Average Salary in Ontario in 2026 (By City and Industry)

Updated April 5, 2026

The average salary in Ontario in 2026 is approximately $66,500 per year, slightly above the national median of $63,000, as the average salary in Canada, but with massive variation depending on where in the province you work and what industry you are in.

Ontario is two very different labour markets operating under one provincial banner. The Greater Toronto Area is a globally competitive financial and technology hub with salaries to match. Northern and rural Ontario operate more like Atlantic Canada, with lower costs, lower wages, and a labour market driven by healthcare, public sector, and resource industries.

Average Salary in Toronto 2026

Toronto’s average salary is approximately $75,000, among the highest of any major Canadian city. The financial district, technology companies concentrated around the MaRS Discovery District and the Waterloo corridor, and the legal and consulting sectors all significantly raise the average. Entry-level technology roles in Toronto start at $65,000 to $80,000. Senior software engineers and financial analysts earn $110,000 to $160,000.

The critical qualifier is the cost of living. Toronto’s average one-bedroom rent exceeded $2,400 per month in 2026, and a detached home in most Toronto neighbourhoods costs over $1 million. A $75,000 salary in Toronto leaves limited financial room compared to what the same salary provides in virtually any other Ontario city.

Average Salary in Ottawa 2026

Ottawa’s salary profile is shaped almost entirely by the federal government. The National Capital Region is home to the largest concentration of federal public servants in the country, and government salaries governed by federal collective agreements provide a stable floor for the entire regional labour market. The average salary in Ottawa is approximately $72,000. Technology employment at federal contractors and private firms adds a high-earning layer on top of the government base.

Average Salary Across the Rest of Ontario 2026

Outside the GTA and Ottawa, Ontario, salaries track significantly closer to the national median. Hamilton averages around $62,000, driven by healthcare, manufacturing, and the educational sector anchored by McMaster University. London sits at approximately $60,000. Kitchener-Waterloo punches above its size at around $67,000, driven by a technology cluster that has made it one of the most significant tech employment centres in Canada outside Toronto and Vancouver.

Northern Ontario cities Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie averages $57,000 to $63,000 in base salaries, but trades and healthcare workers in these communities earn wages that substantially exceed the regional average. A unionized nurse or licensed electrician in Thunder Bay earns as much as their counterpart in Toronto, with a dramatically lower cost of living.

Highest Paying Industries in Ontario 2026

Finance and insurance remain Ontario’s highest-paying industry, with average wages above $90,000. Professional, scientific, and technical services, which include technology, legal, consulting, and accounting, average $82,000. Healthcare and social assistance employ the largest number of workers and pay an average of $70,000 across all roles, from PSWs to surgeons. Manufacturing, which remains a significant employer in communities like Windsor, Oshawa, and the Niagara region, averages $58,000.

ONTARIO MINIMUM WAGE 2026

Ontario’s general minimum wage increased to $17.20 per hour on October 1, 2025, with a further increase scheduled for October 2026 tied to the Consumer Price Index. Student’s minimum wage is $16.20 per hour. These rates apply to all provincially regulated employers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary in Ontario in 2026?

The average (median) salary in Ontario is approximately $66,500 per year in 2026. The mean average, pulled upward by high earners in finance and technology, is closer to $72,000. Toronto salaries average $75,000; Northern Ontario averages $57,000 to $63,000.

What is a good salary in Toronto in 2026?

Given Toronto’s cost of living, $80,000 to $90,000 is the threshold most financial planners use for “comfortable single adult” in the city in 2026. A household income of $140,000 to $160,000 supports a family lifestyle, including home ownership in most Toronto neighbourhoods, though achieving that still requires significant savings discipline.

What jobs pay the most in Ontario?

The highest-paying occupations in Ontario in 2026 are physicians and surgeons, financial managers, lawyers and judges, senior government managers, software engineering managers, and licensed trades workers in industrial sectors. Outside professional roles, industrial electricians and pipefitters working on major Ontario infrastructure and energy projects regularly earn $100,000 to $130,000.