Creative Director Average Salary in Ontario 2024
How much money does a person working as Creative Director make in Ontario?
LOW
64,800
CAD AVERAGE
132,000
CAD HIGH
206,000
CAD
A person working as Creative Director in Ontario typically earns around 132,000 CAD. Salaries range from 64,800 CAD (lowest) to 206,000 CAD (highest).
Salary Variance
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Creative Director salaries in Ontario vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Creative Director Pay Scale and Salaries in Ontario
Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison
123,000 CAD or more
108,000 to 123,000 CAD
76,900 CAD or less
76,900 to 108,000 CAD
 64,800 CAD |
123,000 CAD |
206,000 CAD |
Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range
Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary
Salaries for the position Creative Director in Ontario range from 64,800 CAD (starting salary) to 206,000 CAD (maximum salary). It should be noted that the given figure is not the legally mandated minimum wage; rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that included thousands of participants and professionals from all regions of the country.
Median Salary
With a median salary of 123,000 CAD, half of the professionals who work as Creative Director in Ontario earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. The median salary denotes the middle value of salaries. Ideally, you would want to belong to the group earning more than the median salary, located on the right side of the salary distribution graph.
Percentiles and Salary Scale
The median is closely associated with two other values known as the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution chart, it can be determined that 25% of professionals employed as Creative Director in Ontario earn less than 101,000 CAD, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 141,000 CAD while 25% earn more.
Pay Scale Structure
To provide a better understanding of expected salaries, we categorized the frequently occurring salaries into different ranges. This approach provides a more precise representation of salary distribution for the job title Creative Director in Ontario compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 76,900 CAD to 108,000 CAD. About 20% of salaries are below the 76,900 CAD mark, while 10% fall within the range of 108,000 CAD to 123,000 CAD. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 123,000 CAD.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Creative Director / Ontario
How do experience and age affect pay?
| 0 - 2 Years | 76,900 CAD | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +29% | 98,800 CAD |
| 5 - 10 Years | +38% | 136,000 CAD |
| 10 - 15 Years | +24% | 169,000 CAD |
| 15 - 20 Years | +7% | 181,000 CAD |
| 20+ Years | +7% | 193,000 CAD |
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Creative Director and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 76,900 CAD.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 98,800 CAD, 29% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 136,000 CAD, 38% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, professionals whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 169,000 CAD, 24% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 181,000 CAD, 7% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 193,000 CAD, 7% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Salary Comparison By Education / Creative Director / Ontario
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Creative Director.
| High School | 96,000 CAD | |
| Certificate or Diploma | +15% | 110,000 CAD |
| Bachelor's Degree | +35% | 148,000 CAD |
| Master's Degree | +26% | 187,000 CAD |
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down salaries by education level for the position Creative Director in order to make a comparison.
Level 1: High School
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 96,000 CAD.
Level 2: Certificate or Diploma
At this level, the average salary becomes 110,000 CAD, 15% more than the previous level.
Level 3: Bachelor's Degree
At this level, the average salary becomes 148,000 CAD, 35% more than the previous level.
Level 4: Master's Degree
At this level, the average salary becomes 187,000 CAD, 26% more than the previous level.
Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?
A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in Canada costs anywhere from 50,000 CAD to 150,000 CAD and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.
You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.
Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support the theory. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.
If you can afford the costs of higher education, the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers
Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Creative Director / Ontario
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? For the people who work as Creative Director in Canada, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 5%.
| Male | 123,000 CAD | |
| Female | -5% | 117,000 CAD |
Salary Comparison By Gender in Canada for all Careers
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Creative Director / Ontario
How much are annual salary increments in Ontario for individuals working as Creative Director? How often do employees get salary raises?
Individuals working as Creative Director in Canada are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately % every months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 9% granted to employees every 15 months.
Canada / All Professions
The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
How to calculate the salary increment percentage?
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency
Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs
Salary Packages and Schemes
Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.
