If you’re looking to pursue a career as a nurse in Canada, you may be wondering what the salary is like. The truth is, it depends on where you work and what kind of position you hold.
Let’s start with the bottom line: according to the Canadian Association of Registered Nurse Regulators (CARNR), the average nurse makes about $1,000 per week.
However, there are many factors that can affect this amount—starting with your location. The CARNR reported that nurses working in Alberta make about $1,200 per week, while those in Saskatchewan make about $1,000. Nurses in Nova Scotia earn an average of $850 per week, while those in Prince Edward Island earn an average of $800.
If you’re looking for higher pay than these averages indicate, then consider moving to Ontario or British Columbia—where nurses earn about $1,250 per week each—or Manitoba—where they earn an average of $1,100 per week.
But even if you don’t move to one of these provinces or territories (or any other), the good news is that there are plenty of options available for increasing your pay rate as a nurse!
Nursing Salary In Canada
Many jobs in health care, including nursing, are regulated provincially or territorially. This means that things like standards for working conditions, hours, licensing, and nurse salaries can vary depending on where you live.
So, how much do nurses make in Canada? While it largely depends on their career level or specialty, location plays an important factor too. You can expect to make a different salary in Ontario than you would in, say, New Brunswick. Many things determine nursing salaries, for example the type of nurse you are, your years of experience, and your qualifications.
Whether you’re just starting out, midway through your career, or considering retirement in a few years, you may be wondering ‘exactly how much does a nurse make in Canada?’
Maybe you’re considering a move and need to know what kind of income you can reasonably expect to make in your new city or town. There are many sources with slightly different stats on this question (such as Neuvoo and Narcity), so we’ve compiled a list for you with some approximate average figures (keep in mind, these stats can change daily and are accurate as of the time of writing).
Nurse Salaries
In Canada, nurses make an average of $78,546 per year or $40.28 per hour. Entry level positions start at around $41,396 per year and students make anywhere from $20-30 per hour.
While most experienced workers make up to about $95,704 per year, the most qualified and experienced nurses in Canada can make $100,000 or more annually.
Here’s a general overview of the highest paying nurse professions out there:
While this video isn’t specific to Canada, it is accurate in that all the specialties listed pay well in Canada too.
Nurses Salary in Canada
Here’s a breakdown of the highest and lowest hourly nursing salaries, along with average nurses salary for each Canadian province and territory.*
You’ll notice Alberta and the Northwest Territories generally offer the highest-paid wages, while Manitoba, PEI, and Nunavut offer the lowest.
Additionally, for a more specific breakdown check out our article on the Average Nurse Practitioner Salary in Canada.
| Province | Highest hourly wage | Lowest hourly wage | Average nursing salary |
| AB | $55.93 (Clinical Nurse Specialist with 9 years’ experience) | $27.68 (undergraduate nurse) | $94,322 |
| BC | $53.14 (Level 6, or an RN or RPN working for over 9 years) | $27.20 (Level 1, or an LPN working for 1 year or less) | $78,546 |
| MB | $67.13 (weekend worker, Class 5 with over 20 years’ experience) | $30.58 (LPN in early career) | $41,396 |
| NB | $52.21 (Class D Registered Nurse with experience level F) | $31.32 (Class A RN starting out or a graduate nurse) | $69,030 |
| NL | $56.50 (class 37 Nurse Specialist with Level 6 experience) | $31.82 (unregistered or student nurse) | $78,059 |
| NS | $55.47 (specialty or primary health NPs with over 25 years’ experience) | $20.15 (LPN or Graduate Practical Nurse starting out) | $81,670 |
| ON | $46.11 (nurses working for over 25 years) | $32.21 (RNs just starting out; excluding overtime/weekend/ holiday premiums) | $76,362 |
| PEI | $56.38 (NP with over 25 years’ experience) | $32.48 (Level 1 RN in early career) | $65,228 |
| QC | $53.49 (specialty NP with at least 18 years’ experience) | $20.73 (child or baby nurses just starting out) | $67,694 |
| SK | $58.69 (Step 5 Nurse Practitioner) | $31.07 (unlicensed grads) | $78,390 |
| NT | data not available | data not available | $103,467 |
| NU | data not available | data not available | $24,736 |
| YT | data not available | data not available | $88,834 |
Nursing Salaries for RNs
According to the Canadian Nurses Association, of the 430,000 nurses in Canada, the vast majority (about 70%) are registered nurses (RNs). This could very well be you, whether you’re already an RN (you have passed either the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination or the Quebec examination and have registered with your provincial or territorial regulatory body), or you’re considering becoming this type of nurse.
So, how much does a Canadian RN make?
RNs in Canada make an average of $80,122 per year or $41.09 per hour. Salaries for entry level positions start at around $41,396 per year while more experienced workers can make up to about $94,322 per year.
Here is a breakdown of the average nursing salary for RNs, for each Canadian province and territory.* You’ll generally find the highest paid RNs are in Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, while the lowest paid RNs are in Manitoba and PEI.
| AB | $94,322 |
| BC | $78,546 |
| ON | $76,362 |
| MB | $41,396 |
| NB | $72,053 |
| NL | $78,059 |
| NS | $81,896 |
| PEI | $69,713 |
| SK | $91,640 |
| NT | $94,107 |
| NU | $94,322 |
| YT | $88,869 |
–
