Pay step builder: turn a budget into a pay range
Enter a budget or a target midpoint, the number of steps and the spacing. You get a step-by-step pay table with hourly and yearly amounts, checked against the minimum wage in your province or territory.
Your pay steps
| Step | Hourly | Yearly | Compared with minimum wage |
|---|
How the steps are worked out
- Budget: your budget is the top step. Each step below it is the spacing lower, so step 1 = budget ÷ (1 + spacing)steps − 1.
- Midpoint: the midpoint sits halfway between step 1 and the top step, and the steps are spaced evenly in percentage terms on each side.
- Hourly and yearly: yearly = hourly × hours a week × 52. Overtime, vacation pay and benefits are not included.
- Minimum wage check: each step's hourly amount (for salaried roles, the salary ÷ yearly hours) is compared with the general adult minimum wage. Overtime rules and exemptions differ by province, so a salaried employee who works long hours can still fall below the minimum wage for the hours worked.
Where the numbers come from
General adult minimum wage, per hour, last checked 27 October 2026 on each government's own page. Some groups (students, tipped workers, certain industries) have different rates.
- Federally regulated employers: $18.15 an hour since 1 April 2026. Government of Canada, federal labour standards: pay If the provincial or territorial rate where the work is done is higher, the higher rate applies.
- Alberta: $15.00 an hour since 1 October 2018. Government of Alberta, minimum wage The rate page does not show a start date; 1 October 2018 is from the Alberta Minimum Wage Profile 2023. Students under 18 have a separate rate.
- British Columbia: $18.25 an hour since 1 June 2026. Government of British Columbia, minimum wage
- Manitoba: $16.40 an hour since 1 October 2026. Manitoba Employment Standards, minimum wage fact sheet
- New Brunswick: $15.90 an hour since 1 April 2026. Government of New Brunswick, wages and pay
- Newfoundland and Labrador: $16.35 an hour since 1 April 2026. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, news release (26 February 2026)
- Nova Scotia: $17.00 an hour since 1 October 2026. Nova Scotia Labour Standards, minimum wage Construction and property maintenance, and logging and forest operations, have their own minimum wage orders.
- Northwest Territories: $17.20 an hour since 1 September 2026. Government of the Northwest Territories, news release The Education, Culture and Employment minimum wage page still showed the old rate ($16.95) when checked; the news release has the current rate.
- Nunavut: $20.17 an hour since 1 September 2026. Government of Nunavut, news release (30 June 2026)
- Ontario: $17.95 an hour since 1 October 2026. Ontario, Your guide to the Employment Standards Act: minimum wage
- Prince Edward Island: $17.30 an hour since 1 October 2026, rising to $17.60 on 1 April 2027. Government of Prince Edward Island, news release
- Quebec: $16.60 an hour since 1 May 2026. CNESST, minimum wage Employees who receive tips have a lower rate ($13.30).
- Saskatchewan: $15.70 an hour since 1 October 2026. Government of Saskatchewan, minimum wage
- Yukon: $18.51 an hour since 1 April 2026. Government of Yukon, news release 26-031 The Yukon minimum wage page still showed the rate that ended on 31 March 2026 when checked; the news release has the current rate.
Ontario posting rules: Ontario, requirements for publicly advertised job postings. All rates in one table: minimum wage by province.
Estimate only. Not legal or financial advice. This tool does arithmetic on the numbers you enter and compares them with the published general minimum wage. It does not tell you what a job is worth or what you should pay. Check special rates, overtime rules and pay equity duties that apply to you.
Questions
What is a pay step?
A pay step is one fixed rate inside a pay range. New hires usually start on step 1 and move up one step at a set point, such as each year of service or after a good review. Steps make pay predictable and easier to explain.
How far apart should pay steps be?
Many small employers use 2% to 5% between steps. Smaller gaps with more steps give more frequent raises; larger gaps give fewer, bigger raises. There is no legal rule on spacing. The legal floor is the minimum wage where the work is done.
Budget or midpoint: which should I enter?
Enter a budget if you know the most you can afford for the role; it becomes the top step. Enter a midpoint if you know the typical market rate for a fully trained person; the range is built evenly around it.
Do I have to post the pay range in a job ad?
In some places, yes. Ontario (employers with 25 or more staff), British Columbia and Prince Edward Island require pay or a pay range in public job postings. See pay in job postings by province on our employment standards page.
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