Report: How much Canadians earn according to their university major

Aug 10 2017, 9:21 pm

With back to school just around the corner, getting a degree is on the mind of many Canadian post secondary-students.

But what degrees will actually make the most money?

Job search website Indeed looked over some 4 million resumes to find out some of the most popular majors in Canada and how much individuals earn with certain degrees.

Indeed found that those with accounting degrees tend to have the highest salaries. Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) can make $125,857 on average.

Finance and computer science are also high paying options, with top level positions raking in $109,690 and $101,857, respectively.

“A good career starts with a solid foundation,” said Indeed’s senior vice president Paul Wolfe, in a statement.

“A student’s major may lead to a variety of options that they don’t even know about yet. But studying the potential options can help you hone in on your area of study, as well influence the types of organizations and people you look to connect with on the way.”

While there is a common misconception that those with Arts degrees tend to make the least money, Indeed’s data shows some pretty high salary rankings for majoring in history and fine arts.

On average, those who have history majors and go into project management can make up to $79,765. Individuals with Fine Arts degrees who are art directors earn up to $72,529.

And if you’re thinking about using your biology degree to become a researcher, you may want to think again.

According to Indeed, top level biology researchers are only making $62, 269 on average, which is the lowest income on the list.

See Indeed’s full list of post-secondary majors and incomes below.

CONNECTING MAJORS TO CAREERS

Career Opportunities and Salaries for Popular University Majors

Major Jobs Average Salary
Accounting Chief Financial Officer

Assistant Controller

Accountant

$125,857

$71,101

$51,894

Biology Researcher

Biologist

Research Technician

$62,269

$61,273

$41,810

Business Project Manager

Business Analyst

Account Manager

$79,765

$69,249

$59,319

Comms Director of Communications

Communications Specialist

Communications Coordinator

$88,107

$58,229

$49,450

Computer Science Software Architect

Mobile Developer

Software Engineer

$101,857

$81,055

$80,743

Criminal Justice Probation Officer

Correctional Officer
Community Service Officer

$66,930

$58,700

$36,890

Finance Director of Finance

Trader

Financial Analyst

$109,690

$93,716

$63,544

Marketing Director of Marketing

Product Manager

Marketing Specialist

$89,086

$76,823

$52,736

Nursing Registered Nurse

Nursing Attendant

Healthcare Assistant

$77,713

$42,460

$40,027

Psychology Human Resources Manager

Mental Health Technician

Youth Worker

$67,338

$58,799

$34,234

History Project Manager

Operations Manager

Business Development Manager

$79,765

$73,762

$67,520

English Business Development Manager

Marketing Manager

Editor

$67,520

$64,377

$53,326

Fine Arts Art Director

Designer

Art Teacher

$72,529

$61,713

$41,884

Engineering Piping Designer

Project Engineer

Mechanical Engineer

$85,875

$75,965

$72,453

Education School Principal

Consultant

Teacher

$69,510

$67,262

$59,025

See also
DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

+ News
+ Canada
ADVERTISEMENT