How income works5 min read

The Ontario teacher salary grid, explained: categories, steps and what boards pay

By Emily MudrickUpdated 3 November 2026

The short answer

The Ontario teacher salary grid sets pay by a QECO qualification category (A through A4, labelled Group 1 to 4 in most secondary agreements) and an experience step, and every board negotiates its own grid. On the 22 published 2025-26 grids this site tracks, starting pay runs from $48,179 to $61,614 and the top of the grid from $119,967 to $120,384. These are 2025-26 figures and have not been verified as the current 2026-27 schedule, so confirm yours with your board.

Two dimensions: category and step

Your placement is two-dimensional. The qualification category is assigned by QECO, the Qualifications Evaluation Council of Ontario, based on your academic credentials. The experience step rises one notch for each year of recognized experience until you reach the top of the grid, which most boards set around step 10 or 11.

QECO evaluates teachers who are members of AEFO, ETFO, OECTA and OSSTF and places them between Category A and Category A4. Category A is the floor for a teacher without a university degree, and most teachers holding a B.Ed start at A1 or higher. Secondary collective agreements label the same tiers Group 1 to Group 4, and some Catholic agreements write Category A as A0, but they are the same ladder.

This guide explains how the grid works. For what each category needs, read the A1 to A4 guide. For which salary a lender uses while the 2022-2026 agreements are being renegotiated, read the 2026 grid guide.

How your category gets assigned

You apply to QECO with your transcripts and teaching qualifications. QECO evaluates the academic record and issues a Statement of Evaluation.
QECO deals only with the teacher. You submit the Statement of Evaluation to your board yourself, and the board places you on the grid.
A new degree or additional qualifications may support a category change. Ask QECO to assess your individual record before paying for courses or assuming a higher salary.

What the numbers look like

A concrete example: the Halton elementary (ETFO) grid for 2025-26 runs from Category A, Step 0 at $51,370, to Category A4, Step 0 at $70,194, up to the top of the grid at A4, Step 11, $119,969. A new teacher with a B.Ed starts at A1 or above, so a typical starting salary sits above the Category A floor.

Every board negotiates its own grid, so the same category and step pays differently across the province. The table lists the 22 published 2025-26 grids this site tracks, with the lowest step-0 figure on each grid, the top of the A4 column, and the daily occasional rate where the agreement publishes one. Each row links to the board's own agreement or grid in the sources at the end.

Published 2025-26 grids. Start of grid is the lowest category at step 0; top of grid is the highest A4 (Group 4) step. Read the board pages for the full grids.
Board and panel	Start of grid	Top of grid (A4)	Daily occasional rate
HDSB elementary	$51,370	$119,969	not published
PDSB elementary	$53,987	$119,972	not published
OCDSB elementary	$58,078	$119,979	not published
OCDSB secondary	$61,614	$119,979	not published
TDSB secondary	$57,943	$120,057	$286
WRDSB secondary	$55,853	$119,998	$288
YCDSB catholic	$48,179	$120,227	not published
TCDSB secondary	$53,090	$120,024	not published
YRDSB elementary	$51,556	$120,384	not published
YRDSB secondary	$57,269	$120,384	$294
SCDSB elementary	$54,567	$119,974	$290
SCDSB secondary	$59,128	$119,974	not published
DDSB elementary	$53,352	$119,967	$290
DDSB secondary	$57,986	$119,967	not published
TDSB elementary	$53,605	$120,060	$290
WRDSB elementary	$51,769	$119,998	not published
HWDSB elementary	$56,156	$119,980	$292
HWDSB secondary	$56,155	$119,978	$289
TVDSB elementary	$51,955	$119,974	not published
TVDSB secondary	$55,579	$119,974	$286
UGDSB elementary	$52,974	$119,975	not published
UGDSB secondary	$59,301	$119,975	not published

These are historical 2025-26 figures. They have not been verified as the current 2026-27 schedule. Confirm the applicable salary and placement with your board.

Which grid year applies

Use the effective date in your board agreement and current employment letter. The tables here retain the published 2025-26 figures; they are not a verified 2026-27 salary schedule.

How a lender uses it

A board salary letter helps verify permanent income. A future increase must be confirmed and accepted by the lender. For variable or contract work, actual earnings and continuity matter as well as the annual grid rate.

Sources and dates

Sources below support the relevant figures and rules. Source dates and historical salary years are shown where available. A planned review date does not guarantee that a figure stays current; check the source and your own eligibility before acting.

First published 27 June 2026. Updated 3 November 2026. Source dates are listed above.

FAQ

Common questions

Who assigns my teaching category?+

QECO, the Qualifications Evaluation Council of Ontario, evaluates your academic credentials and places you between Category A and Category A4. You submit the Statement of Evaluation to your board for salary placement. Secondary agreements label the same tiers Group 1 to 4.

How much do Ontario teachers make?+

On the 22 published 2025-26 grids this site tracks, starting pay runs from $48,179 to $61,614 depending on the board and category, and the top of the grid runs from $119,967 to $120,384. Your own figure depends on your board, category and step.

What is the difference between A1 and A4?+

They are QECO qualification categories. A4 is the highest and requires the most academic credit, so it pays more at every step. On the Halton elementary 2025-26 grid, Category A and Category A4 at step 0 are $18,824 apart.

Is the 2026 teacher pay grid the same as the 2025-26 grid?+

Not throughout the year. A 2025-26 grid describes its stated effective period. Check your board for the schedule and salary that apply now.

Do secondary teachers use the A categories?+

The same QECO ladder applies. Most secondary collective agreements label the tiers Group 1 to Group 4 instead of A1 to A4, and Group 4 is the equivalent of A4.

Keep reading

Permanent teacher mortgages in OntarioDocumenting your annual salary and employment conditions.How a salary-grid increase affects a mortgage estimateSee an example of how a confirmed raise changes estimated borrowing capacity.LTO teacher mortgages: pay, documents and income historyHow assignment dates, grid pay and past earnings fit into a mortgage application.