Three RoutesCompare · Ontario figures · updated 2 November 2026
Air traffic controller (NAV Canada) vs Engineering
Same columns, no opinion about which is better for you. On typical Ontario figures, Air traffic controller (NAV Canada) is ahead by year 10 ($992k against $486k), because it starts earning earlier. The gap is before tax, rent and loan interest, which hit both routes. Air traffic controller (NAV Canada) gets to a real paycheque first (about 1 year). Air traffic controller (NAV Canada) costs $52,000 less to get into.
| Measure | Air traffic controller (NAV Canada) | Engineering |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Straight to work | University degree |
| Credential | NAV Canada licence; paid training, 12 to 27 months | Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) |
| Years to finish | 2 | 4 |
| First real paycheque | About 1 year | About 4 years |
| Cost (tuition and fees) | $0 | $52,000 |
| Typical debt if you borrow | $0 | $30,600 |
| Earnings, first years | $58,600 | $79,100 |
| Earnings by year 5 | $125,000 | $95,000 |
| Net by year 10 (typical) | $992k | $486k |
| Demand in Ontario | High | High |
| Time in a classroom | 50% | 80% |
Earnings by year, roughly
Before tax. Years in school show as "school". Medians rise from the starting figure to the year-5 figure, then stay flat.
Air traffic controller (NAV Canada)
A day looks like: Online aptitude tests and an assessment centre, then one to two years of paid classroom and simulator training, then live traffic under supervision in a tower or area control centre.
What stops people: Roughly one in a hundred applicants is accepted into training, and under half of trainees graduate. Failing a stage can mean a multi-year wait before you can reapply.
Downside: Rotating shifts for a career, relocation to wherever the opening is, and a training wash-out rate that would be unacceptable anywhere else. Not a fallback plan.
Engineering
A day looks like: Heavy math and labs for four years; co-op terms in industry. Specialise in second year.
What stops people: Admission averages of 88–95 at the major schools, and a brutal first year.
Downside: Five years if you do co-op, which you should. High tuition. Roughly a fifth of students switch out after first year.
Quick answers
Which pays more, air traffic controller (nav canada) or engineering?
By year five, Air traffic controller (NAV Canada) is about $125,000 and Engineering about $95,000 (Ontario medians, before tax). By year ten, counting what each cost, Air traffic controller (NAV Canada) nets roughly $992k and Engineering roughly $486k.
Which is faster to a real paycheque?
Air traffic controller (NAV Canada): about 1 year. Engineering: about 4 years.
What does each cost?
Air traffic controller (NAV Canada): $0 in tuition and fees, typical debt $0. Engineering: $52,000, typical debt $30,600.
What is the downside of each?
Air traffic controller (NAV Canada): Rotating shifts for a career, relocation to wherever the opening is, and a training wash-out rate that would be unacceptable anywhere else. Not a fallback plan. Engineering: Five years if you do co-op, which you should. High tuition. Roughly a fifth of students switch out after first year.
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Figures are Ontario medians and typical costs from Job Bank, Statistics Canada, Skilled Trades Ontario and institution fee pages; the data page lists every source and date. Switch province on either pathway page for BC, Alberta or Quebec figures.