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ECE SALARY INFORMATION

How to View Our ECE Salary Information

ECE salaries or hourly wages differ across Canada from province to province and across the territories. ECE salary information can also be difficult to track down as it varies from region to region.

ECEs earn lower than what the Canadian Child Care Federation and child care and early learning advocates believe the profession should earn. The CCCF supports higher salary standards and benefits and advocates for higher pay for the profession. Help us advocate for better compensation and recognition for ECEs. Ultimately this will lead to higher quality child care for all and more availability in child care centres.

The level of education and certification you get increases your salary earning potential as an ECE. Completion of a college program in Early Childhood Education or a bachelor’s degree in child development will take you to different levels of competency and determine higher salary ranges regardless of which region you wish to work in Canada.

Click the + to Select a Province or Territory to View ECE Salary Information

What is the range of salaries and benefits in the Yukon’s ELCC sector?

*Wages are hourly and may vary from employer to employer

2018-2019 Wage Averages per Hour:  

No Training: $17.22

Level 1: $18.72

Level 1A: $19.91

Level 2: $21.54

Level 2A: $24.01

Level 3: $23.07 

Director: $28.61

Benefits: Will vary from employer to employer, but may include group insurance (eg: health, dental and long-term disability), RRSP contributions and a variety of other entitlements (eg: vacation days, sick days, mental health, personal days, etc.)

What is the range of salaries and benefits in the NWT ELCC sector?
Primary Staff Person:
Support Staff Person:

Benefits: Will vary from employer to employer, but may include group insurance (eg: health, dental and long-term disability), RRSP contributions and a variety of other entitlements (eg: vacation days, sick days, mental health, personal days, etc.)

What is the range of salaries and benefits in the Nunavut ELCC sector?
ECE Certificate: $20.00/hr
ECE Diploma or Degree: $25.30/hr

Some Training and Some Experience: $18.10/hr
No Training or Experience: $16.90/hr

*Wages are hourly and may vary from employer to employer

Benefits: Will vary from employer to employer, but may include group insurance (eg: health, dental and long-term disability), RRSP contributions and a variety of other entitlements (eg: vacation days, sick days, mental health, personal days, etc.)

What is the range of salaries and benefits in the BC ELCC sector?
*ECEA: Early Childhood Educator Assistant assists the ECE in directing and assessing the positive emotional, physical, social and cognitive development of children by implementing appropriate activities and programs according to each child’s individual developmental abilities, interests and needs.

ECE Degree: ($20-$30)
ECE Diploma: ($13-$27)
ECEA: ($14-$20)
RA: ($14-$20)
ECE Assistant: ($17)
ECE Basic: ($20)
ECE Infant & Toddler: ($22)
ECE Special Needs: ($22)

Benefits: Will vary from employer to employer, but may include group insurance (eg: health, dental and long-term disability), RRSP contributions and a variety of other entitlements (eg: vacation days, sick days, mental health, personal days, etc.)

What is the range of salaries and benefits in the AB ELCC sector?
*Provincial Wage Enhancement – A government grant provided to Alberta ELCC programs to support wages
*Wages are hourly and may vary from employer to employer

Child Development Assistant (Formally Level 1)
$15.90: without provincial wage enhancement
$18.04: with provincial wage enhancement

Child Development Worker (Formally Level 2)
$16.91 – without provincial wage enhancement
$20.96 – with provincial wage enhancement

Child Development Supervisor (Formally Level 3)
$18.51 – without provincial wage enhancement
$25.13 – with provincial wage enhancement

Child Care Assistant (CCA) assists the ECE in directing and assessing the positive emotional, physical, social and cognitive development of children by implementing appropriate activities and programs according to each child’s individual developmental abilities, interests and needs.

Benefits: Will vary from employer to employer, but may include group insurance (eg: health, dental and long-term disability), RRSP contributions and a variety of other entitlements (eg: vacation days, sick days, mental health, personal days, etc.)

*Wages are hourly and may vary from employer to employer

ECE Level 1: $15.00/hour

ECE Level 2: $18.00/hour

ECE Level 3: $20.00/hour

Benefits: Will vary from employer to employer, but may include group insurance (eg: health, dental and long-term disability), RRSP contributions and a variety of other entitlements (eg: vacation days, sick days, mental health, personal days, etc.)

What is the range of salaries and benefits in the Manitoba ELCC sector?
Manitoba Average Hourly Rate of Pay – Early Learning & Child Care Program

Child Care Staff
*CCA IT = Child Care Assistant in Training
CCA: $13.43
CCA IT: $14.90
ECE II: $19.25
ECE III: $21.07

Supervisors
Child Care Assistant: $18.05
ECE II: $21.92
ECE III: $23.73

Assistant Directors
ECE II: $24.85
ECE III: $28.23

Directors
ECE II: $29.32
ECE III: $32.60

*ECEA: Early Childhood Educator Assistant assists the ECE in directing and assessing the positive emotional, physical, social and cognitive development of children by implementing appropriate activities and programs according to each child’s individual developmental abilities, interests and needs.

Benefits: Will vary from employer to employer, but may include group insurance (eg: health, dental and long-term disability), RRSP contributions and a variety of other entitlements (eg: vacation days, sick days, mental health, personal days, etc.)

What is the range of salaries and benefits in the Ontario ELCC sector?
For the classifications and positions listed, – average wage/salary

Classification 1: $21- 27
Classification 2: $19
Classification 3: $15-17

The report produced by the Province each year provides salary and wages.

Benefits: Will vary from employer to employer, but may include group insurance (eg: health, dental and long-term disability), RRSP contributions and a variety of other entitlements (eg: vacation days, sick days, mental health, personal days, etc.)

