2024 Salary Guide for Professional Cost Consultants and Quantity Surveyors in Canada

As a specialist recruiter working with Professional Quantity Surveyors in Canada, I receive regular inquiries from candidates asking for guidance on salary benchmarks to ensure they are being compensated fairly. I created this salary guide to help professionals assess their compensation and gain a better understanding of the current market.  Whether you're exploring new job opportunities or thinking about relocating to Canada, perhaps to Toronto in Ontario or Vancouver in British Columbia, we hope this information will be valuable in navigating your next steps.

To collate these results, we have reached out directly to industry professionals, using real-life data. We've made every effort to gather and provide information that is as accurate as possible, drawing from our extensive first-hand experience in recruiting within this sector.

I want to thank all of the participants who answered our survey. Your valuable input has been instrumental in compiling this 2024 Salary Guide for Professional Cost Consultants and Quantity Surveyors in Canada, offering insights into current market trends and compensation levels in the industry.

Please note that these figures are intended as a general reference point only. These findings should be used with caution, as individual circumstances will always play a significant role in determining the salary a candidate is offered and what an employer feels they can or should pay. The information relates purely to staff employed on a permanent basis and does not include freelance or contract staff remuneration or pay rates.

Factors Influencing Salaries

Several factors influence the salaries of Cost Consultants and Quantity Surveyors in Canada, including:

Location

Compensation will vary significantly across different provinces and cities in Canada, largely due to the cost of living and local demand for construction projects. Major urban cities like Toronto and Vancouver tend to offer higher salaries compared to smaller cities or more rural areas.

Professional Qualifications

Holding relevant professional certifications, from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (CIQS), can also enhance earning potential. My collected findings show that candidates with professional qualifications consistently do get paid higher salaries compared to those with similar experience but without professional qualifications.

Industry Sector/Projects

Salaries can also depend on whether a Quantity Surveyor or a Cost Consultant is employed in the public sector, private sector, or for a consultancy firm.

The size and scope of a consultancy organization can influence higher salaries and opportunities for bonus, depending on the clients they work with. However, this can come with higher performance expectations and larger workloads.

High-demand sectors, such as infrastructure and large-scale commercial projects, often can lead to higher compensation.

Local/ International Experience

Local experience typically holds greater weight when it comes to determining salary in Canada. Employers often prioritize and pay higher salaries to candidates with local experience due to their understanding of Canadian-specific regulations, market conditions, and established professional networks.

For professionals entering the Canadian job market, acquiring local experience or demonstrating how international experience can be leveraged to meet Canadian standards can significantly impact earning potential.

Benefits and Bonuses

In addition to base salaries, many Quantity Surveyor professionals in Canada receive additional compensation in the form of:

Bonuses: Performance-based bonuses are common, especially in consultancy firms and other large corporations, and can range from 5% to 20% of the annual salary. Usually, these are discretionary and can also depend on company profits.

Health Benefits: Comprehensive health and dental insurance is a standard benefit offered by most construction employers.

Retirement Plans: Contributions to RRSPs (Registered Retirement Savings Plans) or company pension plans are often part of the compensation package.

Professional Development Support: Employers may also cover costs related to continuous education, professional qualification fees such as RICS and CIQS, and attendance at industry conferences.

Look Beyond the Paycheck!

Over the last decade, there has been a shift in the way professionals perceive work – with a greater focus on greater life-work balance and job satisfaction. With majority of candidates voting that a work-life balance is more important than a higher salary when it comes to defining career success.

My advice to candidates would be to carefully evaluate career growth opportunities, training, work-life balance, company culture and long-term career prospects.

Situations can vary based on individual circumstances and the specific context you find yourself in. However, accepting a lower or comparable salary may be worthwhile if the new employer offers greater career prospects and growth opportunities or flexible working that you are looking for.

 Summary

This salary guide offers a comprehensive overview of compensation trends within the industry, illustrating how salaries range from entry-level to senior positions and how they differ by province, helping job seekers to understand market conditions in Canada and make informed decisions.

Significant variations in salaries are observed across different geographic locations, reflecting local economic conditions and demand for skills.

Years of experience, professional qualifications, and sector-specific demands play a crucial role in determining salary levels. Professional qualifications can lead to generally higher basic salary levels.

While salary is a critical factor, you should also consider job satisfaction elements such as work-life balance, career growth opportunities, and company culture when evaluating employment options.

Please, feel free to reach out to Maxim Recruitment Consultants for a confidential discussion to explore potential career opportunities in Canada.

Daria Tkach
Senior Recruitment Consultant
Maxim Recruitment
LinkedIn

Daria is a Senior Recruitment Consultant with day-to-day responsibility for researching, shortlisting, contacting, and interviewing premium construction industry candidates. Daria works with our UK team to help construction industry jobseekers into exciting new construction jobs with our market leading employer clients. Daria also covers the Canadian market as part of her international recruitment responsibilities. Her focus is on Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and other major cities in Canada.