Median wage
$17.88 an hour
Cape Breton
Compared with Nova Scotia
8.4% higher
$1.38 above the Nova Scotia median of $16.50
Compared with Canada
5.9% lower
$1.12 below the Canadian median of $19.00
Job outlook
Moderate
3 of 5, 2025-2027
Job postings
3
on Job Bank in September 2026
Wages in Cape Breton
In Canadian dollars an hour, from 2024 data. Low and high are Job Bank’s 10th and 90th percentiles.
Wage range in Cape Breton and Canada Cape Breton: median $17.88, from $17.42 to $25.34. Nova Scotia (province): median $16.50, from $16.50 to $18.04, middle half $16.50 to $17.49. Canada: median $19.00, from $15.50 to $26.50, middle half $16.75 to $23.00. $15 $20 $25 $30 Cape Breton: median $17.88, from $17.42 to $25.34 Cape Breton $17.88 Nova Scotia (province): median $16.50, from $16.50 to $18.04, middle half $16.50 to $17.49 Nova Scotia (province) $16.50 Canada: median $19.00, from $15.50 to $26.50, middle half $16.75 to $23.00 Canada $19.00 The line runs from the low to the high wage, the dot is the median.
Wages in Cape Breton compared with Canada
Wage Cape Breton Nova Scotia Canada
Low
$17.42
$16.50
$15.50
Lower quartile
Not stated $16.50
$16.75
Median
$17.88
$16.50
$19.00
Upper quartile
Not stated $17.49
$23.00
High
$25.34
$18.04
$26.50
Average
Not stated $16.54
$20.38
Job outlook
Moderate (3 of 5) for 2025-2027, from Job Bank’s 3-year outlook for Cape Breton.
3 job postings on Job Bank in September 2026.
Education and training
TEER category 4
Usual education A high school diploma 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 Cape Breton: median $17.88, from $17.42 to $25.34. North Shore: median $17.65, from $16.50 to $22.91. Annapolis Valley: median $17.39. Southern: median $16.55, from $16.50 to $21.76. Halifax: median $16.50, from $16.50 to $18.04. $15 $17.5 $20 $22.5 $25 $27.5 Cape Breton: median $17.88, from $17.42 to $25.34 Cape Breton $17.88 North Shore: median $17.65, from $16.50 to $22.91 North Shore $17.65 Annapolis Valley: median $17.39 Annapolis Valley $17.39 Southern: median $16.55, from $16.50 to $21.76 Southern $16.55 Halifax: median $16.50, from $16.50 to $18.04 Halifax $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 Cape Breton $17.42 $17.88 $25.34 Moderate (3 of 5) North Shore $16.50 $17.65 $22.91 Moderate (3 of 5) Annapolis Valley Not stated $17.39 Not stated Moderate (3 of 5) Southern $16.50 $16.55 $21.76 Moderate (3 of 5) Halifax $16.50 $16.50 $18.04 Moderate (3 of 5)
Wages from 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 .