What is the range of salaries and benefits in the Quebec ELCC sector?

Classification et rémunération
*Wages are hourly and may vary from employer to employer

Benefits: Will vary from employer to employer, but may include group insurance (eg: health, dental and long-term disability), RRSP contributions and a variety of other entitlements (eg: vacation days, sick days, mental health, personal days, etc.)

Avantages sociaux – Child Care Employee Benefits

What is the range of salaries and benefits in the NFLD ELCC sector?
The average wage is $14.58 per hour. The government provides an ELCC supplement to educators that range from:

ECE working in a regulated child care setting:
· Level One $12,900.00
· Level Two $14,400.00
· Level Three $14,900.00
· Level Four $15,400.00

Administrator (Child Care Centre) and Monitor (Family Child Care Agency):
· Level Two $15,900.00
· Level Three $16,400.00
· Level Four $16,900.00

The government has a bursary for students completing a one year ECE certificate from a provincially recognized Post-Secondary institution, they can be eligible to receive $250 per course that has been successfully completed. If a student completes the 2 years ECE Diploma, upon completion they may be eligible to receive up to $7500.

Benefits: Will vary from employer to employer, but may include group insurance (eg: health, dental and long-term disability), RRSP contributions and a variety of other entitlements (eg: vacation days, sick days, mental health, personal days, etc.)

What is the range of salaries and benefits in the New Brunswick ELCC sector?
*Wages are hourly and may vary from employer to employer

For full details please visit this link

14.90/hour: Entry Level , Step 1

15.87/hour: Entry Level , Step 2

16.90/hour: Entry Level , Step 3


21.00/hour: Level 1, Step 1

22.20/hour: Level 1, Step 2

23.47/hour: Level 1, Step 3


Benefits: Will vary from employer to employer, but may include group insurance (eg: health, dental and long-term disability), RRSP contributions and a variety of other entitlements (eg: vacation days, sick days, mental health, personal days, etc.)

What is the range of salaries and benefits in the PEI ELCC sector?
*Hourly Wages

Step 1 = 1 year or less.
Step 2 = 2 years
Step 3 = 3 years
Step 4 = 4 years
Step 5 = 5 years or more

ECE 1: 3 x 30 hours EC courses
Step 1: $14.48 
Step 2: $14.86
Step 3: $15.24
Step 4: $15.64
Step 5: $16.05

ECE 2: 1-year certificate
Step 1: $16.05 
Step 2: $16.47
Step 3: $16.91
Step 4: $17.35
Step 5: $17.78

ECE 3: 2-year diploma
Step 1: $18.61
Step 2: $19.08
Step 3: $19.55
Step 4: $20.04
Step 5: $20.56

Director: ECE degree/Related Degree plus ECE Credential
Step 1: $24.85

Uncertified
Step 1: $13.25

Support Staff
Step 1: Minimum wage

Benefits: Will vary from employer to employer, but may include group insurance (eg: health, dental and long-term disability), RRSP contributions and a variety of other entitlements (eg: vacation days, sick days, mental health, personal days, etc.)

What is the range of salaries and benefits in the Nova Scotia ELCC sector?
*Wages are hourly and may vary from employer to employer

Level 2: $17.00/hr
Level 3: $ 19.00/hour
Level 1: $ 15.00/hour

Benefits: Will vary from employer to employer, but may include group insurance (eg: health, dental and long-term disability), RRSP contributions and a variety of other entitlements (eg: vacation days, sick days, mental health, personal days, etc.)

The Canadian Child Care Federation along with the child care community and sector across Canada advocates for quality in early learning and child care – certification is one of the cornerstones to achieving that quality. For more on certification please follow this link.

Provincial & Territorial Information

ECE Information Where YOU live

Review the important ELCC information in your region
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Supporter membership rate $45 CAD. Join now!

Annual Membership rate $0 CAD with the code from your local affiliate. Join now!

Anyone working in licensed child care has to apply for certification. You will find certification information for your province or territory on our child care certification page.

With your resume and cover letter ready (we’ll provide guides for this soon), contact child care centres and introduce yourself! You can call, email, or even message them on social media. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a reply. Try again a few days later to give them your resume in person. Remember that due to safety reasons you need to call first. Tell them you live in their area, and that you’re looking for a position.

On our provincial and territorial map we link to child care associations in your area. Follow the link to your association and join today. The associations provide valuable information to anyone starting out in their career. Even experienced ECEs can benefit. You’ll also enjoy valuable member benefits like discounts, meet other ECEs, and become a part of the child care movement in Canada.


If you join your provincial or territorial affiliate, you’re automatically also a member of the CCCF.

All licensed and regulated quality child care programs in Canada require these for the safety and security of children and families.

If you’re just starting out:

  1. Get certified!
  2. Find the requirements for your province or territory
  3. Write your resume and begin your job search. We’ll provide tips on this soon. 
  4. Get your vulnerable sector check and first aid training

Join our Facebook Group and meet other ECEs who may be able to answer your questions

Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) are incredible professionals that have rewarding, important and demanding careers. They work with young children (and their families), ages 0-12, nurturing and educating them, observing and planning for their growth and development while ensuring that they are healthy. They create interactive and dynamic learning environments where children develop social skills, develop cognitive skills and foster lifelong learning. ECEs work in child care centres, classrooms, home child cares, preschool, and parent drop-in programs. You do not need a teaching degree to be an ECE, but you do need your ECE diploma.

Annual Membership rate $90 CAD.
Join now!

Annual Membership rate $65 CAD.
Join now!

Annual Membership rate $65 CAD.
Join now!

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