Ontario is Canada’s biggest job market, home to Toronto’s financial district, the Waterloo tech corridor and the federal government in Ottawa. This guide covers the top 10 highest paying jobs in Ontario in 2026, which employers hire for them and how to get started.
Quick answer: The highest paying jobs in Ontario are medical specialists, surgeons and physicians, followed by pharmacists, dentists, senior finance roles and software engineering. Pay benchmarks below are national Government of Canada Job Bank medians. Check Job Bank’s Ontario wage report for your exact occupation, because provincial and city figures can differ.
Top 10 highest paying jobs in Ontario
| Rank | Job | National median or average (CAD) | Where Ontario hires |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General surgeon | about $419,180 | Hospitals across Ontario Health regions |
| 2 | Anesthesiologist | about $311,820 (average) | Teaching and community hospitals |
| 3 | Specialist physician | about $311,297 | Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, London |
| 4 | Physician (general) | about $232,227 | Clinics, family health teams, hospitals |
| 5 | Pharmacist | about $115,000 | Hospitals, retail chains, clinics |
| 6 | Dentist | about $110,000 | Private practice across the province |
| 7 | Financial controller / senior finance | about $106,807 (average) | Bay Street banks, insurers, CPP Investments |
| 8 | Software engineer | about $105,000 | Toronto, Waterloo, Ottawa tech firms |
| 9 | Civil engineer | about $101,000 | Infrastructure, transit and housing projects |
| 10 | Data scientist | about $96,000 | Banks, startups, healthcare and government |
These are national benchmarks from Job Bank and salary surveys, used here because Ontario-specific medians are not published for every role. In practice, finance, technology and government roles in the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa tend to cluster at or above the national figure, while smaller communities may pay less.
Why Ontario is a top market for high earners
Finance on Bay Street
Toronto is the centre of Canadian banking. RBC, TD, Scotiabank and large pension investors such as CPP Investments employ controllers, analysts and risk specialists. Skills employers look for include financial modelling, Bloomberg Terminal use, data analysis and regulatory knowledge. A CPA or CFA designation helps.
Technology in Toronto, Waterloo and Ottawa
Software engineering is one of the best paid non-medical careers in the province. Shopify, large banks and global tech firms hire engineers, and Waterloo’s university ecosystem feeds the pipeline. Employers want cloud, data and security skills.
Healthcare
Ontario Health and the province’s hospital networks hire surgeons, physicians, pharmacists and nurses. Physicians have the highest pay in the country, and Ontario is the largest single employer of them. Licensing goes through the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
Government and public sector
Ottawa-area federal jobs and Ontario government roles offer stable pay, pensions and benefits. Senior policy, IT and finance roles are well paid, though usually below private-sector bank and tech pay at the top end.
How to get a high paying job in Ontario
- Pick a licensed profession if you want the highest ceiling. Medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and engineering all require Ontario regulator approval.
- Build in-demand skills. Cloud, data, cybersecurity and AI skills raise tech pay quickly.
- Use the right NOC code. If you are applying from abroad, your job’s NOC code matters for Express Entry and Ontario’s provincial nominee streams.
- Compare other provinces. Alberta is the main alternative for high earners. See the highest paying jobs in Alberta.
Ontario compared with the rest of Canada
For the national picture, start with our ranking of the top 10 highest paying jobs in Canada. If you do not have a university degree, the trades and utilities roles in our no-degree guide are worth a look.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest paying job in Ontario?
Surgeons and specialist physicians. Nationally, Job Bank puts the surgeon median near CAD $419,000 and specialist physicians near CAD $311,000.
Does Toronto pay more than the rest of Ontario?
For finance, technology and corporate roles, Toronto generally has the most high-paying openings. Pay for the same occupation can differ by city, so check Job Bank’s regional wage data.
What are the best paying jobs in Ontario without a degree?
Skilled trades such as industrial electricians, power line technicians and elevator mechanics, plus supervisory roles in construction and utilities. See our no-degree guide.
Is $100,000 a good salary in Ontario?
It is above the typical wage in most industries. Statistics Canada’s national medians are around $64,000 to $83,000 in health care and construction and about $110,000 in utilities.
Do I need a licence to work in these jobs?
Doctors, dentists, pharmacists, engineers and nurses must be licensed in Ontario. Software, data and most finance roles do not require a licence.
Sources and data notes
- Government of Canada Job Bank (wage reports by occupation and province)
- Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey (median weekly wages by industry)
- Salary data compiled from Job Bank and salary surveys including HotCoursesAbroad and CourseCompare (2026)
Last updated: October 2026.