If you’ve ever wondered how your paycheque stacks up against other industries in the province, Statistics Canada recently dropped its latest wage numbers for Quebec, and the gap between the top and bottom of the list is bigger than you might think.
The federal agency updates its employment data monthly, tracking median weekly wages for full-time workers aged 15 and up, across all genders, including tips, bonuses and overtime, before taxes and other deductions. As of August 2026, the median weekly wage across all industries in Quebec sits at $1,266, up slightly from July and up about 1.3% compared to the same month last year.
But that’s just the average. Some job sectors are earning far more than that, and a few are earning quite a bit less.
The top earners in Quebec
11. Health care and social assistance
Rounding out the list at $1,119.20 a week, or roughly $58,198 a year, this sector covers hospitals, long-term care and social services staff, nurses, personal support workers, social workers and orderlies.
10. Information, culture and recreation
This one includes media, telecom and the arts, so jobs like journalists, broadcasters, telecom technicians and museum or gallery staff. It’s sitting at $1,154 a week, or about $60,008 annually, and it’s had a rougher stretch, down more than 14% compared to last August, even after bouncing back from an even steeper dip the month before.
9. Transportation and warehousing
Coming in at $1,240 a week, or roughly $64,480 a year, this sector covers truck drivers, warehouse workers, transit operators and logistics coordinators.
8. Manufacturing
Sitting at $1,250 a week, or $65,000 annually, this sector has barely moved in the past year and includes assembly line workers, machinists and food and industrial production staff.
7. Finance, insurance, real estate and leasing
Coming in at $1,404 a week, or about $73,008 a year, this sector covers bank employees, insurance agents, real estate agents and property managers.
6. Professional, scientific and technical services
Covering a vast scope that includes law, accounting, engineering and IT, this sector comes in at $1,538.40 a week, or roughly $79,997 annually.
5. Public administration
Sitting at $1,575 a week, or around $81,900 a year, this one covers justice, tax collection and public safety roles, like court staff, CRA employees, police and other civil servants.
4. Construction
Coming in at $1,600 a week, or about $83,200 annually, this sector spans residential building and civil engineering work, including electricians, carpenters, plumbers and construction managers.
3. Education services
Sitting at $1,634.63 a week, translating to roughly $85,001 a year, this one covers everyone from elementary school staff to university professors.
2. Utilities
Coming in at $1,923.25 a week, or about $100,009 annually, this sector covers electricity, natural gas and water treatment work, including power plant operators, utility technicians and water treatment specialists.
1. Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
Topping the list by a wide margin, with a median weekly wage of $1,944, or roughly $101,088 a year, this sector includes loggers, commercial fishers, mine workers and oil and gas extraction technicians. It actually dipped slightly from July, but it’s still up more than 21% compared to last August, which is a pretty striking jump for a single year.
What about the rest?
A handful of sectors are still sitting under that $1,000-a-week mark, including wholesale and retail trade, business support and building services, and agriculture. Accommodation and food services remains the lowest-paid sector tracked, at $800 a week.
Worth keeping in mind: these are medians, not averages, and they lump together entry-level and senior positions across each entire sector. So your own paycheque might look pretty different from the sector-wide number, depending on your role, your experience and where exactly in Quebec you’re working.
This article’s cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
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