Average Life Scientist Salary in Canada for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Life Scientist salary for 2024 in Canada and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the Canadian dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the CAD currency code instead of the currency symbol $.

How Much Does a Life Scientist Make in Canada?

A Life Scientist working in Canada will typically earn around 201,000 CAD per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 105,800 CAD to the highest average salary of 309,800 CAD.

Average Annual Salary
201,000 CAD
Average Monthly Salary
16,750 CAD

Lowest Annual Salary
105,800 CAD
Lowest Monthly Salary
8,816 CAD

Highest Annual Salary
309,800 CAD
Highest Monthly Salary
25,816 CAD

These are average salaries for a Life Scientist in Canada and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Life Scientist to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Life Scientist salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Life Scientist Salaries in Canada

So we've looked at the average salaries a Life Scientist will earn in Canada. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Life Scientist can earn between 105,800 CAD and 309,800 CAD on average in Canada. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Life Scientist in Canada is 193,400 CAD. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 193,400 CAD, and 50% of the population earn more than 193,400 CAD.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Life Scientist salary in Canada, 25% of the population are earning less than 134,100 CAD while 75% of the population earn more than 134,100 CAD.

75% of the population earn less than 241,200 CAD, and 25% of the population earn more than 241,200 CAD.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Life Scientist Salary by Experience Level in Canada

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average life scientist salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Life Scientist in Canada that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 118,900 CAD.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Life Scientist salary would increase to 160,700 CAD.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Life Scientist, the average salary would be 206,300 CAD.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 253,400 CAD.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Life Scientist with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 274,700 CAD.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Life Scientist with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 290,200 CAD.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
118,900 CAD
2-5 Years +34%
160,700 CAD
5-10 Years +30%
206,300 CAD
10-15 Years +21%
253,400 CAD
15-20 Years +9%
274,700 CAD
20+ Years +5%
290,200 CAD

Life Scientist Salary by Education Level in Canada

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Life Scientist in Canada based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Life Scientist in Canada with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 152,700 CAD.

  • Master's Degree. A Life Scientist in Canada with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 191,500 CAD.

  • PhD. A Life Scientist in Canada with a phd education can earn an average salary of 303,600 CAD.

Average Salary by Education Chart

Bachelor's Degree
152,700 CAD
Master's Degree +24%
191,500 CAD
PhD +60%
303,600 CAD

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in Canada is around 49,800 to 149,000 CAD and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Life Scientist Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In Canada, a male life scientist will earn an average of 206,700 CAD, while a female life scientist will earn around 195,500 CAD.

This means that a male life scientist earns approximately 6% more than a female life scientist for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in Canada

Male
206,700 CAD
Female -6%
195,500 CAD

Life Scientist Average Pay Raise in Canada

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Life Scientist in Canada is around 13% every 16 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in Canada is around 9% every 15 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 13 ÷ 16 ) × 12  = 10%

What this means is that a Life Scientist in Canada can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 10% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Canada for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in Canada.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
2%
Energy
4%
Information Technology
6%
Healthcare
8%
Travel
1%
Construction
3%
Education
5%

Life Scientist Bonus and Incentive Rates in Canada

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Life Scientist is a moderate bonus based job, with 57% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

43% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 5%.

Received Bonus
57%
No Bonus
43%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in Canada earn approximately 6% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
123,000 CAD
Private Sector -6%
115,600 CAD

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Life Scientist

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Life Scientist in Canada.

