Teacher Salary Ontario 2026

Ontario Teacher Salary Overview 2026

Ontario teachers are paid according to a salary grid set by the Ontario Teachers' Collective Bargaining Act and negotiated through the provincial central agreements between the Ministry of Education and teachers' federations (ETFO for elementary, OSSTF for secondary, OECTA for Catholic). The grid is two-dimensional: qualifications category (A0 through A4+) and experience steps (0 through 11).

As of the 2024–2026 collective agreement, Ontario teachers at the maximum grid (A4+, Step 11) earn approximately $107,500/year. Entry-level teachers at A0/Step 0 start at approximately $52,800. Most career teachers reach the maximum grid within 11 years of teaching and remain there until retirement, meaning a typical 20-year teacher earns the same base salary as one in year 12.

Ontario Teacher Salary Grid 2026 (Illustrative — Major Boards)

Note: Actual grid values vary by school board. TDSB, YRDSB, and PDSB follow central agreement rates. Some boards may have local provisions adding $1,000–$3,000 in allowances. Confirm with your specific board's current central/local agreement.

Qualifications Categories Explained

A0: BEd only, no Additional Qualifications (AQs). A1: BEd + 1 AQ or 2-year Bachelor's degree. A2: BEd + 2 AQs or Honours BA. A3: BEd + 3 AQs or Honours BA + 1 AQ. A4: BEd + 4 AQs or Master's degree. A4+: Doctorate or equivalent advanced qualifications.

Each AQ course costs approximately $685–$880 and takes one semester (online or in-person). Moving from A0 to A2 (2 AQs) takes as little as one year and adds $10,600/year to base salary at Step 0, with compounding benefits over a full career. The investment in AQs is among the highest-return professional development moves available to new Ontario teachers.

OCT Occasional Teacher Per Diem Rates 2026

Ontario Certified Teachers (OCTs) working as Occasional (supply) teachers are paid daily per diem rates, not the salary grid. Per diem rates are set in board-specific collective agreements with occasional teacher unions (ETFO-OT, OSSTF-OT branches). Typical 2026 per diem rates by region:

An occasional teacher working 180 days (a full school year equivalent) at $265/day earns $47,700 gross — significantly below the permanent teacher grid. However, occasional teaching provides schedule flexibility, multi-board experience, and a path to permanent positions. Long-term occasional assignments (10+ consecutive days) trigger grid placement, substantially improving compensation.

Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP)

Ontario teachers contribute to the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) — one of the world's largest and best-funded pension plans with $247 billion in assets. Teacher contributions are 11.5% of salary up to the YMPE ($71,300 in 2026) and 13.1% above. The pension formula provides 2% of best-average salary × years of service, with retirement at 85 factor (age + years of service ≥ 85). A teacher who starts at 24 and retires at 56 with 32 years of service earns 64% of their best-average salary as a lifetime pension — approximately $68,800/year indexed to inflation for a max-grid teacher.

FAQ

How long to reach maximum salary as an Ontario teacher?

With a B.Ed. and Honours degree (A2), you reach Step 11 (maximum for your category) after 11 years of experience. Adding AQs to reach A4+ increases your maximum. Most career teachers reach their personal maximum within 11–13 years. Beyond that, salary only increases with AQ upgrades or administrative roles (Vice-Principal: ~$115,000–$125,000; Principal: $125,000–$145,000).

Do Ontario teachers get paid in the summer?

Yes — teacher salaries are spread over 26 bi-weekly pays throughout the year, including summers. Teachers are not paid "extra" in summer but receive their annual salary in equal installments year-round. They do not receive EI in summer as their employment is continuous.