Trade Wage Benchmark
Compare low, median and high pay for skilled trades using the Canada Job Bank national wage report, then jump straight to live jobs in your trade.
Benchmark a trade wage
See where you sit in the national range.
Median wage — Construction Electrician
$35.00/hr
- Low (entry)
- $20.00/hr
- High (top)
- $48.00/hr
- Median annual (full-time)
- $72,800.00
- Range (annual, full-time)
- $41,600.00 – $99,840.00
Where pay falls (per hour)
How this is calculated
Annual equivalent
hourly × 40 h/week × 52 weeks
= $35.00 × 40 × 52
$72,800.00
What is $30 an hour annually?
At a full-time schedule of 40 hours a week over 52 weeks, $30/hour = $30 × 40 × 52 = $62,400 a year. Divide by 12 for $5,200 a month, by 26 for $2,400 every two weeks, or by 52 for $1,200 a week. The calculator runs this both ways — type any pay period and it fills in all the others.
Hourly wage to annual salary (40 h/week, 52 weeks)
| Hourly | Weekly | Bi-weekly | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $20 | $800 | $1,600 | $3,467 | $41,600 |
| $25 | $1,000 | $2,000 | $4,333 | $52,000 |
| $30 | $1,200 | $2,400 | $5,200 | $62,400 |
| $35 | $1,400 | $2,800 | $6,067 | $72,800 |
| $40 | $1,600 | $3,200 | $6,933 | $83,200 |
| $50 | $2,000 | $4,000 | $8,667 | $104,000 |
Trade wages in Canada — national low / median / high ($/hr)
| Trade | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction electrician | $20.00 | $35.00 | $48.00 |
| Plumber | $21.00 | $34.00 | $46.00 |
| Carpenter | $22.00 | $32.12 | $44.23 |
| Welder | $22.00 | $30.00 | $47.00 |
| Heavy-duty equipment mechanic | $23.87 | $37.12 | $55.00 |
| Refrigeration & A/C (HVAC) | $22.00 | $37.50 | $56.00 |
| Ironworker | $29.00 | $43.00 | $49.80 |
| Construction helper / labourer | $18.25 | $25.00 | $40.00 |
How take-home (net) pay is calculated
Your net pay is your gross income minus federal income tax, provincial or state income tax, and mandatory contributions. In Canada that means the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI); in Quebec it is the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP), a reduced EI rate, and the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP). Income tax is progressive — each slice of income is taxed at the rate of the bracket it falls in, not one flat rate on the whole amount. The Basic Personal Amount is applied as a credit so the first several thousand dollars are effectively tax-free. The estimate also includes the Ontario surtax and Ontario Health Premium, the 16.5% Quebec federal abatement, and California's uncapped SDI payroll deduction where they apply.
Estimate only — not tax advice
Tax rates change every year and vary by jurisdiction. This calculator uses dated 2026 tax-year constants and applies the basic personal amount, the Ontario surtax and health premium, the Quebec federal abatement and California SDI. It excludes other credits and deductions, RRSP/401(k) treatment, benefits, and employer-specific deductions. Figures are estimates for planning only — confirm your actual deductions with an official payroll calculator or a tax professional.
- •Overtime is rarely guaranteed — the base pay-period figures exclude it, and the overtime field is added on top only when you enter it.
- •Seasonal trades aren't paid 52 weeks — drop the weeks-per-year value to annualise realistically.
- •Wage benchmarks are national figures; pay varies by region, certification (Red Seal), union status and experience.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for an electrician in Canada?+
The national median wage for a construction electrician is about $35/hour, with a range of roughly $20/hour at the low end to $48/hour at the top, per the Canada Job Bank national wage report (2023–2024 reference data).
Where does this wage data come from?+
Wage ranges are the national low, median and high figures published by the Canada Job Bank, which sources them from the Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey. Each trade links to its Job Bank report so you can verify it.
What is $30 an hour annually?+
$30 an hour is $62,400 a year at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks ($30 × 40 × 52). That works out to about $5,200 a month, $2,400 every two weeks, or $1,200 a week before tax.
How do I calculate take-home pay?+
Take-home (net) pay is your gross income minus federal and provincial/state income tax and mandatory contributions — CPP/QPP and EI in Canada (plus QPIP in Quebec), or FICA in the US. This calculator applies dated 2026 tax-year rates. It is an estimate, not tax advice.
Is this tax calculator accurate?+
It uses official 2026 tax-year brackets, the basic personal amount, and current CPP/QPP/EI/QPIP or FICA constants, all cited and dated. It also models the Ontario surtax and health premium, the Quebec federal abatement and California SDI. It excludes other credits and employer deductions, so treat the result as a planning estimate and confirm with an official payroll calculator.
What does a tradesperson earn in Canada?+
National median wages range from about $25/hour for construction labourers to $43/hour for ironworkers, with electricians around $35/hour and HVAC mechanics around $37.50/hour (Canada Job Bank, 2023–2024 reference data).
Methodology & sources
Wage ranges are the national low, median and high figures from the Canada Job Bank wage report (Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey). Annual equivalents assume full-time hours; pay varies by region, certification, union status and experience.
- Canada Revenue Agency — federal income tax rates & Basic Personal Amount (2026) — verified July 2, 2026
- Ontario Ministry of Finance / CRA — Ontario income tax rates, BPA, surtax & health premium (2026) — verified July 2, 2026
- Province of British Columbia — personal income tax rates & basic personal credit (2026) — verified July 2, 2026
- Revenu Québec — Quebec income tax rates & basic personal amount (2026) — verified July 2, 2026
- IRS — federal income tax brackets (single filer) & standard deduction, tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) — verified July 2, 2026
- Texas Comptroller — Texas has no state personal income tax (2026) — verified July 2, 2026
- California Franchise Tax Board — tax rate schedule (single) & standard deduction; EDD — SDI rate (2026) — verified July 2, 2026
- CRA (CPP/EI), Revenu Québec & Retraite Québec (QPP/QPIP), SSA/IRS (FICA) — 2026 contribution constants — verified July 2, 2026
- Canada Job Bank — national wage report (Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey) — verified June 28, 2026
Last reviewed July 2, 2026. Estimates are indicative — verify against current product specs and local requirements before ordering.
We're committed to keeping these tools accurate and improving them over time. If you'd like to contribute to their accuracy, or you run into any issues or errors, please email us at info@tradesppl.com.