How much do teachers earn in Québec? Teacher salaries in Québec are based largely on negotiated salary scales for the public education system. The amount a teacher earns depends on the salary step, recognized schooling, recognized relevant experience, employment status and the type of educational institution.
For regular full-time teachers covered by the Québec teacher collective agreements, the current salary scale for the 2026–2027 school year contains 16 salary steps.
For the 2026–2027 school year, the negotiated annual salary scale for regular teachers runs from approximately $56,013 to $109,121 CAD.
The salary step is determined using factors such as recognized schooling and relevant professional experience. The scale applies to regular teaching positions covered by the applicable teacher collective agreement.
The figures on this page are gross annual salaries in Canadian dollars. They are not take-home salaries after income tax, Québec Pension Plan contributions, employment insurance, pension and other deductions.
The Québec government identifies teacher salary as being determined using schooling and recognized relevant experience. The current collective-agreement scale provides the 2026–2027 amounts shown below. Québec's public-sector salary tables are also updated when negotiated adjustments apply.
The current negotiated salary scale for regular teachers contains 16 salary steps. The amounts below are the annual salary figures applicable from the 2026–2027 school year under the national teacher collective agreement.
| Salary Step | Annual Salary 2026–2027 |
|---|---|
| 1 | $56,013 |
| 2 | $59,755 |
| 3 | $65,352 |
| 4 | $67,930 |
| 5 | $70,610 |
| 6 | $73,394 |
| 7 | $76,288 |
| 8 | $79,295 |
| 9 | $82,424 |
| 10 | $85,673 |
| 11 | $87,540 |
| 12 | $91,262 |
| 13 | $95,141 |
| 14 | $99,183 |
| 15 | $103,398 |
| 16 | $109,121 |
The 2026–2027 figures are annual gross salary amounts from the negotiated teacher salary scale. They should not be confused with hourly wage estimates published by Statistics Canada or Job Bank.
Québec does not simply determine a teacher's salary by job title. For teachers employed by public school service centres and school boards, salary placement takes into account two important variables: the evaluation of the teacher's schooling and recognition of relevant professional experience.
The Québec government explains that school service centres and school boards evaluate schooling using official documents such as transcripts, certificates, diplomas and teaching credentials. Relevant experience is also considered when determining salary placement.
This means that two teachers with the same job title can potentially enter the salary scale at different steps depending on their recognized qualifications and experience.
| Career Stage | Possible Salary-Scale Situation |
|---|---|
| New Teacher | Often begins at a lower salary step depending on qualification and recognized experience. |
| Early Career Teacher | Moves through the negotiated salary scale as experience and eligibility requirements are met. |
| Experienced Teacher | May be placed at a higher step when relevant experience is recognized. |
| Senior Teacher | Can reach the upper portion of the 16-step salary scale. |
| Specialist or Additional Responsibility | Salary treatment depends on the position, duties and applicable collective agreement. |
Primary-school teachers are covered by the Québec teacher salary system when employed in the public education network under the applicable collective agreement.
The current 2026–2027 salary scale for regular teachers runs from $56,013 to $109,121 per year. A primary teacher's exact placement depends on recognized schooling and relevant experience rather than simply the fact that the teacher works at the primary level.
Government of Canada Job Bank wage data for primary school teachers in Québec reports a median wage of $44.23 per hour, with a reported range of $27.00 to $55.30 per hour. The Job Bank figures use a different methodology and reference period than the negotiated public-school salary scale.
Job Bank wage data for this occupation was updated in 2025 and uses a 2023–2024 Labour Force Survey reference period. It should therefore be treated as labour-market wage data, not as the 2026–2027 public-school salary scale.
See also: Primary Teacher Salary in Québec
Secondary-school teachers in Québec teach academic, technical, vocational or specialized subjects at public and private secondary schools.
For regular teachers covered by the public-school collective agreement, the same 2026–2027 general salary scale of $56,013 to $109,121 annually provides the principal reference point, with placement determined by recognized schooling and experience.
