A person working in Suriname typically earns around 5,140 SRD per month. Salaries range from 1,300 SRD (lowest average) to 22,900 SRD (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
![]() 1,300 SRD |
![]() 4,700 SRD |
![]() 22,900 SRD |
Salaries in Suriname range from 1,300 SRD per month (starting salary) to 22,900 SRD per month (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher). This is not the minimum wage as per the law, only the lowest reported number in the salary survey that had thousands of participants and professionals from all over the country.
The median salary is 4,700 SRD per month, which means that half (50%) of the population are earning less than 4,700 SRD while the other half are earning more than 4,700 SRD. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of the population are earning less than 3,400 SRD while 75% of them are earning more than 3,400 SRD. Also from the diagram, 75% of the population are earning less than 7,130 SRD while 25% are earning more than 7,130 SRD.
We grouped the most common and recurring salaries into brackets to give more insight into what salary to expect. This method is more accurate than just the average salary and gives more insights on how salaries are actually distributed. Around 65% of all reported figures are in the range 3,120 SRD to 8,030 SRD. Approximatly 20% fall under the 3,120 SRD cap. Ten percent of wages are from 8,030 SRD to 10,300 SRD. Only 5% of people grossed 10,300 SRD or more.
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.
Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average 32% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.
Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average 36% more than those with five years or less of work experience.
As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by 21% and an additional 14% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.
Those figures are presented as guidelines only. The numbers become more significant if you consider one job title at a time.
It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.
Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average 17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.
Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn 24% more than those who only managed to attain a cerificate or diploma.
Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are 29% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.
Finally, PhD holders earn 23% more than Master's Degree holders on average while doing the same job.
A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in Suriname costs anywhere from 25,700 Surinam Dollar(s) to 77,100 Surinam Dollar(s) and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.
You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.
Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch into a higher paying job. The numbers seem to support this tactic. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.
The decision really depends on your situation and experience among many other factors. Putting all variables aside, if you can afford the costs of higher education then the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Suriname earn 9% more than their female counterparts on avergae across all sectors.
Male | 5,380 SRD | |
Female | -8% | 4,940 SRD |
Employees in Suriname are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 5% every 28 months.
The term 'Annual Salary Increase' usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rarely that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
Banking | 8% | |
Energy | 7% | |
Information Technology | 6% | |
Healthcare | 5% | |
Travel | 4% | |
Construction | 3% | |
Education | 2% |
Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in Suriname for the year 2022. Companies within thriving industries tend to provide higher and more frequent raises. Exceptions do exist, but generally speaking, the situation of any company is closely related to the economic situation in the country or region. These figures tend to change frequently.
Junoir Level | 3% - 5% | |
Mid-Career | 6% - 9% | |
Senior Level | 10% - 15% | |
Top Management | 15% - 20% |
The difference in increment rates is somehow justified because employers put more effort to retain more experienced staff since they are harder to acquire than less experienced ones.
Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.
62% of surveyed staff in Suriname reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 38% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 2% to 7% of their annual salary.
Received Bonus | 38% | |
No Bonus | 62% |
The most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
Finance | High | |
Architecture | High | |
Sales | High | |
Business Development | High | |
Marketing / Advertising | High | |
Information Technology | Moderate | |
Healthcare | Moderate | |
Insurance | Moderate | |
Customer Service | Moderate | |
Human Resources | Moderate | |
Construction | Low | |
Transport | Low | |
Hospitality | Low |
The main two types of jobs | |
Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
Average Salary 2019 | 4,680 SRD | |
Average Salary 2020 | +3% | 4,820 SRD |
Average Salary 2021 | +2% | 4,940 SRD |
Average Salary 2022 | +2% | 5,040 SRD |
Salaries in Suriname are on the rise in the year 2023 based on recent submitted salaries and reports. As displayed in the chart, salaries in 2022 are 2% higher than those of 2021. The trend suggests a slow yet continuous increase in pay in 2024 and future years. These numbers may vary from industry to another.