Bonus and Incentive Rates / Creative Director / Canada
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
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100% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while % said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from % to % of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | % | |
| No Bonus | 100% |
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based BonusesThe most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
Bonuses Are Not Commissions!
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?
The main two types of jobs | |
| Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
Average Hourly Wage / Creative Director / Ontario
64 CAD per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Creative Director in Ontario is 64 CAD.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.
About The Hourly Pay Rate
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?
The minimum pay rate per hour for people working as Creative Director in Ontario is 31 CAD. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
Salary comparison with similar jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Advertising / Graphic Design / Events |  -100% | |
| Advertisement Fraud Analyst | 147,000 CAD |  +11% |
| Advertising Account Executive | 148,000 CAD | +12% |
| Advertising Account Manager | 172,000 CAD | +30% |
| Advertising Account Planner | 81,200 CAD | -39% |
| Advertising and Promotions Manager | 231,000 CAD | +75% |
| Advertising Coordinator | 111,000 CAD | -16% |
| Advertising Data Analyst | 153,000 CAD | +16% |
| Advertising Manager | 230,000 CAD | +74% |
| Advertising Operations Manager | 222,000 CAD | +68% |
| Advertising Sales Director | 229,000 CAD | +73% |
| Advertising Strategic Planner | 152,000 CAD | +15% |
| Advertising Team Leader | 130,000 CAD | -2% |
| Animation Director | 179,000 CAD | +35% |
| Animator | 97,800 CAD | -26% |
| Art Director | 138,000 CAD | +4% |
| Art Manager | 130,000 CAD | -2% |
| Artificial Intelligence Advertising Analyst | 153,000 CAD | +16% |
| Artist | 111,000 CAD | -16% |
| Artworker | 84,900 CAD | -36% |
| Assistant Art Director | 111,000 CAD | -16% |
| Audio and Video Equipment Technician | 76,600 CAD | -42% |
| Audio Engineer | 98,000 CAD | -26% |
| Audiosual Technician | 80,700 CAD | -39% |
| Branding Consultant | 174,000 CAD | +32% |
| Broadcast Administrator | 148,000 CAD | +12% |
| Catering Sales | 87,600 CAD | -34% |
| Catering Trainer | 104,000 CAD | -21% |
| Color Consultant | 85,000 CAD | -36% |
| Commercial and Industrial Designer | 82,900 CAD | -37% |
| Conference Organiser | 101,000 CAD | -24% |
| Content and Media Production Lead | 153,000 CAD | +16% |
| CopyWriter | 88,100 CAD | -33% |
| Creative Content Strategist | 160,000 CAD | +21% |
| Creative Designer | 101,000 CAD | -24% |
| Creative Director | 132,000 CAD | -0% |
| Creative Technologist | 164,000 CAD | +24% |
| Crowd Management Specialist | 135,000 CAD | +2% |
| Design Strategist | 140,000 CAD | +6% |
| Designer | 74,200 CAD | -44% |
| Desktop Publisher | 63,200 CAD | -52% |
| Digital Campaign Manager | 150,000 CAD | +13% |
| Digital Media Manager | 175,000 CAD | +32% |
| Digital Media Strategist | 160,000 CAD | +21% |
| Director of Events | 228,000 CAD | +72% |
| Director of Graphic Design | 129,000 CAD | -3% |
| Director of Social Media Marketing | 170,000 CAD | +28% |
| Event Experience Designer | 144,000 CAD | +9% |
| Event Security Specialist | 127,000 CAD | -4% |
| Event Technology Consultant | 135,000 CAD | +2% |
| Event Technology Integration Specialist | 129,000 CAD | -3% |
