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Average Salary in Manitoba

Average Salary in Manitoba
Average Salary in Manitoba

Manitoba is an agricultural and manufacturing hub located in the heart of Canada. The province’s economy relies heavily on natural resources, agriculture, and services. With a population of nearly 1.4 million, Manitoba offers a vibrant job market across diverse industries.

While understanding the average salary in Canada provides valuable context, this article will focus specifically on the average salary in Manitoba. We’ll explore how pay varies by industry and occupation, along with factors impacting wages such as location, economic trends, and minimum wage changes. Whether you’re considering moving to Manitoba for work or are simply curious about income levels, this breakdown aims to give helpful insight.

What is the Average Salary in Manitoba?

What is the Average Salary in Manitoba?
What is the Average Salary in Manitoba?

According to Statistics Canada, the overall average weekly wage for employees in Manitoba was $1,087.42 CAD in 2023. This translates to an annual salary of approximately $56,546.

Manitoba’s average wage trails the national average of $1,232.22 per week ($64,075 annually) by nearly $145 per week or $7,500 per year. Compared to other provinces, Manitoba falls in the lower tier for average incomes (7th place, followed by NS, PEI, NB).

Three key factors contributing to Manitoba’s lower average wages include:

  • A higher proportion of employment in lower-paying industries like agriculture and tourism compared to other provinces
  • Youth migration – many young, educated workers move to provinces like Alberta for higher-paying jobs
  • Less corporate headquarters and executive positions than larger provinces

While incomes may be lower on average, Manitoba remains an attractive option for job seekers thanks to the province’s low cost of living and vibrant economy.

What is the Average Salary By Industry in Manitoba?

Manitoba’s economy encompasses a diverse range of industries, each with varying average salary levels. Here is a look at weekly wages across major sectors:

  • Goods-producing sector: $1,220.95 – offers higher average wages compared to services.
    • Agriculture: $884.25 per week. Farming and agricultural service salaries are lowered by seasonal and low-paying basic labor. Senior and specialized roles earn above $1,000 weekly.
    • Mining and oil/gas extraction: $1,823.04 per week. Equipment operators, inspectors and engineers in mining and petroleum earn a premium for remote location work and specialized skills.
    • Manufacturing: $1,138.09 per week. Major manufacturing sub-sectors include food processing, aerospace parts, metals fabrication, agricultural equipment and more. Unionization in larger plants helps secure higher pay.
    • Utilities: $1,678.01
    • Construction: $1,253.30 per week. Specialized trades like electricians and plumbers earn $35-$45 per hour, boosting construction wages. But lower-paid laborers bring averages down.
  • Service-producing sector: $1,051.75 – has a wider range of incomes, from high-paying professional services to lower food service wages.
    • Finance and real estate: $1,278.07 per week. Banking professionals, insurance brokers, accountants and realtors typically have advanced skills that garner strong incomes.
    • Professional and technical services: $1,372.54 per week. These occupations also require higher education and specialized expertise, reflected in high salaries for engineers, consultants, researchers and IT professionals.
    • Healthcare and social assistance: $1,029.59 per week. Doctors and nurses earn $75,000+ annually, but support roles like care aides drag down sector-wide averages. Significant shortages exist.
    • Accommodation and food services: $502.28 per week. Food counter attendants, servers and kitchen staff earn around minimum wage, lowering accommodation and food service averages. Tipping boosts take-home pay.
    • Educational services: $1,177.23
    • Wholesale and retail trade: $860.31
    • Public administration: $1,435.25 per week. Federal, provincial, and municipal government workers earn the highest weekly wages overall thanks to union membership and comprehensive benefits.

The goods-producing industries generally offer higher average wages, boosted by strong mining, energy, and manufacturing pay. Service jobs have a wider range, with higher salaries in professions like finance, while food service pulls down averages.

What is the Average Salary By Major Occupational Category in Manitoba?

Average Salary By Major Occupational Category in Manitoba
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Average Salary By Major Occupational Category in Manitoba

Looking at the average salaries in Manitoba across major occupational groupings provides additional insight.

Management Occupations – Average Salary $1,959.22

  • Middle management occupations in retail and wholesale trade and customer services: $1,662.65
  • Middle management occupations in trades, transportation, production and utilities: $1,964.59

Management salaries are fairly high in Manitoba. The high pay reflects the advanced skills and education levels common for these roles.