Job Title | Average Salary |
Accounting and Finance | |
Accountant | 3,820 SRD |
Accounting Assistant | 3,010 SRD |
Accounting Manager | 7,650 SRD |
Bookkeeper | 2,380 SRD |
Chartered Accountant | 4,770 SRD |
Corporate Treasurer | 7,370 SRD |
Financial Analyst | 6,990 SRD |
Financial Manager | 10,500 SRD |
Internal Auditor | 5,270 SRD |
Administration / Reception / Secretarial | |
Administrative Assistant | 2,880 SRD |
Office Manager | 4,670 SRD |
Receptionist | 1,980 SRD |
Secretary | 2,470 SRD |
Advertising / Grapic Design / Events | |
Art Director | 5,290 SRD |
Creative Director | 5,510 SRD |
Graphic Designer | 3,270 SRD |
Photographer | 2,920 SRD |
Airlines / Aviation / Aerospace / Defense | |
Aerospace Engineer | 6,950 SRD |
Air Traffic Controller | 6,000 SRD |
Flight Attendant | 3,680 SRD |
Pilot | 9,480 SRD |
Architecture | |
Architect | 6,180 SRD |
CAD Drafter | 2,690 SRD |
Automotive | |
Mechanic | 2,010 SRD |
Service Advisor | 3,740 SRD |
Banking | |
Bank Branch Manager | 9,910 SRD |
Teller | 2,010 SRD |
Bilingual | |
Teacher | 4,020 SRD |
Translator | 4,770 SRD |
Business Planning | |
Business Analyst | 6,880 SRD |
Business Development Manager | 8,770 SRD |
Project Manager | 6,040 SRD |
Care Giving and Child Care | |
Nanny | 2,130 SRD |
Nursery Teacher | 1,920 SRD |
Construction / Building / Installation | |
Civil Engineer | 4,810 SRD |
Construction Project Manager | 8,660 SRD |
Health and Safety Officer | 2,380 SRD |
Customer Service and Call Center | |
Call Center Representative | 2,040 SRD |
Customer Service Manager | 7,030 SRD |
Customer Service Representative | 1,960 SRD |
Engineering | |
Electrical Engineer | 5,220 SRD |
Engineer | 5,080 SRD |
Mechanical Engineer | 5,070 SRD |
Executive and Management | |
Chief Executive Officer | 12,000 SRD |
Chief Financial Officer | 10,900 SRD |
General Manager | 9,110 SRD |
Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering | |
Chef | 3,290 SRD |
Executive Chef | 3,850 SRD |
Hotel Manager | 9,410 SRD |
Travel Agent | 3,510 SRD |
Waiter / Waitress | 1,600 SRD |
Health and Medical | |
Dentist | 12,600 SRD |
Dietitian | 9,960 SRD |
Laboratory Technician | 4,020 SRD |
Nurse | 4,330 SRD |
Human Resources | |
Human Resources Manager | 7,650 SRD |
Human Resources Officer | 3,140 SRD |
Information Technology | |
Computer Technician | 4,250 SRD |
Database Administrator | 5,410 SRD |
Developer / Programmer | 5,450 SRD |
Information Technology Manager | 8,780 SRD |
Network Engineer | 4,690 SRD |
Law Enforcement / Security / Fire | |
Police Officer | 3,120 SRD |
Legal | |
Attorney | 10,700 SRD |
Legal Assistant | 2,900 SRD |
Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment | |
Journalist | 6,260 SRD |
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology | |
Biomedical Engineer | 4,720 SRD |
Pharmacist | 6,850 SRD |
Sales Retail and Wholesale | |
Cashier | 1,930 SRD |
Sales Manager | 9,140 SRD |
Sales Representative | 3,470 SRD |
Teaching / Education | |
Elementary School Teacher | 3,750 SRD |
Secondary School Teacher | 4,370 SRD |
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fix amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
This minimum pay rate per hour for a person in Suriname is 8 SRD. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in Suriname earn 17% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Private Sector | 4,780 SRD | |
Public Sector | +17% | 5,600 SRD |
It is extremely difficult to give an exact figure of a good salary when no specific job is selected, however; an estimate can be provided based purely on the cost of living. A good compensation in Suriname would range anywhere between 4,700 SRD and 7,130 SRD.
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salart after tax for every career.
The base salary in Suriname is ranges from 3,400 SRD to 7,130 SRD. The base salary depends on many factors including profession, experience, and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range in a grain of salt.
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary