Software engineer Average Salary in Canada, 2025

Scope of Software Engineers in Canada 

Canadian Provinces have a huge demand for software engineers (qualified Tech professionals) to meet business needs. Unlike the US, where salaries are high but work-life balance can be challenging, Canada offers a more balanced lifestyle for tech professionals.  Moreover, the cost of living in Canada is lower than in the US, allowing software engineers to enjoy a high quality of life. Additionally, Canada has launched various programs and initiatives to support work-life balance, such as flexible working hours, and generous parental leave policies that set Canada apart from other high-paying destinations for software engineers. 

The software engineer job is listed as one of the 29 target occupations under the prestigious BC PNP Tech Pilot. Meanwhile, Ontario has initiated Tech Draws under the Express Entry-linked Human Capital Priorities stream, which includes Software Engineers among its six targeted occupations. This profession boasts the highest pay compared to others, with an average salary of $85,900 per year and experienced engineers earning up to C$ 163,466 annually. 

A Canadian billionaire businessman, Daniel Stewart Butterfield, Former CEO of Slack Technologies, who is best known for co-founding the photo-sharing website Flickr and the team-messaging application Slack, has begun his career as a software engineer and has risen to a top position.

Let’s deep dive into major Canadian cities that offer competitive salaries for software engineers.

Highest-Paying Cities for software engineers in Canada

       

City Name	Average salary base for software engineers
Vancouver, BC	$96,673 per year
Toronto, ON	$90,650 per year
Waterloo, ON	$90,236 per year
Ottawa, ON	$87,744 per year
Mississauga, ON	$81,881 per year
Montréal, QC	$81,091 per year
Markham, ON	$84,633 per year
Calgary, AB	$81,784 per year
Edmonton, AB	$75,717 per year
Ontario	$1,09,620  per year
British Columbia	$1,10,000 per year

Check province wise hourly wages of software engineer in Canada here.

Software Engineers Salary in Canada based on Experience

Increasing your pay as a software engineer is possible in different ways like upgrading skills, managing experience which increases the likelihood to earn more.

• For an entry level software engineer with less than 1 year of experience, average total compensation (including tips, bonus, overtime pay) expected to earn is around C$ 67,402.
• Software engineer in his early career stage with 1-4 years of experience can earn an average total compensation of C$ 77,018.
• A mid-career software engineer holding experience of 5-9 years earns an average total compensation of C$ 89,639.
• Software engineers with 10-19 years of experience earn an average total compensation of C$ 96,871.
• Employees with more than 20 years of experience as software engineers can earn an average total compensation of C$ 163,466.

What are popular skills required for software engineers?

Software engineers with technical skills like Java, Python, SQL, and C# will earn an average of $76,486- $80,263 per year. However, Learning advanced skills like Artificial Intelligence, Telecommunications, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Continuous Integration, iOS, Go programming language, and other mobile applications development will boost your salary by around 18-25%. There is a rising demand for skilled software engineers in Canada. With the advent of new technologies, the demand for the latest skills is booming and every software engineer needs to stay updated with the trend. 

Top-paying Specializations in Software Engineering and Best Universities to Pursue Them

Renowned Canadian universities like the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, and McGill University offer globally recognized degrees and lucrative job opportunities for international students seeking to advance their careers as software engineers. See the table below for more information:

Specialization Field	Top Universities in Canada	Average Salary earned as software engineer (CAD)
Computer Science	University of Toronto University of British Columbia McGill University	$70,000 - $90,000
Software Engineering	University of Waterloo University of Toronto University of British Columbia	$75,000 - $95,000
Computer Engineering	University of Waterloo University of Toronto University of British Columbia	$75,000 - $95,000
Information Technology	University of Ottawa Ryerson University York University	$70,000 - $90,000
Data Science	University of Toronto University of British Columbia University of Waterloo	$80,000 - $100,000
Cybersecurity	Carleton University University of Calgary University of Ontario Institute of Technology	$75,000 - $95,000
Artificial Intelligence	University of Toronto McGill University University of British Columbia	$80,000 - $100,000
Mobile Application Development	Sheridan College Humber College Seneca College	$70,000 - $90,000

The salary ranges are approximate and may vary based on factors such as experience, location, and the specific employer.

What is the average salary that other similar professions get in Canada?

Here is the basic information about how much is earned by the other closely related professions. The average salary earned per year is given below

• Full stack developer - $87,898
• Java developer - $92,597
• Developer - $75,421
• Application developer - $74,047
• Front end developer - $83,437
• Back end developer - $94,240
• Web developer - $69,231
• Business Analyst - $79,433

Also know about:

• MBA salary in Canada
• Web developer salary in canada
• BSc Nursing Salary in canada

Conclusion

Canada is currently on a recruitment drive for technical skilled software engineers. If you are the one planning to shift abroad, hope through this article you have an overview of average earned Salary of software engineer in Canada.

Frequently asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the average salary of Software Engineers in Canada per month?

The monthly salary for a software engineer in Canada is estimated between CA$7,500 to CA$ 14,500 (4.5 lakhs to 8.8 lakhs) per month. The salary range is influenced by several factors including experience, job location, company, skill set, and educational qualifications.

2. What is the salary range for a software engineer in Canada per hour? 

People who work as computer software engineers in Canada generally earn between $31.25 per hour to $81.73 per hour. You always need to stay updated and track employment trends to plan your career or to negotiate salary with Canadian employers.

3. What is the net salary of a software engineer in Canada?

The average net salary for a software engineer is $99,339 per year or $38.36 in Canada. The average additional cash compensation is $10,756, with a range from $4,618 - $25,050 for software engineers in Canada. These salary estimates are based on the latest 19211 salaries reported on Glassdoor in 2024 by software engineer employees in Canada.

4. How much are the software engineers paid in Canada?

The average software engineer salary in Canada is $88,561 per year or $38.36 per hour. For entry level software engineers pay is around C$ 67,402, while most experienced workers can earn up to C$ 101,772.   

5. What is the highest software engineer salary in Canada?

While there is no minimum salary constraint in Canada, the average compensation can be up to C$ 101,772.  Instacart is the highest paying company for software engineers with an average total compensation of CA$296,647.

6. What is the fresher salary in Canada for software engineers?

The entry level software engineers with less than a year or zero experience can be expected to earn up to average compensation of  C$ 67,402 including tips, bonus and overtime pay.

7. Is Canada a good country for software engineers?

Yes, all the Canadian regions have a good demand for software engineers. The top 5 regions that have a huge market for IT and software engineers are Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and Saskatchewan.