Statistics Canada Reports 20% Increase in Median Real Hourly Wages From 1981 to 2024
Median real hourly wages in Canada increased by 20% between 1981 and 2024, according to data released by Statistics Canada on June 9, 2025. The information, based on administrative records, the Labour Force Survey, and selected household surveys, outlines wage changes before taxes and deductions over four decades, including differences between full-time and part-time jobs, and variations by age and gender.
The report indicates that wage growth was higher among full-time positions—those involving at least 30 hours per week—than part-time roles. Median real hourly wages for full-time workers rose by 24% during this period. In comparison, part-time workers saw their median real hourly wages increase by 6%.
Between 1981 and 1998, full-time employees aged 25 to 34 experienced slower wage growth compared to those aged 45 to 54; specifically, their median hourly wages grew by roughly 20 percentage points less than the older group. In the period from 1998 to 2024, wage growth for the younger group outpaced that of their older counterparts by about 5 percentage points, partially offsetting the earlier trend.
Statistics Canada reported that the gender wage gap narrowed across all age groups from 1981 to 2024. In 1981, women aged 25 to 54 in full-time positions earned a median hourly wage equal to 75% of what men in the same group earned. By 2024, this figure had increased to 90%. The narrowing of the wage gap was more pronounced among younger workers: women aged 25 to 34 earned 96 cents for every dollar earned by men in 2024, up from 78 cents in 1981. For women aged 45 to 54, the corresponding figure rose from 71 cents in 1981 to 83 cents in 2024. According to the report, increased job tenure, higher educational attainment, and greater representation in higher-paying jobs contributed to this change.
The analysis also included jobs identified as highly exposed to artificial intelligence (AI). From 2022 to 2024, average real hourly wages for full-time jobs considered highly exposed to AI increased by 3% to 4%. The growth rate was similar regardless of whether these positions were likely to benefit from or be replaced by AI technologies.
All figures in the release refer to real hourly wages, adjusted for inflation using the all-items Consumer Price Index. Additional details can be found in the report "Research to Insights: Wages in Canada, 1981 to 2024" published by Statistics Canada.