How to Find Wage Information in Your Field

One of the first things we ask when considering a new job is, “What does it pay?”. We want to know if the wages being offered are good, average, or just plain awful compared to what others in your field are making.
You can find out the market rates for your profession if you dig a little. You can ask around, or pull up current job opportunities and compare their wage offerings. But there are other ways to find more detailed data. Below, we’ve gathered a few examples that can help you find out the average wages for your job.
Check out these links on wage data:

• The Government of Canada publishes salary data by industry, profession, province and region. Something to note though is they also include salaries from apprentices, so the findings will be different than if it was just ticketed trades people’s salaries.
• If you’re curious about raises, this Statistics Canada report compares  earnings by industry throughout the year.
• For engineers, the Apega in Alberta puts out a great survey (lots of graphs!) that comes out in mid-June.
• Believe it or not, Facebook is a great way and find out info. Odds are, there is a Facebook group for your field, be it Millwrights in BC or HDMs in the States. They are filled with members you can connect with and ask about wage rates in their area.
• You could also check out our quarterly salary surveys for Heavy Duty Mechanics, Power Line Technicians, Millwrights and Electricians.

There’s still a lot to consider when you’re hunting for wage information. Is the job market strong or weak? Where do you stand in terms of education and experience? Is the position union or non-union? Take the time to see what’s out there and where you fit in it—and where you’d like to end up. When you know your value, others will too.  

Kael Campbell is President and Lead Recruiter of Red Seal Recruiting Solutions, a company providing recruitment services in mining, equipment and plant maintenance, utilities, manufacturing, construction, and transportation. When he is not recruiting, Kael spends as much time as possible with family in the great outdoors and on the water. He volunteers his time as a Board Member of the Entrepreneurs Organization of Victoria and a Member of Victoria Marine Search and Rescue. You are invited to subscribe to our employer newsletter or submit your resume.