Fazlur Rahman
Software developers in Canada earn a median of $48.08 per hour based on the Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey 2023-2024 data published November 2025 via Job Bank. That translates to roughly $98,000 per year on full-time annual work hours. Senior engineers at the major Canadian tech hubs earn significantly more, often $150,000 to $300,000+ in total compensation when stock and equity vest.
The pay scale differs meaningfully by province. British Columbia leads at $52.40 per hour median, with Ontario and Alberta tied at $48.08. Within those provinces, Vancouver, Toronto, and Waterloo pay above the national median. The Atlantic and Prairie provinces report substantially lower medians, partly reflecting the smaller local tech markets and partly the lower cost-of-living adjustments.
Data last verified September 2026 from Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey (2023-2024) and Job Bank wage report for Software Developer (NOC 22548), published November 19, 2025.
At a glance
- National median software developer wage is $48.08/hr (~$98,000/year) per Job Bank November 2025.
- British Columbia leads provinces at $52.40/hr; Ontario and Alberta tied at $48.08/hr.
- Top decile engineers clear $76.92/hr (~$157,000+/year); senior+ with equity tops $250,000 TC.
- Vancouver, Toronto, Waterloo, and Calgary lead metros for tech-company pay levels.
Top provinces for software engineer pay
The provincial breakdown shows substantial variation. British Columbia leads, driven by Vancouver tech and gaming clusters. Ontario benefits from Toronto's deep financial-services and tech scene plus the Waterloo tech corridor. Alberta combines Calgary's growing tech scene with energy-sector demand. Quebec's Montreal has gaming, AI/ML, and the French language requirement that gives Canadian French-fluent developers a premium.
| Province | Median hourly wage (CAD) | Approximate annual full-time |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | $52.40 | ~$106,800 |
| Ontario | $48.08 | ~$98,000 |
| Alberta | $48.08 | ~$98,000 |
| Saskatchewan | $48.07 | ~$98,000 |
| Quebec | $45.67 | ~$93,100 |
| New Brunswick | $45.67 | ~$93,100 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $43.75 | ~$89,200 |
| Manitoba | $41.03 | ~$83,700 |
| Nova Scotia | $40.87 | ~$83,400 |
| Prince Edward Island | $38.46 | ~$78,500 |
Top metros for software engineering
The metro view captures where the work is. Vancouver benefits from tech giants' Canadian headquarters and growing AI-focused mid-stage companies. Toronto offers the largest tech job market. Waterloo is the birthplace of Canadian software with BlackBerry, Shopify, and a steady stream of startups. Calgary has emerged as the fastest-growing tech hub in 2025.
| Metro area | Median hourly wage (CAD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Mainland - Southwest (Vancouver) | $52.40 | Highest median, dense tech cluster |
| Toronto | $48.08 | Largest job market by volume |
| Ottawa | $50.26 | Federal government tech + SaaS |
| Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie | $48.35 | Shopify corridor, hardware/quantum |
| Calgary | $48.08 | Fastest growing 2025 market |
| Montreal | $45.67 | AI/ML + gaming, French language premium |
| Vancouver Island and Coast | $51.28 | Surprisingly high; growing remote hub |
Specialty premiums
Specialty matters more than province for top-decile pay. AI/ML engineer, cloud-native platform engineer, distributed systems engineer, security engineer, and senior engineering manager roles all command 15% to 40% premiums above the standard software developer median. Equity grants at high-growth private companies can transform total compensation into the upper six figures, sometimes seven.
Total compensation comparison
Cash compensation at most Canadian companies sits in the $48 to $52 per hour median range for mid-career engineers. Top-tier Canadian tech (Shopify, Wealthsimple, Clio, Stripe, Slack, MongoDB Canada) plus the bank tech arms (RBC, TD, BMO, Scotiabank) layer equity on top that can run 30% to 50% of total comp for senior engineers. The variance between employers is wider than the variance between provinces.
How US remote work has affected Canadian tech wages
Post-pandemic remote work opened higher-paying US remote roles to Canadian engineers, which has pulled Canadian cash wages up at the senior level. Many Canadian mid-career engineers now earn $130,000 to $180,000 in cash from US-remote employers, plus US-equivalent equity. This has narrowed the historic Canadian-US pay gap at senior levels while introducing new tax and immigration complications.
Frequently asked questions
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Methodology
Hourly wage figures are the median and 25th-to-75th percentile range for Software Developer (NOC 22548) from the Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey (2023-2024), published November 19, 2025 via the Job Bank. Provincial figures use direct LFS estimates where sample size supports publication, otherwise SAE model output.
Annual figures assume 1,950 to 2,080 full-time work hours. Total compensation figures draw on Tech Talent Canada salary reports and Robert Half Technology salary guides 2025/2026. ICTC forecasts continued strong demand for software developers through 2027, especially for AI/ML engineers, full-stack developers with cloud-native experience, and security-aware engineers. The federal Global Talent Stream accelerates hiring for roles paid above the prevailing wage threshold (,000+ for software roles in 2026). Equity compensation has expanded alongside this. Top employers (Shopify, Wealthsimple, Clio, Stripe, MongoDB Canada, plus bank tech arms) now routinely layer equity worth 30% to 50% of total compensation on top of base pay. Equity in private companies is illiquid and may vest over four years, but recent secondary liquidity events in 2025 (Shopify, Wealthsimple, Clio) and continued IPO activity have validated these packages. Total compensation at senior levels in Toronto and Vancouver now clears ,000 for top decile engineers and approaches ,000 for engineering managers and principals.