Job Title Category Salary
3D Lab Technologist Science and Technical Services 111,700 CAD
Algorithm Developer Science and Technical Services 160,700 CAD
Analytical Chemist Science and Technical Services 218,500 CAD
Anthropologist Science and Technical Services 172,100 CAD
Archeologist Science and Technical Services 146,700 CAD
Assistant Breeder Science and Technical Services 79,600 CAD
Astronomer Science and Technical Services 262,300 CAD
Atmospheric and Space Scientist Science and Technical Services 210,600 CAD
Behavior Analyst Science and Technical Services 152,700 CAD
Behavior Intervention Specialist Science and Technical Services 160,700 CAD
Behavior Specialist Science and Technical Services 152,700 CAD
Biochemist Science and Technical Services 258,700 CAD
Biofuels Processing Technician Science and Technical Services 94,000 CAD
Biofuels Production Manager Science and Technical Services 175,200 CAD
Biologist Science and Technical Services 246,200 CAD
Biomedical Laboratory Officer Science and Technical Services 96,600 CAD
Biomedical Scientist Science and Technical Services 258,700 CAD
Biophysicist Science and Technical Services 252,500 CAD
Chemical Engineer Science and Technical Services 114,600 CAD
Chemical Technologist Science and Technical Services 115,600 CAD
Chemist Science and Technical Services 239,000 CAD
Chief Technologist Science and Technical Services 218,500 CAD
Climate Change Analyst Science and Technical Services 163,500 CAD
Clinical Laboratory Scientist Science and Technical Services 246,200 CAD
Computer Scientist Science and Technical Services 193,200 CAD
Conservation Scientist Science and Technical Services 213,800 CAD
Data Science Specialist Science and Technical Services 157,600 CAD
Data Scientist Science and Technical Services 197,600 CAD
DNA Analyst Science and Technical Services 258,700 CAD
Ecologist Science and Technical Services 183,600 CAD
Economic Development Specialist Science and Technical Services 191,100 CAD
Flavourist Science and Technical Services 79,600 CAD
Food Scientist Science and Technical Services 165,900 CAD
Forensic Scientist Science and Technical Services 205,700 CAD
Formulation Technologist Science and Technical Services 97,200 CAD
Fraud Investigator Science and Technical Services 115,600 CAD
Genomics Scientist Science and Technical Services 252,400 CAD
Geographer Science and Technical Services 128,400 CAD
Geographic Information Systems Technician Science and Technical Services 87,700 CAD
Geological Data Technician Science and Technical Services 81,900 CAD
Geological Technician Science and Technical Services 108,200 CAD
Geologist Science and Technical Services 199,700 CAD
Geomatics Scientist Science and Technical Services 191,100 CAD
Geophysical Data Technician Science and Technical Services 78,500 CAD
Geospatial Information Scientist and Technologist Science and Technical Services 193,400 CAD
Global Technical Lead Science and Technical Services 258,700 CAD
Hydrologist Science and Technical Services 172,300 CAD
Industrial Ecologist Science and Technical Services 182,400 CAD
Intelligence Analyst Science and Technical Services 153,800 CAD
Knowledge Management Specialist Science and Technical Services 127,700 CAD
Lab Analyst Science and Technical Services 105,800 CAD
Lab Manager Science and Technical Services 177,100 CAD
Lab Technician Science and Technical Services 72,300 CAD
Laboratory Manager Science and Technical Services 171,300 CAD
Laboratory Researcher Science and Technical Services 114,300 CAD
Laboratory Technician Science and Technical Services 79,000 CAD
Life Sciences Analyst Science and Technical Services 171,300 CAD
Marine Architect Science and Technical Services 153,700 CAD
Marine Biologist Science and Technical Services 183,600 CAD
Marine Superintendent Science and Technical Services 100,700 CAD
Materials Analyst Science and Technical Services 105,800 CAD
Materials Scientist Science and Technical Services 182,400 CAD
Mathematician Science and Technical Services 199,700 CAD
Medical Scientist Science and Technical Services 272,900 CAD
