Hamilton vs Ottawa
In 2025, the median salary for Hamilton was $946 (0.8%) higher than for Ottawa: $122,994 against $122,047. Hamilton had 15,752 people on the list, Ottawa 25,684.
At a glance
| Hamilton | Ottawa | |
|---|---|---|
| People on the 2025 list | 15,752 | 25,684 |
| Median salary | $122,994 | $122,047 |
| Middle half | $112,758–$136,700 | $112,679–$138,003 |
| Highest salary | $773,658 | $744,249 |
| Total salaries | $2,090,781,961 | $3,379,041,749 |
| People, change | +6.0% vs 2024 | +13.5% vs 2024 |
| Median, change | +0.1% vs 2024 | −3.1% vs 2024 |
| Employers | 7 | 17 |
Median salary by year
Show as a table
| Year | Hamilton | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | $122,320 | $106,404 |
| 1997 | $139,412 | $113,888 |
| 1998 | $109,563 | $108,777 |
| 1999 | $106,531 | $109,497 |
| 2000 | $106,890 | $109,470 |
| 2001 | $108,901 | $108,544 |
| 2002 | $112,419 | $111,000 |
| 2003 | $112,395 | $111,919 |
| 2004 | $116,142 | $111,546 |
| 2005 | $119,016 | $111,957 |
| 2006 | $119,425 | $115,212 |
| 2007 | $116,169 | $114,386 |
| 2008 | $116,344 | $113,285 |
| 2009 | $118,438 | $113,623 |
| 2010 | $117,089 | $114,322 |
| 2011 | $116,622 | $115,573 |
| 2012 | $117,102 | $114,554 |
| 2013 | $118,233 | $113,129 |
| 2014 | $116,072 | $116,120 |
| 2015 | $117,531 | $115,624 |
| 2016 | $116,449 | $113,875 |
| 2017 | $114,723 | $117,569 |
| 2018 | $115,989 | $117,428 |
| 2019 | $114,786 | $116,359 |
| 2020 | $112,794 | $116,666 |
| 2021 | $110,092 | $111,224 |
| 2022 | $110,849 | $113,496 |
| 2023 | $114,226 | $111,814 |
| 2024 | $122,820 | $126,013 |
| 2025 | $122,994 | $122,047 |
People on the list by year
Show as a table
| Year | Hamilton | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 141 | 122 |
| 1997 | 70 | 12 |
| 1998 | 102 | 184 |
| 1999 | 155 | 258 |
| 2000 | 229 | 264 |
| 2001 | 307 | 410 |
| 2002 | 463 | 622 |
| 2003 | 481 | 848 |
| 2004 | 752 | 987 |
| 2005 | 863 | 1,228 |
| 2006 | 1,030 | 1,673 |
| 2007 | 1,449 | 2,058 |
| 2008 | 1,673 | 3,140 |
| 2009 | 1,834 | 3,515 |
| 2010 | 2,505 | 3,634 |
| 2011 | 2,586 | 3,520 |
| 2012 | 2,796 | 3,828 |
| 2013 | 2,871 | 3,798 |
| 2014 | 3,270 | 5,934 |
| 2015 | 4,058 | 6,808 |
| 2016 | 4,040 | 5,405 |
| 2017 | 4,687 | 7,597 |
| 2018 | 5,545 | 8,505 |
| 2019 | 6,206 | 10,175 |
| 2020 | 7,297 | 12,209 |
| 2021 | 8,882 | 15,055 |
| 2022 | 10,362 | 16,880 |
| 2023 | 11,975 | 12,438 |
| 2024 | 14,856 | 22,637 |
| 2025 | 15,752 | 25,684 |
Highest paid in 2025
Hamilton
| # | Name | Employer | Salary | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tracey MacarthurPresident and Chief Executive Officer | Hamilton Health Sciences | $773,658 | $12,917 |
| 2 | Michael HeenanPresident and Chief Executive Officer | St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton | $592,155 | $16,900 |
| 3 | Claudia EmersonProfessor | McMaster University | $498,075 | $517 |
| 4 | David FarrarProfessor | McMaster University | $483,140 | $5,366 |
| 5 | Susan TighePresident and Vice-Chancellor | McMaster University | $465,621 | $10,752 |
Ottawa
| # | Name | Employer | Salary | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cameron LovePresident/Président | The Ottawa Hospital | $744,249 | $21,949 |
| 2 | Dominic GirouxPrésident directeur-général/President and Chief Executive Officer | Hôpital Montfort | $510,431 | $1,316 |
| 3 | Guy ChartrandPresident and Chief Executive Officer / Président- directeur général | Bruyère Health | $488,512 | $10,309 |
| 4 | Bernard JasminProfesseure ou professeur titulaire / Full Professor | University Of Ottawa | $474,155 | $0 |
| 5 | Wendy StephansonCity Manager | City Of Ottawa | $455,234 | $7,998 |
More comparisons
Questions and answers
Which pays more, Hamilton or Ottawa?
By median salary in 2025, Hamilton: $122,994 against $122,047.
Which has more people on the list?
Ottawa: 25,684 against 15,752 in 2025.
How has the gap changed since 1996?
In 1996 the median for Hamilton was $122,320 and for Ottawa $106,404, a gap of $15,916; in 2025 the gap was $946.
What do these figures cover?
Only people paid $100,000 or more are on the list, so medians and counts describe them, not everyone working for public employers in each place. Employers are placed where they are based.
What does “salary paid” include?
What the employer paid in the calendar year, so it can include overtime, retroactive pay, vacation payouts, severance or a partial year. Taxable benefits are listed separately. How the lists work