Canada’s Best Jobs 2013 ranking

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Overall Rank	Job	Growth in # of employees (2006-2012)	Change in salary (2006-2012)	Projected job openings for every person looking in 2020	Median annual salary (2012)
1	Oil & gas drilling supervisor	44%	39%	2.3	$74,880
2	Head nurse & heath-care manager	58%	24%	1.23	$74,880
3	Petroleum engineer	75%	17%	1.02	$93,517
4	Electrical & telecommunications contractor	87%	28%	1.09	$72,800
5	School principal & administrator	9%	25%	1.23	$90,002
6	Lawyer	33%	14%	1.19	$79,997
7	Real estate & financial manager	47%	15%	1.07	$79,872
8	Senior government manager	4%	23%	1.15	$95,992
9	Chemical engineer	46%	20%	0.82	$78,000
10	Aerospace engineer	49%	11%	1.02	$75,005
11	Audiologist & speech-language pathologist	29%	21%	0.93	$77,813
12	Natural & applied science researcher	73%	25%	0.8	$73,590
13	Construction manager	39%	21%	0.94	$72,800
14	Police officer	25%	21%	1.05	$72,800
15	Financial administrator	13%	22%	0.92	$79,997
16	Registered nurse	10%	24%	1.23	$72,072
17	Sales & marketing manager	–4%	20%	1.15	$75,005
18	Dental hygienist	30%	12%	1.2	$69,992
19	Civil engineer	38%	13%	0.82	$76,960
20	Industrial technician	13%	28%	1.02	$74,381
21	Metal-forming contractor & supervisor	41%	32%	1.09	$65,874
22	Transportation manager	31%	17%	0.94	$72,800
23	Pipefitting contractor & supervisor	46%	19%	1.09	$66,560
24	Utilities manager	3%	17%	0.91	$100,006
25	Software engineer	34%	8%	0.77	$79,997
26	Occupational therapist	34%	21%	0.93	$72,738
27	Pharmacist	12%	21%	0.71	$95,680
28	Computer engineer	19%	14%	1.02	$75,005
29	Psychologist	–9%	25%	1.04	$77,709
30	School and guidance counsellor	29%	32%	1.04	$69,326
31	Electrician	100%	22%	0.91	$69,493
32	Economic analyst (government)	–15%	16%	0.96	$100,277
33	Geologist, geochemist & geophysicist	9%	34%	0.7	$89,440
34	Petroleum, gas & chemical process operator	5%	28%	1.16	$69,992
35	Health & occupation inspector	37%	15%	1.09	$66,560
36	Human-resources manager	9%	14%	0.92	$79,997
37	Mechanical engineer	33%	17%	0.82	$72,800
38	University professor	22%	19%	0.54	$81,994
39	Pilot	0%	25%	1.56	$69,846
40	Engineering manager	–20%	9%	1.06	$87,131
41	Secondary school teacher	3%	24%	1.04	$74,152
42	Railway & transportation supervisor	34%	38%	1.32	$60,320
43	Mining supervisor	18%	23%	2.3	$64,480
44	College instructor	21%	12%	1.45	$66,560
45	Urban planner	26%	16%	0.91	$72,530
46	Banking & credit manager	10%	13%	1.07	$72,530
47	Health-policy researcher	124%	19%	0.8	$67,205
48	Construction inspector	42%	13%	0.91	$62,400
49	Power system operator	–6%	11%	0.78	$70,720
50	Probation & parole officer	11%	13%	0.96	$71,094

Methodology

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We used Statistics Canada data on employment and wages, including jobs that had experienced employment growth between 2006 and 2012 and had a median salary of $60,000 or more and at least 5,000 employed individuals. Rankings are based on four criteria: job growth, median compensation (based on a 40-hour work week) in 2012, the change in median compensation from 2006 to 2012, and the projected demand for those jobs using data from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. The final rank is based on a weighting of 25% to job growth, 25% to projected job demand, 40% to median wage and 10% to change in compensation. A few broad nonspecific categories were eliminated.