Metallurgist Science and Technical Services 175,200 CAD
Meteorologist Science and Technical Services 184,700 CAD
Microbiologist Science and Technical Services 252,500 CAD
Natural Language Processing Researcher Science and Technical Services 164,100 CAD
Natural Resource Specialist Science and Technical Services 140,700 CAD
Natural Resources Analyst Science and Technical Services 157,600 CAD
Natural Sciences Manager Science and Technical Services 250,600 CAD
Nuclear Engineer Science and Technical Services 267,200 CAD
Physical Scientist Science and Technical Services 205,400 CAD
Physicist Science and Technical Services 254,400 CAD
Political Scientist Science and Technical Services 199,700 CAD
Polygraph Examiner Science and Technical Services 65,900 CAD
Polysomnographic Technologist Science and Technical Services 115,600 CAD
Product Development Scientist Science and Technical Services 195,500 CAD
Quantitative Research Analyst Science and Technical Services 172,100 CAD
Quantitative Researcher Science and Technical Services 164,100 CAD
Radiation Protection Specialist Science and Technical Services 138,700 CAD
Refrigeration Technician Science and Technical Services 61,400 CAD
Research Scientist Science and Technical Services 184,700 CAD
Risk Safety Engineer Science and Technical Services 116,400 CAD
Scientific Photographer Science and Technical Services 108,200 CAD
Scientific Programmer Science and Technical Services 161,300 CAD
Scientist Science and Technical Services 183,900 CAD
Service Engineer Science and Technical Services 116,400 CAD
Service Technician Science and Technical Services 74,100 CAD
Social Science Research Assistant Science and Technical Services 109,000 CAD
Social Scientist Science and Technical Services 185,900 CAD
Sociologist Science and Technical Services 185,900 CAD
Soil Scientist Science and Technical Services 164,100 CAD
Statistical Analyst Science and Technical Services 114,300 CAD
Statistical Assistant Science and Technical Services 78,500 CAD
Statistician Science and Technical Services 168,700 CAD
Survey Analyst Science and Technical Services 109,700 CAD
Survey Researcher Science and Technical Services 105,800 CAD
Surveying and Mapping Technician Science and Technical Services 67,500 CAD
Team Leader Science and Technical Services 158,700 CAD
Technical Manager Science and Technical Services 172,100 CAD
Technical Officer Science and Technical Services 73,300 CAD
Technical Service Director Science and Technical Services 236,700 CAD
Technical Services Regulatory Affairs Specialist Science and Technical Services 109,000 CAD
Technical Services Research and Development Manager Science and Technical Services 265,800 CAD
Technical Services Research Associate Science and Technical Services 123,000 CAD
Technical Services Research Coordinator Science and Technical Services 124,500 CAD
Technician Science and Technical Services 69,100 CAD
Water Ecologist Science and Technical Services 213,800 CAD
Wildlife Biologist Science and Technical Services 167,100 CAD

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in Canada, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Brampton 190,400 CAD
Calgary 210,600 CAD
Edmonton 204,900 CAD
Gatineau 175,200 CAD
Halifax 187,500 CAD
Hamilton 195,200 CAD
Kitchener 189,800 CAD
Markham 195,500 CAD
Mississauga 206,100 CAD
Montreal 216,600 CAD
Ottawa 212,500 CAD
Quebec 200,600 CAD
Regina 182,400 CAD
Richmond 184,700 CAD
Saskatoon 187,500 CAD
Surrey 190,400 CAD
Toronto 225,500 CAD
Vancouver 211,200 CAD
Vaughan 187,500 CAD
Windsor 183,600 CAD
Winnipeg 209,700 CAD

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in Canada.

City Average Salary
Alberta 211,200 CAD
British Columbia 219,500 CAD
Manitoba 211,200 CAD
New Brunswick 187,500 CAD
Newfoundland-Labrador 177,200 CAD
Northwest Territories 193,400 CAD
Nova Scotia 177,200 CAD
Nunavut 216,300 CAD
Ontario 226,100 CAD
Prince Edward Island 172,300 CAD
Quebec 213,800 CAD
Saskatchewan 183,600 CAD
Yukon 184,700 CAD

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