
| Quebec | $24.21 | $30.00 | $33.00 |
| Ontario | $25.32 | $31.00 | $37.94 |
| Manitoba | $25.00 | $33.57 | $38.57 |
| Saskatchewan | $33.00 | $38.09 | $42.00 |
| Alberta | $25.80 | $32.00 | $36.00 |
| British Columbia | $29.00 | $34.57 | $42.00 |
| Yukon | $38.00 | $43.50 | $53.00 |
| Northwest Territories | $30.00 | $44.15 | $48.86 |
Source: Job Bank wages (Employment and Social Development Canada), NOC 32101, 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey. Low is the 10th percentile and high the 90th percentile of wages.
One agreement’s grid: Ontario hospital RNs
The Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) hospital provincial agreement (formerly the central agreement) covers RNs at the participating Ontario hospitals and runs from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2027. Pay rises by step with years of service. The full-time RN grid below is the one in effect from April 1, 2026, after a 2.25% increase on that date (ONA, highlights of the hospital agreement). Part-time RNs under the same agreement are paid on a separate grid whose hourly rates include a percentage in lieu of benefits. Other provinces, and Ontario nurses outside hospitals, have their own agreements and grids.
The annual column multiplies each hourly rate by 37.5 hours a week for 52 weeks, the same assumption used for the Job Bank medians earlier on this page; it is an illustration, not a figure from the agreement.
| Step | Hourly rate | Annual at that schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Start | $41.15 | $80,243 |
| 1 year | $42.18 | $82,251 |
| 2 years | $43.24 | $84,318 |
| 3 years | $45.18 | $88,101 |
| 4 years | $47.21 | $92,060 |
| 5 years | $49.57 | $96,662 |
| 6 years | $52.05 | $101,498 |
| 7 years | $54.65 | $106,568 |
| 8 years | $58.98 | $115,011 |
Nurses’ 2020 employment income
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses who worked full year, full time had a median employment income of $90,000 in 2020, and British Columbia’s $97,000 was the highest provincial median. Employment income counts wages, salaries and commissions from paid employment and net self-employment income from farm or non-farm unincorporated business and/or professional practice, so it is everything a nurse was paid in 2020, not a base rate.
| Occupation | Median, 2020 | Median in September 2026 dollars | Average in September 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed practical nurses | $63,600 | $78,900 | $78,200 |
| Nurse practitioners | $118,000 | $146,500 | $142,700 |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | $90,000 | $111,700 | $109,200 |
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 September 2026 dollars multiply the 2020 figure by the change in the Consumer Price Index from its 2020 average to September 2026 and round to the nearest $100; they are not newer survey results.
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses, 2020 income by province:
| Province | Median, 2020 | Median in September 2026 dollars | Average in September 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $90,000 | $111,700 | $109,200 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $93,000 | $115,400 | $112,500 |
| Prince Edward Island | $81,000 | $100,500 | $94,100 |
| Nova Scotia | $89,000 | $110,500 | $103,900 |
| New Brunswick | $81,000 | $100,500 | $96,800 |
| Quebec | $86,000 | $106,700 | $105,300 |
| Ontario | $89,000 | $110,500 | $107,700 |
| Manitoba | $91,000 | $113,000 | $111,300 |
| Saskatchewan | $95,000 | $117,900 | $116,700 |
| Alberta | $95,000 | $117,900 | $114,300 |
| British Columbia | $97,000 | $120,400 | $116,400 |
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 September 2026 dollars multiply the 2020 figure by the change in the Consumer Price Index from its 2020 average to September 2026 and round to the nearest $100; they are not newer survey results.
What the wage figures leave out
Overtime rates and shift and weekend premiums are set by each collective agreement, pensions come from the employer’s pension plan (every Ontario hospital, for example, takes part in the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan), and Job Bank’s wages exclude non-wage benefits. How workplace pensions work is covered in the pensions section, and union dues are deductible on your return (union dues deduction). For take-home pay after tax, CPP and EI, see the income tax section.
Related pages
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them between September 24, 2026 and November 13, 2026. How we check facts.
- Government of Canada: Wages - Open Government Portal
- jobbank.gc.ca: Questions and Answers on Wages - Job Bank
- ona.org: HIGHLIGHTS OF COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT CHANGES AS A
- Statistics Canada (3): Statistics CanadaConsumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjustedConsumer Price Index, monthly, not seasonally adjusted