The Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP), in partnership with Work in Culture, has released the results of the 2024 Canadian Book Publishing Industry Salary Survey, offering the most comprehensive and current snapshot of compensation and workplace demographics in the sector to date.
A follow-up to the last industry salary survey conducted by Quill & Quire in 2018, the 2024 study draws on data from 779 publishing professionals across Canada and includes new insights on salary trends, equity in pay, and industry demographics. Conducted as part of ACP’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, the survey provides crucial benchmarks for employers and employees alike to make informed decisions when it comes to pay.
Key highlights from the report include:
- Industry-wide salary increases: Average compensation has increased across most roles, with a roughly 30% rise since 2018. Senior positions in editorial and publishing saw some of the largest gains.
- Gender pay parity: In a striking reversal from 2018, women in the publishing sector now earn slightly more on average than their male counterparts ($64,738 vs. $63,868), driven in part by increased representation in senior roles.
- Racial wage gap: White respondents reported an average salary of $66,045, compared to $61,650 for BIPOC respondents, highlighting the need for continued action to address racial inequities in compensation.
- Aging workforce, slow turnover: The percentage of workers with over a decade of experience has grown significantly since 2018, indicating a stable but aging workforce with fewer early-career entrants.
- Centralization in Ontario: More than 60% of survey respondents work in Ontario, with the majority based in the Greater Toronto Area—highlighting a geographic concentration of opportunities and the importance of improving regional access to publishing careers.
The 2024 survey also found that only 25% of respondents earn less than $50,000 annually, compared to 36% reported in ACP’s 2022 Diversity Baseline Survey, suggesting some progress in addressing historically low wages in the sector.
The full 2024 Canadian Book Publishing Industry Salary Survey report and a simplified one-page infographic are now available.
ACP would like to thank the Access Copyright Foundation for providing funding to support this research project.