Job Bank reports a median wage of $44.23 per hour for secondary school teachers in Québec. This is labour-market wage information and is not the same measurement as the negotiated annual salary scale.
See: Secondary Teacher Salary in Québec
Québec's public education system includes preschool education as part of the teaching profession. Kindergarten and elementary teaching are therefore different from the separate early-childhood educator profession.
A teacher working in preschool or kindergarten under the regular teacher agreement is subject to the applicable teacher salary classification and salary-step rules.
The 2026–2027 regular teacher scale ranges from $56,013 to $109,121 annually.
See: Kindergarten Teacher Salary in Québec
Special education teachers can work with students who have different learning, developmental, behavioural or physical needs.
The salary treatment depends on the position, qualification, employer and applicable collective agreement. A teacher should not automatically assume that special education creates a separate universal salary scale.
For public-school teachers covered by the regular teacher agreement, salary placement is still connected to recognized schooling and relevant experience.
See: Special Education Teacher Salary in Québec
Experience matters in Québec because recognized relevant professional experience can affect salary placement.
However, teachers should not assume that every year of employment from another occupation or country will automatically translate into one additional salary step.
| Experience Situation | What Matters |
|---|---|
| New Graduate | Teaching qualification and recognized schooling |
| Previous Québec Teaching Experience | Relevant experience recognized under applicable rules |
| Teaching Experience Outside Québec | Documentation and recognition of relevant experience |
| Experience in Another Profession | Whether the experience is recognized as relevant under the applicable rules |
| Advanced Career | Accumulated recognized experience and salary-step progression |
Teachers coming to Québec from another province, territory or country should prepare detailed documentation of their professional history.
The salary process can require official information about previous employment, teaching experience, qualifications and schooling.
The Québec government states that salary treatment is based on both schooling evaluation and recognition of relevant experience. Teachers who have questions about their individual classification should therefore ask their employer or school service centre to explain how their file was evaluated.
Teachers should keep copies of:
Teacher salaries vary substantially between Canadian provinces because education is a provincial responsibility and collective agreements differ.
For Québec, the negotiated public-school salary scale is more useful for understanding the pay structure of regular teachers than a generic Canadian average.
Job Bank provides a separate labour-market measure. For primary school teachers and secondary school teachers in Québec, its current provincial median is $44.23 per hour, based on the reference period specified by Job Bank.
Searching for "average teacher salary in Québec" can produce different numbers because salary sources measure different things.
For this reason, teachers should identify the source and employment category before comparing salary figures.
CEGEP teachers are not simply placed on the same salary scale as elementary and secondary school teachers. CEGEPs have their own employment structures and collective agreements.
Job Bank reports a provincial median wage of $48.61 per hour for CEGEP teachers in Québec. Its reported provincial range is $26.00 to $59.34 per hour.
The Job Bank CEGEP wage figures were updated in 2025 and use a 2023–2024 Labour Force Survey reference period.
Vocational education is another major part of Québec's education system. Teachers in vocational training may come from professional or trade backgrounds and can have different qualification and authorization requirements from teachers in general education.
The salary and employment conditions depend on the teaching position, qualifications, employer and applicable collective agreement.
See: Vocational Teacher Salary in Québec
School principals and other school administrators are not normally paid using the regular teacher salary scale. Management positions have their own classifications and compensation structures.
Teachers considering a move into school leadership should therefore compare the management salary structure, responsibilities, pension arrangements and other employment conditions rather than assuming that the regular teacher scale continues unchanged.
See: School Principal Salary in Québec
International and private schools can have different salary structures from the public education network.
Salary may depend on:
Teachers should compare the complete compensation package rather than looking only at the advertised annual salary.
See: International School Teacher Salary in Québec
English-speaking teachers can find opportunities in Québec's English-language school network, private schools, language education and other educational settings.
The exact qualification and language requirements depend on the position and employer. Teaching English as a subject is also different from working as a qualified teacher in an English-language public school.
See: English Teacher Salary in Québec
Québec teacher salaries are normally discussed as annual gross salaries.
