Ontario · Job Bank numbers
Skilled trades in Ontario: pay and outlook
The skilled trades and equipment-operator jobs Job Bank says usually need an apprenticeship or a college programme, ranked by median hourly pay in Ontario. Supervisors and contractors are left out: you reach those after years in a trade, not at the start.
Published Last reviewed How we research and correct this
44 jobs. Jobs with a link to our own guide are marked.
| Job | Outlook 2025–2027 | Median pay | Women | Usually needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Railway and yard locomotive engineers | Good | $56.09/hr | 7% | Short programme or training |
| Power system electricians | Good | $50.85/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers | Moderate | $45.96/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Electrical power line and cable workers | Good | $45.00/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Ironworkers | Moderate | $44.34/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Elevator constructors and mechanics | Moderate | $43.50/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Industrial electricians | Moderate | $40.50/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Crane operators | Moderate | $40.48/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectorsOur guide | Good | $38.00/hr | 5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Bricklayers | Good | $38.00/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Electrical mechanics | Limited | $37.50/hr | 6% | College or apprenticeship |
| Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanicsOur guide | Good | $37.00/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Gas fitters | Moderate | $36.06/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers | Limited | $36.00/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Concrete finishers | Moderate | $35.70/hr | <5% | Short programme or training |
| Construction millwrights and industrial mechanicsOur guide | Moderate | $35.59/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers | Moderate | $35.48/hr | <5% | Short programme or training |
| Heavy-duty equipment mechanicsOur guide | Moderate | $35.00/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Insulators | Moderate | $35.00/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Sheet metal workers | Limited | $35.00/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Electricians (except industrial and power system)Our guide | Moderate | $34.00/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Tool and die makers | Limited | $34.00/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians | Limited | $33.00/hr | 9% | College or apprenticeship |
| PlumbersOur guide | Moderate | $32.50/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| CarpentersOur guide | Moderate | $32.00/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Heavy equipment operatorsOur guide | Moderate | $32.00/hr | <5% | Short programme or training |
| Tilesetters | Moderate | $31.92/hr | <5% | Short programme or training |
| Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics | Moderate | $31.55/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairersOur guide | Moderate | $30.00/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Glaziers | Limited | $30.00/hr | <5% | Short programme or training |
| Machinists and machining and tooling inspectorsOur guide | Limited | $30.00/hr | <5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Other technical trades and related occupations | Moderate | $30.00/hr | 11% | College or apprenticeship |
| Roofers and shinglers | Moderate | $29.14/hr | <5% | Short programme or training |
| Auto body collision, refinishing and glass technicians and damage repair estimatorsOur guide | Moderate | $29.00/hr | 5% | College or apprenticeship |
| Welders and related machine operatorsOur guide | Very limited | $28.00/hr | 6% | College or apprenticeship |
| Floor covering installers | Moderate | $26.00/hr | <5% | Short programme or training |
| Transport truck driversOur guide | Moderate | $26.00/hr | <5% | Short programme or training |
| Pest controllers and fumigators | Good | $25.96/hr | 8% | Short programme or training |
| Other repairers and servicers | Moderate | $25.00/hr | 7% | Short programme or training |
| Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) | Moderate | $25.00/hr | 15% | Short programme or training |
| Printing press operators | Moderate | $25.00/hr | 16% | Short programme or training |
| Residential and commercial installers and servicers | Moderate | $25.00/hr | <5% | Short programme or training |
| General building maintenance workers and building superintendents | Moderate | $24.00/hr | 11% | Short programme or training |
| Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators | Good | $22.43/hr | 35% | Short programme or training |
Before you act on this
How to read the list
- You earn while you learn in an apprenticeship, at a share of the full journeyperson wage that rises as you log hours. The figures here are for working tradespeople, not apprentices in their first year.
- Outlook differs a lot between trades and between years. A 'limited' rating for a trade means more competition for each apprenticeship place, which is a reason to start looking for an employer early, not a reason to rule it out.
Source: Job Bank Ontario outlooks and wages (Employment and Social Development Canada, from Statistics Canada data), each job linked to its own report. See every job in one table.
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