| Events and Promotions Manager | 227,000 CAD | +72% |
| Events Director | 232,000 CAD | +75% |
| Exhibit Designer | 107,000 CAD | -19% |
| Exhibit Display Coordinator | 109,000 CAD | -18% |
| Exhibit Display Manager | 135,000 CAD | +2% |
| Experiential Designer | 125,000 CAD | -6% |
| Finisher | 71,300 CAD | -46% |
| Gamification Specialist | 140,000 CAD | +6% |
| Graphic Artist | 86,900 CAD | -34% |
| Graphic Design Specialist | 99,900 CAD | -24% |
| Graphic Designer | 85,500 CAD | -35% |
| Graphics Artist | 84,600 CAD | -36% |
| Graphics Design Supervisor | 124,000 CAD | -6% |
| Group Creative Director | 148,000 CAD | +12% |
| Imagery Analyst | 77,700 CAD | -41% |
| Imaging Technologist | 79,500 CAD | -40% |
| Immersive Storyteller | 120,000 CAD | -9% |
| Interaction Designer | 70,500 CAD | -47% |
| Lead Generation Specialist | 174,000 CAD | +32% |
| Media Analyst | 104,000 CAD | -21% |
| Media Executive | 139,000 CAD | +5% |
| Media Planner | 115,000 CAD | -13% |
| Media Production Coordinator | 103,000 CAD | -22% |
| Media Production Manager | 190,000 CAD | +44% |
| Media Project Manager | 181,000 CAD | +37% |
| Media Relations Representative | 153,000 CAD | +16% |
| Media Sales Executive | 181,000 CAD | +37% |
| Meeting and Event Planner | 107,000 CAD | -19% |
| Mobile Advertising Specialist | 161,000 CAD | +22% |
| Motion Graphic Artist | 111,000 CAD | -16% |
| Motion Graphics Designer | 114,000 CAD | -14% |
| Multimedia Artist | 91,800 CAD | -31% |
| Multimedia Specialist | 79,500 CAD | -40% |
| NFT Designer | 94,800 CAD | -28% |
| NFT Specialist | 105,000 CAD | -21% |
| Photographer | 78,800 CAD | -40% |
| PPC Campaign Manager | 142,000 CAD | +7% |
| Print Production Manager | 144,000 CAD | +9% |
| Product and Brand Manager | 212,000 CAD | +60% |
| Sales Promotion Manager | 203,000 CAD | +53% |
| Search Engine Optimization Specialist (SEO) | 90,300 CAD | -32% |
| Sketch Artist | 100,000 CAD | -24% |
| Social Media Event Strategist | 122,000 CAD | -8% |
| Social Media Executive | 177,000 CAD | +34% |
| Social Media Graphic Designer | 97,700 CAD | -26% |
| Social Media Manager | 181,000 CAD | +37% |
| Social Media Marketing Manager | 175,000 CAD | +32% |
| Social Media Strategist | 172,000 CAD | +30% |
| Special Events Supervisor | 131,000 CAD | -1% |
| Technical Typist | 59,900 CAD | -55% |
| User Experience UX Designer | 93,300 CAD | -29% |
| UX Designer | 80,400 CAD | -39% |
| Virtual / Augmented Reality Advertiser | 126,000 CAD | -5% |
| Virtual / Augmented Reality Event Producer | 106,000 CAD | -20% |
| Virtual / Augmented Reality Showroom Designer | 103,000 CAD | -22% |
| Virtual Events Planner | 117,000 CAD | -12% |
| Virtual Trade Show Manager | 101,000 CAD | -24% |
| Voice Search Optimization Specialist | 134,000 CAD | +1% |
| Web Accessibility Designer | 111,000 CAD | -16% |
| Web3 Designer | 104,000 CAD | -21% |
| Webinar Designer | 114,000 CAD | -14% |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in Canada is 4% on average across all career fields.
| Private Sector | 117,000 CAD | |
| Public Sector | +4% | 122,000 CAD |
Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide
What is considered to be a good and competitive salary for the job title Creative Director in Ontario?
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 123,000 CAD and 141,000 CAD. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.
Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.
Base / Basic Salary
The base salary for a careers like Creative Director in Ontario ranges from 64,800 CAD to 101,000 CAD. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.
What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary
