Trucking pay vs. the other resource-industry niches
'Does trucking pay more than oil sands or mining?' Here's what Government of Canada Job Bank wage data actually says, role by role -- sourced, dated, and not a claim about what you personally would earn.
Key facts
- Long-haul trucking (Canada)
- $26.42/hr median
- Source: Job Bank, November 19, 2025
- Mining
- $42.00/hr median
- Source: Job Bank, November 19, 2025
- Oil sands
- $32.50/hr median
- Source: Job Bank, November 19, 2025
- Pipeline (Alberta)
- $44.90/hr median
- Source: Job Bank, November 19, 2025
Hourly wage by niche (Job Bank, updated November 19, 2025)
For trucking specifically, see our own pay page for how per-mile, hourly, salary, and owner-operator pay structures compare within the industry -- this page is about how trucking as a whole stacks up against the other camp and resource-industry niches. Government of Canada Job Bank wage reports publish a low, median, and high hourly wage per occupation, drawn from Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey and Employment Insurance survey data. The table below picks the closest matching occupation for each niche and links directly to that report. Figures aren't a perfect 1:1 comparison across niches -- occupations, skill requirements, and certification demands differ -- but they're the same independent government source applied the same way to all seven.
| Niche | Closest Job Bank occupation | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long-haul trucking (this site) | Long Haul Truck Driver (NOC 73300), Canada | $19.45/hr | $26.42/hr | $37.00/hr |
| Oil sands | Heavy Equipment Operator (NOC 73400), Canada | $24.00/hr | $32.50/hr | $45.00/hr |
| Mining | Miner (NOC 83100), Canada | $28.00/hr | $42.00/hr | $56.00/hr |
| Pipeline | Pipefitter (NOC 72301), Alberta | $26.94/hr | $44.90/hr | $56.77/hr |
| Offshore | Well Testing Operator (NOC 83101 group), Canada -- closest available occupation, not offshore-specific | $26.37/hr | $47.12/hr | $70.00/hr |
| Forestry | Operator, Skidder - Logging (NOC 84110 group), Canada -- closest available occupation | $20.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
| Commercial fishing | Fisherman/woman (NOC 83121), Canada | $18.10/hr | $27.77/hr | $60.00/hr |
Reference period for all rows: 2023-2024 data, updated by Job Bank on November 19, 2025. The pipeline row uses an Alberta-specific figure (where pipeline construction work is concentrated); every other row is a national Canada-wide figure -- the exact geography is noted in each occupation name and linked source.
What about cents-per-mile?
Deliberately left out of the table above. No single Canadian government or industry-association source publishes an average per-mile pay rate -- unlike an hourly wage, it isn't a Statistics Canada survey category, and it varies enormously by carrier, freight type, and lane. Any specific cents-per-mile figure you see (including elsewhere on this site) should be treated as a carrier-specific number, not an industry average, until you have it in writing from a specific employer. Job Bank's hourly-equivalent wage data is the only cross-niche figure here that's independently sourced and dated the same way for every row, which is why it's what this comparison uses.
What about ice road trucking?
Ice road trucking is a distinct seasonal niche, not a subset of the year-round long-haul figures above. It's concentrated into a short winter season (roughly January-March), commonly paid per load or per trip rather than an annual hourly wage, and Job Bank doesn't publish a separate occupation code for it. Rather than force a number that doesn't exist, see Ice Road Guide's own pay page for how ice road pay actually works.
Explore the other niches
Each of these sister sites covers its own niche in the same working-class, sourced style as this site: Oil Sands Jobs Guide (oil sands), Underground Mining Guide (mining), Pipeline Work Guide (pipeline), Offshore Oil Guide (offshore), Forestry & Logging Guide (forestry), Commercial Fishing Guide (commercial fishing), and Ice Road Guide (ice road trucking).
Frequently asked questions
Does long-haul trucking pay more or less than oil sands or mining work?
By Job Bank's national wage report (updated November 19, 2025, checked 2026-09-08), long-haul truck drivers show a median of $26.42/hour, versus $32.50/hour for heavy equipment operators (the closest oil-sands-relevant occupation) and $42.00/hour for miners. These are different occupations with different training, certification, and working-condition requirements -- not a like-for-like swap. See our own pay page for how per-mile, hourly, and owner-operator pay structures work within trucking specifically.
Why isn't there a cents-per-mile row in this comparison?
Because no single Canadian government or industry-association source publishes an average per-mile rate the way Job Bank publishes hourly wage data. Per-mile pay varies carrier to carrier and lane to lane, and this project's rule is to omit or clearly label an estimate rather than invent a comparable figure. This table uses Job Bank's hourly-equivalent wage data consistently across every niche instead, which is the same government methodology applied the same way to all seven rows.
Is offshore oil work really comparable to a 'well testing operator'?
Not exactly. Job Bank does not publish a distinct occupation code for offshore Atlantic platform work specifically, so this table uses the closest available occupation group and says so. Treat that row as directional, not a precise offshore-specific figure -- Offshore Oil Guide's own pay page is the better source for offshore-specific detail once live.
Does ice road trucking pay differently than regular long-haul trucking?
It's a genuinely different niche, not a subset of the numbers above. Ice road driving is concentrated into a short winter season (roughly January-March) and is typically paid per load or per trip rather than an annual hourly wage, and Job Bank doesn't publish a distinct occupation code for it. Rather than force a number that doesn't exist, see Ice Road Guide's own sourced pay page for how ice road pay actually works.
Does a higher median wage mean an easier job or a better career?
No. These figures say nothing about hours, physical demand, time away from home, safety risk, or how competitive a role is to land. A higher wage in one occupation often reflects harder, more specialized, or more remote work -- not an easier path to more money. None of this is a guarantee of what any individual driver or worker would actually earn.
Sources
- Job Bank -- Long Haul Truck Driver (NOC 73300), Canada — accessed 2026-09-08, wages updated November 19, 2025.
- Job Bank -- Heavy Equipment Operator (NOC 73400), Canada — accessed 2026-09-08, wages updated November 19, 2025.
- Job Bank -- Miner (NOC 83100), Canada — accessed 2026-09-08, wages updated November 19, 2025.
- Job Bank -- Pipefitter (NOC 72301), Alberta — accessed 2026-09-08, wages updated November 19, 2025.
- Job Bank -- Well Testing Operator (NOC 83101 group), Canada -- closest available occupation, not offshore-specific — accessed 2026-09-08, wages updated November 19, 2025.
- Job Bank -- Operator, Skidder - Logging (NOC 84110 group), Canada -- closest available occupation — accessed 2026-09-08, wages updated November 19, 2025.
- Job Bank -- Fisherman/woman (NOC 83121), Canada — accessed 2026-09-08, wages updated November 19, 2025.
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