For example, a gross annual salary of $80,000 corresponds to an average of approximately $6,667 per month when the annual amount is divided by 12. This is only a mathematical monthly equivalent and should not be interpreted as the exact amount deposited into a teacher's bank account every month.
The actual payroll amount depends on the employer's payroll schedule, deductions, employment status and other applicable conditions.
Teachers in Québec may have deductions for Québec and federal income taxes, Québec Pension Plan contributions, Employment Insurance, pension contributions, union dues and other applicable deductions. The amount received after deductions will therefore be lower than the gross salary shown on the salary scale.
The Québec public-school teacher salary scale should not be treated like salary systems that include a separate mandatory 13th salary.
The annual amounts shown on the Québec teacher salary scale are annual salary amounts. Teachers should therefore not automatically add another month's salary to the figures shown on this page.
Not every teacher works at 100% of a full teaching assignment. Québec's education system includes full-time and part-time positions, replacements and other employment arrangements.
A teacher working less than a full assignment will generally have lower gross earnings than a teacher working a complete full-time assignment.
When comparing jobs, check:
Salary is only one part of the total employment package for teachers.
The Québec government identifies benefits and employment conditions for full-time teachers that can include pension arrangements, group insurance, sick-leave banks and special leaves.
The exact conditions depend on the applicable collective agreement and employment status.
Yes. Foreign-trained teachers can apply to teach in Québec, but teaching is a regulated profession and authorization requirements apply.
The Québec government states that a person must hold an authorization to teach in order to practise as a teacher. Different pathways exist for people trained in Québec, elsewhere in Canada and outside Canada.
For teachers trained outside Canada, the Québec government provides a specific immigration-and-teaching process. Depending on the candidate's circumstances, the process can involve an application for a Québec teaching licence, evaluation of training and language requirements.
See our guide: Jobs in Québec for Foreigners
French is the principal language of Québec's francophone public education system, and language requirements are an important part of the teaching authorization process.
However, Québec also has English-language school boards and institutions, so language requirements depend on the school, position and authorization pathway.
Some candidates trained outside Canada may have to complete a recognized language examination as part of obtaining authorization to teach. The Québec government identifies both French and English teacher-certification language examinations depending on the candidate's situation.
Teachers should therefore check the exact language requirement for the authorization and position they are seeking rather than assuming that English or French alone is sufficient.
Teachers educated outside Québec should begin by determining whether their existing teaching qualification can support an application for authorization to teach.
The Québec government specifically recommends using its teaching-licence application process for internationally trained teachers. Recognition depends on the individual training program, documents, country and professional status.
Do not assume that a foreign teaching degree automatically provides the same professional authorization as a Québec teaching qualification. The Ministère de l'Éducation du Québec assesses applications according to the applicable rules. Obtain an official determination before relying on a salary classification or employment plan.
Teachers who already hold a teaching authorization from another Canadian province or territory may have a separate pathway to authorization in Québec.
The Québec government states that the Canadian Free Trade Agreement can allow holders of certain teaching licences from another Canadian province or territory to obtain an equivalent Québec authorization, subject to the applicable application requirements.
Applicants should submit the required documents and confirm their individual situation with the Québec Ministry of Education.
Qualified foreign teachers can potentially find opportunities in several parts of Québec's education system.
The hiring process differs between public and private institutions. Public-school employers include centres de services scolaires and school boards, while private schools are autonomous employers.
The Québec government provides an official process for finding teaching positions through centres de services scolaires, school boards and private educational institutions.
See: Official Québec Teaching Job Information
The highest compensation in education is not necessarily associated with one particular school level. Salary can change when a teacher moves into a different role, classification or management position.
Potential career directions include:
These positions have different qualification requirements and compensation structures, so they should not be compared using the regular teacher salary scale alone.
A teacher's gross salary should always be considered alongside housing, transportation, food, taxes and other living expenses.
The cost of living can also vary considerably between Montréal, Québec City, Gatineau, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, Saguenay and smaller Québec communities.
