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).
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, Canada’s most qualified and experienced nurses 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.
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.
| 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 | not available | $103,467 | |
| NU | $24,736 | ||
| YT | $88,834 |
||
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 |
PEI | $69,713 |
| BC | $78,546 | QC | $71,624 |
| MB | $41,396 | SK | $91,640 |
| NB | $72,053 | NT | $94,107 |
| NL | $78,059 | NU | $94,322 |
| NS | $81,896 | YT | $88,869 |
| ON | $76,362 |
Registered Nurse Salaries from MAJOR provinces in Canada
Here’s a quick rundown of RN salaries across major provinces:
If you are a Registered Practical Nurse in Canada, you might expect to make an average nurse salary of $56,407. Canadian Licensed Practical Nurses earn around $55,712, on average, and the salary of Personal Support Workers is about $37,949.
So, how much do nurses make in Canada? Ultimately this varies across the country – it depends on Things like standards for working conditions and hours, licensing, and specialty. How much nurses make, and how much RNs make, in Canada depends on their nursing specialty or type, years of experience, and qualifications.
Location is key as well – as how much nurses and RNs make in Canada can be quite different across each province and territory. Be sure to consider this if you’re looking to make a move or just want to know where you stack up against your fellow Canadian nurses.
* Source: Neuvoo.ca. The amount of data was inconsistent across all locations, so some provinces or territories may show higher or lower average salaries depending on the number of current, open job postings.
AUTHOR
Megan Avalos is an avid reader and loves to sneak away when she can for a quiet moment with a coffee and her latest book. When she's not lost in pages, she's busy chasing her two wonderful boys and making the most of outdoor adventures.
With 14 years of experience in insurance account management, Megan specializes in underwriting, risk assessment, client engagement, and operational enhancements. Beyond insurance, she loves writing about the latest deals, travel, and trends. Connect with her on LinkedIn.