Designer Salaries in Canada

The average salary for a Designer is $64,643 per year in Canada. Salaries estimates are based on 2473 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Designer employees in Canada.

The highest salary for a Designer in Canada is $82,740 per year.

The lowest salary for a Designer in Canada is $51,502 per year.

Salaries for designers are very good and are growing at a steady rate. A designer’s starting salary is higher than the average salary in Canada. Salaries are the highest in British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta. You can also make more money as a designer by working for a large entertainment firm within urban areas or large city centers. Having years of experience as a designer will also gain you a higher salary.

Your earning potential as a designer largely depends on what you design and where you design it. The good news is, this is a job that doesn’t require advanced education if you’re talented enough–unless you work in a highly specialized field. People with only a high school diploma most certainly do not design airplane components, but they can be excellent fashion designers. Conversely, a very in-demand visual artist who does design work for advertising agencies often doesn’t need a degree to consistently find work and live comfortably. Honing your skills through a combination of on-the-job experience and coursework in software, materials, photography, and anything else art-related can make you a better designer overall, which can garner you higher-paying roles in a wider variety of industries.

The absolute best way to negotiate a higher salary as a designer is to have a top-notch portfolio of successful work for a range of brands. Be prepared to explain your work, and how it contributed to meeting goals or surpassing expectations. You should also browse designer jobs in your area to see what other companies pay. Some designers prefer to work on a per-project basis, while others like the stability that comes with working in-house for a company or agency. Whichever you like, make sure your compensation is in-line with your experience and the level of demand for your work. Busy designers are successful designers, and being able to hire them commands a premium. If you know you can earn more elsewhere, it can help to show your current employer what you’ve been offered, so they can match it.

About 64.92% of Designer professionals feel satisfied with their salary, according to anonymous Glassdoor ratings. An additional $3,178 in potential pay per year, among other factors, can qualify the annual pay of a Designer in Canada as a good salary.

Designer professionals in Canada have a wide total pay range, between $42,381 and $106,270 depending on experience, with an estimated total pay of $64,643 following the average career path of a Designer.