Business, Finance and Administration Occupations – Average Salary $1,031.65

  • Professional occupations in finance: $1,506.49
  • Administrative and financial support and supply chain logistics occupations: $809.34

A broad range exists within business occupations. Experienced finance professionals like accountants and financial analysts earn over $1,500 weekly, while entry-level admin and supply chain workers average much lower.

Natural and Applied Sciences Occupations – Average Salary $1,463.51

  • Professional occupations in engineering: $1,914.34
  • Technical occupations related to natural and applied sciences: $1,202.72

Engineers command the highest salaries due to high demand and advanced qualifications, nearly double the average for related technical occupations. Experience levels contribute to this wide gap.

Health Occupations – Average Salary $1,183.66

  • Professional occupations in health: $1,547.99
  • Assisting occupations in support of health services: $720.70

Doctors and nurses earn substantially more than healthcare assistants and aides, reflecting the higher qualifications and skills required for professional roles. Strong demand also enables higher pay.

Education, Law and Social/Community/Government Services Occupations – Average Salary $1,187.70

  • Professional occupations in education services: $1,390.31
  • Assisting occupations in education and in legal and public protection: $906.59

Teachers earn moderately high wages, though they still trail healthcare professionals. Education assistants average lower, reflecting lower qualifications.

Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport Occupations – Average Salary $813.95

  • Professional occupations in art and culture: $1,099.13
  • Support occupations in art, culture and sport: $487.98

Creative professionals like designers and musicians earn double support staff thanks to specialized skills. However, both lag sectors like business and engineering.

Sales and Service Occupations – Average Salary $663.78

  • Retail sales and service supervisors and specialized occupations in sales and services: $1,003.31
  • Sales and service support occupations: $436.67

Retail supervisors fare relatively well, while part-time servers and cashiers bring down service occupation averages. Commission-based sales agents offer income upside.

Trades, Transport and Equipment Operators Occupations – Average Salary $1,181.63

  • Technical trades and transportation officers and controllers: $1,350.52
  • Helpers and labourers and other transport drivers, operators and labourers: $845.17

Qualified tradespersons earn substantially more than apprentices and helpers. Strong demand enables electricians, plumbers, and related roles to negotiate high salaries.

Natural Resources and Agriculture Occupations – Average Salary $1,099.52

  • Supervisors and occupations in natural resources, agriculture and related production: $1,679.95
  • Workers and labourers in natural resources, agriculture and related production: $899.38

Supervisors in mining and forestry earn nearly double as basic labourers. Seasonal fluctuations and tough outdoor work keep basic wages lower despite high demand.

Manufacturing and Utilities Occupations – Average Salary $1,000.78

  • Supervisors, central control and process operators in processing, manufacturing and utilities and aircraft assemblers and inspectors: $1,481.07
  • Labourers in processing, manufacturing and utilities: $767.58

Plant managers earn substantially more than manufacturing helpers and assistants. Union membership helps production workers negotiate pay above minimum wage levels.

In summary, management, natural sciences, healthcare, and trades roles tend to offer higher incomes. Sales, service, and assisting positions pull down averages.

National Occupational Classification (NOC)Average Weekly Salary (2023)
Management Occupations$1,959.22
Business, Finance and Administration Occupations$1,031.65
Natural and Applied Sciences Occupations$1,463.51
Health Occupations$1,183.66
Education, Law and Social/Community/Government Services Occupations$1,187.70
Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport Occupations$813.95
Sales and Service Occupations$663.78
Trades, Transport and Equipment Operators Occupations$1,181.63
Natural Resources and Agriculture Occupations$1,099.52
Manufacturing and Utilities Occupations$1,000.78
Total employees, all occupations – Manitoba$1,087.42

What Are High Paying and Low Paying Jobs in Manitoba?

Looking at specific occupations provides further insight into Manitoba’s highest and lowest paying roles.

High Paying Jobs in Manitoba

  • Judges: $280,500 per year
  • Specialists in Clinical and Laboratory Medicine: $304,922 per year
  • Lawyers: $46.73 per hour, or $89,908 per year
  • Engineering Managers: $48.08 per hour, or $92,505 per year
  • Mining Engineers: $54.03 per hour, or $103,953 per year
  • Electrical and electronics engineers: $50.00 per hour, or $96,200 per year
  • Software Engineers: $36.06 per hour, or $69,379 per year
  • General practitioners and family physicians – $258,906 per year
  • Specialists in surgery – $414,776 per year
  • Dentists: $116,000 per year
  • Pharmacists: $51.00 per hour, or $98,124 per year

Highly educated professionals like doctors, lawyers, and engineers earn big salaries, reflecting long training periods and high demand. Management and technical roles also offer strong six-figure incomes thanks to experience and qualifications.

