Median wage
$16.50 an hour
Nova Scotia
Compared with Canada
5.7% lower
$1.00 below the Canadian median of $17.50
Job outlook
Good
4 of 5, 2025-2027
Job postings
13
on Job Bank in September 2026
Wages in Nova Scotia
In Canadian dollars an hour, from 2023-2024 data. Low and high are Job Bank’s 10th and 90th percentiles.
Wage range in Nova Scotia and Canada Nova Scotia: median $16.50, from $16.50 to $25.70, middle half $16.50 to $18.50. Canada: median $17.50, from $15.00 to $24.81, middle half $16.00 to $20.25. $15 $20 $25 $30 Nova Scotia: median $16.50, from $16.50 to $25.70, middle half $16.50 to $18.50 Nova Scotia $16.50 Canada: median $17.50, from $15.00 to $24.81, middle half $16.00 to $20.25 Canada $17.50 The line runs from the low to the high wage, the dot is the median and the box is the middle half (lower to upper quartile).
Wages in Nova Scotia compared with Canada
Wage Nova Scotia Canada
Low
$16.50
$15.00
Lower quartile
$16.50
$16.00
Median
$16.50
$17.50
Upper quartile
$18.50
$20.25
High
$25.70
$24.81
Average
$17.99
$18.73
Job outlook
Good (4 of 5) for 2025-2027, from Job Bank’s 3-year outlook for Nova Scotia.
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions. A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements. Outlook data
13 job postings on Job Bank in September 2026.
Licence needed in Nova Scotia?
Voluntary certification
Not required.
Certification is available in Nova Scotia, but you can work in this occupation without it.
Education and training
TEER category 3
Usual education A college diploma or an apprenticeship of less than 2 years is usually required.
By region in Nova Scotia
Job Bank’s economic regions, highest median first. A region links to its own page where its figures differ from the province’s.
Wage range by economic region in Nova Scotia Nova Scotia (all regions): median $16.50, from $16.50 to $25.70. Annapolis Valley: median $17.90, from $16.50 to $24.67. Cape Breton: median $17.50, from $16.50 to $18.00. Halifax: median $17.00, from $16.50 to $25.70. North Shore: median $16.50, from $16.50 to $26.00. Southern: median $16.50, from $16.50 to $18.50. $15 $17.5 $20 $22.5 $25 $27.5 Nova Scotia (all regions): median $16.50, from $16.50 to $25.70 Nova Scotia (all regions) $16.50 Annapolis Valley: median $17.90, from $16.50 to $24.67 Annapolis Valley $17.90 Cape Breton: median $17.50, from $16.50 to $18.00 Cape Breton $17.50 Halifax: median $17.00, from $16.50 to $25.70 Halifax $17.00 North Shore: median $16.50, from $16.50 to $26.00 North Shore $16.50 Southern: median $16.50, from $16.50 to $18.50 Southern $16.50 The line runs from the low to the high wage and the dot is the median.
Wage range by economic region in Nova Scotia (table) Region Low Median High Outlook Nova Scotia (all regions) $16.50 $16.50 $25.70 Good (4 of 5) Annapolis Valley $16.50 $17.90 $24.67 Good (4 of 5) Cape Breton $16.50 $17.50 $18.00 Good (4 of 5) Halifax $16.50 $17.00 $25.70 Good (4 of 5) North Shore $16.50 $16.50 $26.00 Good (4 of 5) Southern $16.50 $16.50 $18.50 Good (4 of 5)
Wages from 2023-2024 data, Job Bank 2025 release. Job outlooks for 2025-2027. Job postings counted for September 2026.
Occupation titles, codes and TEER categories come from the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021, Statistics Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada .