Average Engineer Salary by Discipline
| Engineering Discipline | Entry Level (0–3 yr) | Mid-Career (4–9 yr) | Senior (10+ yr) | Management/Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software engineering | $70,000–$110,000 | $110,000–$170,000 | $150,000–$250,000+ | $180,000–$350,000+ |
| Petroleum engineering | $75,000–$110,000 | $110,000–$160,000 | $140,000–$200,000 | $170,000–$250,000 |
| Mining engineering | $70,000–$100,000 | $100,000–$140,000 | $130,000–$180,000 | $150,000–$220,000 |
| Chemical engineering | $65,000–$90,000 | $90,000–$130,000 | $120,000–$170,000 | $140,000–$200,000 |
| Electrical engineering | $60,000–$85,000 | $85,000–$120,000 | $110,000–$160,000 | $130,000–$190,000 |
| Mechanical engineering | $58,000–$80,000 | $80,000–$115,000 | $105,000–$155,000 | $130,000–$185,000 |
| Aerospace engineering | $60,000–$85,000 | $85,000–$125,000 | $115,000–$165,000 | $140,000–$200,000 |
| Biomedical engineering | $55,000–$80,000 | $80,000–$120,000 | $110,000–$160,000 | $130,000–$190,000 |
| Civil engineering | $55,000–$75,000 | $75,000–$110,000 | $100,000–$145,000 | $120,000–$180,000 |
| Environmental engineering | $55,000–$75,000 | $75,000–$105,000 | $95,000–$140,000 | $120,000–$170,000 |
| Industrial engineering | $55,000–$78,000 | $78,000–$110,000 | $100,000–$145,000 | $120,000–$175,000 |
| Structural engineering | $55,000–$78,000 | $78,000–$115,000 | $105,000–$155,000 | $125,000–$185,000 |
Software Engineer Salary by Company Type
| Company Type | Junior (0–2 yr) | Intermediate (3–5 yr) | Senior (6+ yr) | Staff/Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAANG/Big Tech (Canada offices) | $100,000–$130,000 | $140,000–$200,000 | $200,000–$350,000+ | $300,000–$500,000+ |
| Shopify, Wealthsimple, etc. | $80,000–$110,000 | $110,000–$160,000 | $160,000–$240,000 | $220,000–$350,000 |
| Mid-size tech | $65,000–$90,000 | $90,000–$130,000 | $130,000–$180,000 | $160,000–$220,000 |
| Startup | $55,000–$85,000 | $85,000–$130,000 | $120,000–$180,000 | $150,000+ + equity |
| Non-tech company (IT dept) | $55,000–$75,000 | $75,000–$105,000 | $100,000–$140,000 | $130,000–$170,000 |
| Government | $60,000–$80,000 | $80,000–$105,000 | $100,000–$130,000 | $120,000–$150,000 |
| Consulting | $60,000–$90,000 | $90,000–$130,000 | $125,000–$175,000 | $150,000–$220,000 |
Big Tech total compensation includes base salary + stock (RSUs) + bonus. Base alone may be $120K–$180K for seniors, but total comp reaches $250K–$400K+.
Engineer Salary by Province
| Province | General Engineer Avg | Software Engineer Avg | Oil & Gas Engineer Avg | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $85,000–$130,000 | $90,000–$150,000 | $100,000–$200,000 | Oil & gas premium |
| Ontario | $75,000–$120,000 | $85,000–$200,000+ | N/A | Toronto tech hub |
| British Columbia | $72,000–$115,000 | $80,000–$180,000 | N/A | Vancouver tech hub |
| Saskatchewan | $72,000–$110,000 | $70,000–$110,000 | $90,000–$150,000 | Mining, potash |
| Quebec | $65,000–$100,000 | $70,000–$140,000 | N/A | Montreal AI hub |
| Manitoba | $65,000–$100,000 | $65,000–$110,000 | N/A | Aerospace |
| New Brunswick | $58,000–$90,000 | $60,000–$100,000 | N/A | Lower cost of living |
| Nova Scotia | $58,000–$90,000 | $60,000–$105,000 | N/A | Growing tech sector |
| Newfoundland | $65,000–$100,000 | $60,000–$95,000 | $90,000–$150,000 | Offshore oil |
Engineering Career Path
| Stage | Duration | Earnings | Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering degree (BEng/BASc) | 4 years | −$30,000–$80,000 (tuition) | None |
| Engineer-in-Training (EIT) | 4 years | $55,000–$100,000/year | EIT |
| P.Eng license | After 4 yr experience | Salary bump (~5–15%) | P.Eng |
| Senior engineer | 8–15 years | $100,000–$180,000 | P.Eng |
| Engineering manager | 10+ years | $120,000–$200,000+ | P.Eng + MBA (optional) |
| VP Engineering/Director | 15+ years | $150,000–$300,000+ | — |
| Master’s degree (MEng/MASc) | 1–2 years | Salary bump $5K–$15K | — |
| PhD | 4–6 years | $25,000–$35,000/yr stipend | — |
Canada vs US Engineering Salary Comparison
| Discipline | Canada (CAD) | US (USD) | US (CAD equiv.) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software (senior) | $150,000–$250,000 | $150,000–$350,000+ | $205,000–$480,000 | 30–50% higher in US |
| Mechanical (mid) | $80,000–$115,000 | $80,000–$110,000 | $110,000–$150,000 | 20–30% higher in US |
| Civil (mid) | $75,000–$110,000 | $75,000–$100,000 | $103,000–$137,000 | 20–25% higher in US |
| Petroleum (senior) | $140,000–$200,000 | $140,000–$200,000 | $192,000–$274,000 | 25–35% higher in US |
The US-Canada gap is largest in software engineering due to Big Tech compensation structures (heavy stock-based comp in the US).
Top Industries for Engineers by Pay
| Industry | Avg Engineer Salary | Top Disciplines | Growth Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil & gas | $100,000–$200,000 | Petroleum, chemical, mechanical | Cyclical |
| Technology | $85,000–$250,000+ | Software, data, ML/AI | Strong |
| Mining | $90,000–$180,000 | Mining, geological, mechanical | Moderate |
| Nuclear/power generation | $85,000–$150,000 | Nuclear, electrical, mechanical | Growing |
| Aerospace/defence | $80,000–$165,000 | Aerospace, mechanical, electrical | Growing |
| Construction/infrastructure | $70,000–$140,000 | Civil, structural, geotechnical | Strong |
| Manufacturing | $65,000–$130,000 | Mechanical, industrial, electrical | Stable |
| Consulting | $65,000–$150,000 | All disciplines | Stable |
| Government/public sector | $65,000–$130,000 | Civil, environmental, electrical | Stable |