Low Paying Jobs in Manitoba

  • Early Childhood Educators and Assistants: $16.05 per hour, or $30,880 per year
  • Home Child Care Providers: $15.30 per hour, or $29,437 per year
  • Home support workers, caregivers: $15.50 per hour, or 29,822 per year
  • Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Assistants: $21.43 per hour, or $41,231 per year
  • Library Assistants and Clerks: $22.76 per hour, or $43,790 per year
  • Light Duty Cleaners: $15.51 per hour, or $29,841 per year
  • Food Counter Attendants and Kitchen Helpers: $15.30 per hour, or $29,437 per year
  • Cashiers: $15.30 per hour, or $29,437 per year
  • Food and Beverage Servers: $15.30 per hour, or $29,437 per year

Jobs requiring minimal education or training, such as cleaners, cashiers, and servers earn low hourly wages that amount to under $30,000 annually. However, recent minimum wage hikes have lifted pay.

(source: https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/wagereport/location/mb)

What Are The Most In-Demand Jobs and Salaries In Manitoba?

Manitoba’s diverse economy creates demand for skilled professionals across various industries, from agriculture and manufacturing to healthcare and technology. Understanding the most in-demand jobs and their corresponding salaries can help job seekers identify opportunities and make informed career decisions. In this section, we’ll highlight the roles currently experiencing high demand in Manitoba, along with the competitive salaries they offer.

1.Transport Truck Drivers

  • Median Annual Salary: $43,894
  • High demand driven by strong goods transportation and shipping activity in Manitoba

2. Registered Nurses

  • Approximately 1,380 new job openings
  • Median Annual Salary: $81,900
  • Shortages throughout the healthcare system lead nurses to be highly sought-after

3. Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers

  • 1,288 estimated annual vacancies
  • Median Annual Salary: $70,317
  • Steady hiring as established managers retire over next 5 years

4. Heavy Equipment Mechanics

  • Median Annual Salary: $58,500
  • Specialized skills needed for the maintenance and repair of heavy machines

5. Heavy Equipment Operators

  • 1,430 job postings
  • Median Annual Salary: $51,870
  • Strong activity in construction, mining, forestry and other areas

6. Software Developers

  • Median Annual Salary: $74,977
  • High demand as digital transformation continues

7. Physicians

  • Median Annual Salary: $258,906 (Family doctors), $414,776 (Specialists)
  • Shortages throughout the healthcare system

8. Accountants

  • Median Annual Salary: $67,509
  • Steady hiring demand in wide range of industries

9. Construction Trades Helpers

  • Around 1,334 job postings
  • Median Annual Salary: $39,000
  • Critical roles to support qualified tradespeople

10. Cooks and Food/Beverage Servers

  • Median Annual Salary: $29,835
  • Hospitality hiring amid tight labor market

This overview illustrates that many of Manitoba’s most in-demand roles also offer strong salaries, especially in healthcare and technical fields. However, ample opportunities exist across occupations.

Targeting growing fields like these provides strong job prospects, though some lower-demand roles may offer higher pay.

What are the Average Salaries In Key Cities In Manitoba?

Salaries within Manitoba can vary significantly between regions. Here is a look at the average salary in key cities:

  • Winnipeg: $57,339 / annual
  • Brandon: $52,405
  • Thompson: $42,861
  • Steinbach: $42,300
  • Winkler: $39,683

As the largest city and economic hub, Winnipeg unsurprisingly offers the highest overall incomes. The capital’s average salary is much higher than smaller rural communities like Winkler. Location, job concentrations, and cost of living all impact regional salary differences.

