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The average hourly wage paid to full-time payroll employees in 2016 was $27.70, excluding overtime pay, tips, and incentive and performance pay. Wages varied notably across occupations and geographic regions. The data are drawn from the new wage component of the Job Vacancy and Wage Survey (JVWS), which provides wage information by both detailed occupation and economic region on an annual basis.

A glimpse at sales and service:

  • Sales and service had the lowest average full-time hourly wage in 2016 ($18.85)
  • Full-time employees in sales and service occupations working in professional, scientific and technical services earned $29.45 per hour on average
  • In contrast, full-time employees in accommodation and food services earned, on average, $13.70 per hour
  • Of all full-time employees in sales and service occupations, 23.7% worked in the accommodation and food services sector

Highest average hourly wage:

  • In 2016, six of the seven economic regions in Alberta were part of the nation's top 10 for the highest average hourly wage
  • Some of the highest average hourly wages:
    • Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake, Alberta ($36.50)
    • Nunavut ($35.95)
    • Northwest Territories ($34.20)
    • Calgary, Alberta ($32.60)
  • Among all provinces, Alberta had a relatively high average hourly wage in every broad occupational group except in art, culture, recreation and sport occupations, and in sales and service occupations.

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