Deciding which program to pursue? In case you would like to weigh in salary and job prospects in conjunction with interest, here is an article backed with data and research from the Government of Canada on the high paying and in-demand jobs in the country.

You are in your last year of high school and still undecided on which program to take. You read tons of articles that should help you make decisions but that just left you with more questions and more hesitations. A lot will point to interests – "pursue your passion!", they say. But even that can be hard to be defined right away. You may want to look at hard data when making that massive choice and ask yourself, “What programs can provide me with a lucrative salary and at the same time great employment prospects upon graduation?”

Like interests, salary and employment prospects are common factors to consider when choosing a career. This article looks at the data from the Government of Canada to find out the highest paying jobs in Canada with solid career prospects in the next three years. Note that since salary varies depending on the level of education and experience, what we will focus on in this write-up is the salary range for bachelor’s degree holders in the given job roles.

1. Pharmacists

Pharmacists distribute prescribed pharmaceuticals and give consultative services to clients and other health care providers. They can be employed in retail and health center pharmacies, and in an industrial setting where they are hired by pharmaceutical companies to undertake research and development, and promotion. To practice, licensure is required in all provinces and territories.

Median salary per year: 104,646 CAD

Prospect in the next three years: 

Looking for a unique and highly competitive Pharmacy Bachelor’s program? Check out the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences offered by the University of British Columbia.

2. Civil Engineers

Civil engineers plan, design, develop and manage various construction projects in built environments including buildings, airports, roads, transit, tunnels, and more. They are employed in a wide range of industries, including engineering consulting firms, construction companies, and government offices. Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to draft engineering designs and reports, and to practice as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).

Median salary per year: 85,342.40 CAD

Prospect in the next three years:

Looking for a world-recognized Civil Engineering Bachelor’s program? Check out the Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering from the University of British Columbia.

3. Registered Nurses

Registered nurses provide direct nursing care to patients as well as deliver health education programs and consultative services. They are employed in various work settings including hospitals, health care centers, nursing homes, rehabilitation centres, doctor’s offices and clinics, companies, and private homes. As a regulated job, nurses need to be registered in a pertinent provincial regulatory body.

Median salary per year: 79,331.20 CAD

Prospect in the next three years: 

Looking for an affordable Nursing Bachelor’s program? Check out the Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing program from Confederation College.

4. Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Electrical and Electronics Engineers design, plan, research, implement and test electrical and electronic products and systems. They are employed in a variety of industries including utilities, communication companies, electronics and electrical manufacturing, consulting firms, transportation, and the government. Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to draft engineering designs and reports, and to practice as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).

Median salary per year: 93, 870.40 CAD

Prospect in the next three years:

Looking for a practical Electrical Engineering Bachelor’s program? Check out the Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering program of Sheridan College.

5. Computer Software Engineers

Computer software engineers undertake design, research, evaluation, integration, programming, and maintenance of software applications, technical and operating systems, and information warehouse. They are employed in IT consulting firms, IT research and development firms, and in a variety of private and public offices that requires their expertise. Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to draft engineering designs and reports, and to practice as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).

Median salary per year: 94,993.60 CAD

Prospect in the next three years: 

Looking for a challenging and intensive program to pursue this career path? Check out the Bachelor of Engineering in Software Engineering from Thompson Rivers University or the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (Honours) from Trent University.

In summary, we can see that in terms of salary, pharmacists earn the highest. However, if we are looking at job prospects, which are derived from the demand and supply in the labour market, nurses continue to be the most in-demand profession in Canada.

Watch out for our next article on Diploma and Trades' top paying and high demand jobs coming out next!