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Profession Playbooks
29 professions, ranked by the highest salary each one actually states. Read it alongside the licence column: in the regulated ones the pay step and the credential arrive together, and the years of unlicensed work before that step are the part nobody puts in the brochure.
| Profession | Highest stated salary | At that stage | Starts at | Licence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectarchitects | $120k–200k+~$200k/yr | Associate / principal / partnerAbove that: Sole practitioner (own firm): Wildly variable | $50k–65k | Regulated |
| Ontario Land Surveyorland surveyors | $130k–200k+~$200k/yr | Senior O.L.S. / partner | $50k–70k | Regulated |
| Building Envelope Consultantbuilding envelope consultants | $135k–200k+~$200k/yr | Principal / practice owner | $55k–70k | Open title |
| Structural Engineerstructural engineers | $135k–185k+~$185k/yr | Associate / principalAbove that: Firm owner: Equity, variable | $60k–72k | Regulated |
| Electrical (Building Services) Engineerelectrical engineers | $135k–185k+~$185k/yr | Associate / principalAbove that: Firm owner: Equity, variable | $62k–76k | Regulated |
| Professional Engineerprofessional engineers | $130k–180k+~$180k/yr | Principal / associate (consulting)Above that: Firm owner / partner: Equity, variable | $60k–75k | Regulated |
| Quantity Surveyorquantity surveyors | $130k–180k+~$180k/yr | Associate / director (cost consultancy)Above that: Practice owner: Business income | $60k–75k | Open title |
| Construction Project Managerconstruction project managers | $140k–180k+~$180k/yr | Construction/operations manager, directorAbove that: PM consultancy owner / owner's rep: Business income | $55k–70k | Open title |
| Urban Plannerurban planners | $130k–180k+~$180k/yr | Director of planning / principalAbove that: Consultancy owner / development exec: Variable / high | $60k–72k | Open title |
| Building Code Consultantbuilding code consultants | $90k–180k+~$180k/yr | Design firm owner | $45k–60k | Regulated |
| Geotechnical Engineergeotechnical engineers | $135k–180k+~$180k/yr | Associate / principalAbove that: Firm owner: Equity, variable | $58k–72k | Regulated |
| Environmental Consultantenvironmental consultants | $125k–180k+~$180k/yr | Principal / practice owner | $48k–62k | Open title |
| Commissioning Providercommissioning providers | $140k–180k+~$180k/yr | Principal / Cx firm owner | $60k–78k | Open title |
| Acoustics Consultantacoustics consultants | $130k–180k+~$180k/yr | Principal / practice owner | $55k–70k | Open title |
| Building Condition & Reserve Fund Consultantbuilding condition consultants | $130k–180k+~$180k/yr | Principal / practice owner | $55k–70k | Open title |
| Mechanical (Building Services) Engineermechanical engineers | $130k–175k+~$175k/yr | Associate / principalAbove that: Firm owner: Equity, variable | $60k–75k | Regulated |
| Facility Managerfacility managers | $125k–170k+~$170k/yr | Director of facilities / portfolioAbove that: FM services business owner: Business income | $50k–70k | Open title |
| Civil Engineercivil engineers | $125k–170k+~$170k/yr | Associate / principalAbove that: Firm owner: Equity, variable | $58k–70k | Regulated |
| Transportation Engineertransportation engineers | $128k–170k+~$170k/yr | Associate / principalAbove that: Firm owner: Equity, variable | $58k–72k | Regulated |
| Sustainability Consultantsustainability consultants | $125k–170k+~$170k/yr | Principal / practice lead | $52k–68k | Open title |
| Designated Substance & Hazmat Consultanthazardous materials consultants | $125k–170k+~$170k/yr | Principal / practice owner | $50k–65k | Open title |
| BIM / VDC ConsultantBIM consultants | $120k–160k+~$160k/yr | VDC director / consultancy owner | $55k–70k | Open title |
| Home Inspectorhome inspectors | $100k–150k~$150k/yr | Busy solo / premium inspectorAbove that: Multi-inspector firm owner: Business income | $30k–50k | Open title |
| Landscape Architectlandscape architects | $115k–150k+~$150k/yr | Associate / principalAbove that: Own practice: Variable | $50k–62k | Regulated |
| Energy Advisorenergy advisors | $80k–150k+~$150k/yr | EA business owner | $45k–60k | Open title |
| Heritage Consultantheritage consultants | $115k–150k+~$150k/yr | Principal / practice owner | $48k–62k | Open title |
| Interior Designerinterior designers | $90k–120k~$120k/yr | Senior / design leadAbove that: Principal / own studio: Variable | $45k–55k | Regulated |
| Construction Materials Testingmaterials testing technicians | $75k–95k~$95k/yr | Senior tech / lab supervisorAbove that: CMT lab / business owner: Business income | $45k–58k | Open title |
| Geomatics & Drone Surveygeomatics technologists | $65k–85k~$85k/yr | Senior technician / party chiefAbove that: Established geospatial services firm: Business income | $48k–68k | Open title |
Each figure comes from that profession's own pay page, broken down stage by stage with the routes that pay differently. Hourly is annualised at 2,000 hours for ranking. Ontario figures, approximate, and a firm in Toronto and a firm in Thunder Bay are not on the same scale.
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