Useful guides:
Salary negotiation works differently depending on the employer and employment category. For teachers covered by a collective agreement, the negotiated salary scale and placement rules are particularly important.
A teacher should therefore confirm the proposed salary step rather than simply negotiating a completely different annual salary.
For private schools, international schools and other employers outside the standard public network, there may be greater variation in compensation.
When comparing offers, look at:
| Teaching Career | Québec Salary Information |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten / Preschool Teacher | Regular teacher salary structure may apply depending on position and employer |
| Primary Teacher | 2026–2027 regular teacher scale: $56,013–$109,121 annually |
| Secondary Teacher | 2026–2027 regular teacher scale: $56,013–$109,121 annually |
| Special Education Teacher | Salary depends on position, qualification, experience and applicable agreement |
| Vocational Teacher | Separate qualification and employment structures may apply |
| CEGEP Teacher | Separate CEGEP salary structures; Job Bank median: $48.61/hour |
| International School Teacher | Depends on school, curriculum, subject and experience |
| English Teacher | Depends on employer, authorization, language and teaching qualification |
| School Principal | Management compensation structure rather than the regular teacher scale |
For the 2026–2027 school year, the negotiated annual salary scale for regular teachers runs from approximately $56,013 to $109,121 CAD, depending on salary step and recognized qualifications and experience.
The top amount on the 2026–2027 regular teacher salary scale is $109,121 per year. This is the maximum shown on the negotiated 16-step scale and does not mean every teacher automatically qualifies for the top step.
The first step of the 2026–2027 regular teacher salary scale is $56,013 per year. Actual salary placement depends on the teacher's recognized schooling and relevant experience.
Primary teachers covered by the regular public-school teacher agreement use the applicable salary scale. For 2026–2027, the scale ranges from $56,013 to $109,121 annually.
Secondary teachers covered by the regular public-school teacher agreement are also subject to the applicable negotiated teacher salary scale. For 2026–2027, the scale ranges from $56,013 to $109,121 annually.
Job Bank reports a median wage of $44.23 per hour in Québec for both primary school teachers and secondary school teachers. These figures use a 2023–2024 Labour Force Survey reference period and should not be confused with the 2026–2027 negotiated annual salary scale.
The regular Québec teacher salary scale is expressed as annual salary and should not be treated as a salary system with a separate mandatory 13th-month salary added on top.
Yes. Foreign-trained teachers can apply to teach in Québec, but teaching authorization requirements apply. The process depends on where the teacher was trained, the existing teaching authorization and the position being sought.
Language requirements depend on the teaching position and authorization pathway. French is particularly important in Québec's francophone education system, while English-language school boards have their own requirements. Some applicants may have to complete a recognized language examination.
Yes. Québec provides a pathway for teachers who hold teaching authorization from another Canadian province or territory. The Canadian Free Trade Agreement can facilitate recognition of certain Canadian teaching licences, subject to the applicable procedure.
Relevant previous experience can be considered when determining salary placement, but teachers should not assume that every year of overseas employment will automatically translate into one salary step. The employer evaluates the documentation according to the applicable rules.
No automatic assumption should be made. Québec has an official process for obtaining teaching authorization, and internationally trained teachers must meet the applicable requirements.
Job Bank reports a median wage of $48.61 per hour for CEGEP teachers in Québec, based on its stated labour-market reference period. CEGEP teaching uses different employment and compensation structures from elementary and secondary public school teaching.
The Québec government states that salary treatment is based on two major variables: the evaluation of schooling in complete years and recognition of relevant professional experience.
Yes. Québec's education network includes full-time and part-time positions. A teacher working less than a full assignment will generally earn less than the corresponding 100% annual salary.
Full-time teachers can have retirement and pension benefits as part of their employment conditions. The exact pension arrangements depend on the applicable employment and collective-agreement rules.
ToQuébec provides salary, employment and career guides for people researching work and living opportunities in Québec.
For the most important legal, authorization and salary information, teachers should use official Québec government and collective-agreement sources.