Salary Growth Trends in Manitoba
Salary Growth Trends in Manitoba

Manitoba’s average weekly wage has increased over the past two decades, from $574.75 in 2002 to the current $1,087.42, representing 89.1% growth. However, pay growth has lagged the national average. Key trends include:

  • Stagnant wages from 2009-2014 during the financial crisis and recession
  • Faster growth in recent years, rising 4.51% from 2019 to 2020 and 5.11% from 2022 to 2023
  • Increases driven by tight labour market and minimum wage hikes
  • Total growth trails the national average increase of 89.5% over the period

Rising education levels, women’s labour force participation, and shifts in sectoral employment have also influenced wage changes over the past 20 years.

What Factors Affecting Average Salary In Manitoba?

Six elements impact salaries and wage growth in Manitoba beyond inflation and changes in the cost of living.

  • Minimum wage – Manitoba’s minimum recently rose to $15.80/hour, lifting pay in lower-skilled jobs.
  • Labour supply/demand – Shortages in areas like healthcare and trades place upward pressure on wages.
  • Education and experience – Higher learning and skills boost incomes. Over half of adults have post-secondary education.
  • Unionization – Over 30% of Manitoba workers belong to unions, leading to higher collective bargaining power.
  • Economy and job market – A tight, growing labour market makes it easier for workers to negotiate higher salaries.
  • Provincial government – Budget and tax policy decisions affect take-home pay.

These and other factors converge to shape average incomes and wage growth trends across Manitoba.

To gain a broader view of salaries nationwide, see our comprehensive guide to average salary across Canada. You can also explore province-specific salary overviews such as:

Summary

While Manitoba’s average weekly wage of $1,087 trails other provinces, it supports a decent standard of living thanks to relatively low costs. Salaries range widely by industry and occupation, with the highest pay in goods production, trades, professional services, and management roles. Many prospects exist for job seekers, though trucking, healthcare, and hospitality are especially in demand.

For workers, understanding average provincial and industry incomes, high and low paying roles, economic trends, and regional variance provides helpful context. This overview aimed to give a detailed snapshot of the salary landscape in Manitoba today.

Why are Manitoba salaries lower than other provinces?

Manitoba's average salary lags due to higher employment in lower-paying industries like agriculture, a smaller proportion of head offices/executive roles, and youth migration to higher-paying Alberta.

Do government employees make more than private sector in Manitoba?

Yes, average weekly wages in public administration exceed private sector averages by over $300. Union membership and comprehensive benefits contribute to higher public sector pay.

Is the salary higher in Manitoba or Saskatchewan?

Saskatchewan has a higher average weekly wage than Manitoba, at $1,181.67 versus $1,087.42. However, Manitoba has a lower cost of living.

How much do nurses get paid in Manitoba?

Registered nurses in Manitoba earn a median salary of $81,900 annually, according to Job Bank data. Significant nursing shortages lead to high demand.

Are Manitoba salaries keeping pace with inflation?

Manitoba's salaries have not fully kept up with inflation recently. However, tight labour markets have accelerated wage growth above 3% annually.

How is the average salary calculated in Manitoba?

Average salary is calculated by Statistics Canada using Labour Force Survey data. Respondents report their usual weekly wages before deductions, which are then annualized based on 52 weeks.

How can I increase my salary in Manitoba?

Further education, skills training, networking, seeking promotions, pursuing high-demand roles, and negotiating salaries can help maximize earning potential in Manitoba.

Source:
  1. Employee wages by industry – statcan.gc.ca
  2. Employee wages by occupation – statcan.gc.ca
  3. Top 10 Most In-Demand Jobs In Manitoba – immigration.ca
  4. Manitoba Winnipeg average salary in Canada – talent.com
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Written by Ben Nguyen

Ben Nguyen is an award-winning insurance expert and industry veteran with over 20 years of experience. He is the chairman and director of IDC Insurance Direct Canada Inc., one of Canada's leading online insurance brokerages.

Ben is renowned for his extensive knowledge of life, health, disability, and travel insurance products. He is the prolific author of over 1,000 educational articles published on LifeBuzz, BestInsuranceOnline, and InsuranceDirectCanada. His articles provide Canadians with advice on making smart insurance decisions.

With a Bachelor's degree in Actuarial Science and a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (FCIA) designation, Ben is frequently interviewed by media as an insurance industry spokesperson.

He has received numerous honors including the Insurance Council of Canada’s Pivotal Leadership Award, the Canadian Insurance Hall of Fame induction, and the President’s Medal from the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.

Ben continues to shape the vision and strategy of IDC Insurance Direct as chairman. He is dedicated to advancing the insurance industry through his insightful leadership.

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