Toxicologist Salary: Your 2026 Guide

Explore the salary ranges you can expect to earn as a toxicologist, including how common factors like years of experience, education level, and geographic location impact your earning potential. 

What is the average salary for a toxicologist? 

According to the Government of Canada Job Bank, toxicologists earn an hourly wage that ranges between $25 CAD and $61.54 CAD, with an average of $40.00 CAD [1]. Take a closer look at the average salary a toxicologist in Canada earns, according to popular job sites:

The exact amount that you can expect to earn will likely depend on several factors, including your work experience, education level, specialty area, and geographic location. Below, we break down each factor to give you a better idea of what you can earn. 

Toxicologist salaries by experience 

The amount that you can expect to earn as a toxicologist typically varies by experience, with new toxicologists entering the field earning on the lower end of the wage range and experienced professionals earning on the high end of the wage range. A toxicologist at the director level earns an average of $81,050 CAD per year, according to Glassdoor [5]. You could earn an average of $82,907 CAD at the senior level [6].

Toxicologist salary by area of specialty

Your area of specialty is extremely important in the field of toxicology, and the specialty area you choose can impact how much you can expect to earn. According to Indeed, the average annual salaries for toxicologists of different specialties are as follows [7]: 

• Natural science manager: $79,770 CAD 

• Molecular biologist: $68,403 CAD

• Pharmacologist: $221,561 CAD

Additionally, a higher level of education will likely improve your chances of obtaining more senior roles in the field that pay even higher salaries. In some cases, employers may only consider applicants with doctoral or master’s degrees for specific roles. 

Toxicologist salaries by location 

Another factor impacting the pay you will receive as a toxicologist is the location in which you work. While larger cities tend to pay more due to a high cost of living and local market factors, smaller cities and more rural areas tend to pay a bit less due to their lower living costs. Wherever you live, though, you can expect to make a higher-than-average salary as a toxicologist. 

Here is the total average hourly wage toxicologists make in the different Canadian provinces, according to the Government of Canada Job Bank [1]: 

1. Nunavut: $61.23 CAD

2. Northwest Territories: $61.00 CAD

3. Yukon Territory: $46.68 CAD

4. British Columbia: $40.00 CAD

5. Alberta: $45.33 CAD

6. Saskatchewan: $45.64 CAD

7. Manitoba: $41.50 CAD

8. Ontario: $39.75 CAD

9. Quebec: $35.90 CAD

10. New Brunswick: $41.00 CAD

11. Nova Scotia: $40.05 CAD

12. Prince Edward Island: $35.90 CAD

13. Newfoundland and Labrador: $40.00 CAD

Where do toxicologists work?

Toxicologists are employed by a wide number of industries and organizations. According to the Government of Canada Job Bank, as a toxicologist you can work for government agencies, environmental consulting firms, utility and resource companies, chemical and pharmaceutical businesses, biotech companies, hospitals, and research and educational institutions, both in labs and in the field.

Toxicologist job outlook 

The job outlook for toxicologists is expected to remain evenly balanced between the number of openings and workers in the field, according to the Government of Canada Job Bank [8].

Get started in toxicology with Coursera 

As a toxicologist, you use your expertise in chemistry and biology to determine if chemicals are either safe or toxic to living organisms. If you’re a science-minded individual who wants to use your knowledge to ensure the safety of others, you might consider preparing for a career in toxicology by taking a cost-effective course through Coursera. 

In Johns Hopkins’ Evidence-based Toxicology, you’ll explore emerging evidence-based efforts and address opportunities and challenges to expanding the use of new toxicology tools.