A typical 3 oz drained serving of canned pink salmon contains 19.6 grams of protein (23.1 g per 100 g), which makes it a very good source of protein. That covers roughly 39% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it can anchor a high-protein meal for the day.
About 67% of the calories in canned pink salmon come from protein, which makes it extremely protein-dense - close to the practical ceiling for a whole food. Foods in this band are the ones that let you raise your protein intake without raising your calorie intake much at all.
Among the 121 seafood in the database, canned pink salmon ranks 62nd by protein per serving, and 170th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against albacore tuna (canned in water), another seafood entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (albacore tuna (canned in water) has 20.1 g per 3 oz drained).
It is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own. The serving above is measured by weight at 85 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #175175 - "Fish, salmon, pink, canned, drained solids" (SR Legacy, published 4/1/2019). Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.
Quick answers
Canned pink salmon protein FAQ
How much protein is in canned pink salmon per 100 g?
Canned pink salmon has 23.1 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 3 oz drained serving (85 g) provides 19.6 g.
Is canned pink salmon a complete protein?
Yes. Canned pink salmon is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own.
How much of the Daily Value does a serving of canned pink salmon cover?
A 3 oz drained serving of canned pink salmon contains 19.6 g of protein, about 39% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Is canned pink salmon a good source of protein?
Canned pink salmon is a very good source of protein, and about 67% of its calories come from protein, which makes it extremely protein-dense. Set against albacore tuna (canned in water), another seafood entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (albacore tuna (canned in water) has 20.1 g per 3 oz drained).