A person working in Ecuador typically earns around 1,360 USD per month. Salaries range from 340 USD (lowest average) to 6,080 USD (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.
Salaries in Ecuador range from 340 USD per month (minimum salary) to 6,080 USD per month (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher).
The median salary is 1,470 USD per month, which means that half (50%) of the population are earning less than 1,470 USD while the other half are earning more than 1,470 USD. 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 820 USD while 75% of them are earning more than 820 USD. Also from the diagram, 75% of the population are earning less than 4,080 USD while 25% are earning more than 4,080 USD.
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
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 Ecuador costs anywhere from 6,810 US Dollar(s) to 20,400 US 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 Ecuador earn 10% more than their female counterparts on avergae across all sectors.
Male | 1,430 USD | |
Female | -9% | 1,300 USD |
Employees in Ecuador are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 7% every 19 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 | 9% | |
Energy | 9% | |
Information Technology | 9% | |
Healthcare | 9% | |
Travel | 9% | |
Construction | 9% | |
Education | 9% |
Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in Ecuador 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.
46% of surveyed staff in Ecuador reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 54% 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 | 54% | |
No Bonus | 46% |
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.
Job Title | Average Salary |
Accounting and Finance | |
Accountant | 940 USD |
Accounting Assistant | 710 USD |
Accounting Manager | 2,030 USD |
Bookkeeper | 610 USD |
Chartered Accountant | 1,150 USD |
Corporate Treasurer | 1,760 USD |
Financial Analyst | 1,650 USD |
Financial Manager | 2,620 USD |
Internal Auditor | 1,210 USD |
Administration / Reception / Secretarial | |
Administrative Assistant | 680 USD |
Office Manager | 1,150 USD |
Receptionist | 520 USD |
Secretary | 620 USD |
Advertising / Grapic Design / Events | |
Art Director | 1,310 USD |
Creative Director | 1,370 USD |
Graphic Designer | 800 USD |
Photographer | 720 USD |
Airlines / Aviation / Aerospace / Defense | |
Aerospace Engineer | 1,630 USD |
Air Traffic Controller | 1,490 USD |
Flight Attendant | 900 USD |
Pilot | 2,280 USD |
Architecture | |
Architect | 1,550 USD |
CAD Drafter | 690 USD |
Automotive | |
Mechanic | 510 USD |
Service Advisor | 960 USD |
Banking | |
Bank Branch Manager | 2,310 USD |
Teller | 490 USD |
Bilingual | |
Teacher | 1,020 USD |
Translator | 1,150 USD |
Business Planning | |
Business Analyst | 1,660 USD |
Business Development Manager | 2,180 USD |
Project Manager | 1,480 USD |
Care Giving and Child Care | |
Nanny | 560 USD |
Nursery Teacher | 510 USD |
Construction / Building / Installation | |
Civil Engineer | 1,190 USD |
Construction Project Manager | 2,110 USD |
Health and Safety Officer | 580 USD |
Customer Service and Call Center | |
Call Center Representative | 500 USD |
Customer Service Manager | 1,750 USD |
Customer Service Representative | 520 USD |
Engineering | |
Electrical Engineer | 1,260 USD |
Engineer | 1,240 USD |
Mechanical Engineer | 1,310 USD |
Executive and Management | |
Chief Executive Officer | 3,050 USD |
Chief Financial Officer | 2,700 USD |
General Manager | 2,270 USD |
Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering | |
Chef | 850 USD |
Executive Chef | 1,000 USD |
Hotel Manager | 2,320 USD |
Travel Agent | 800 USD |
Waiter / Waitress | 430 USD |
Health and Medical | |
Dentist | 3,050 USD |
Dietitian | 2,560 USD |
Laboratory Technician | 1,040 USD |
Nurse | 1,090 USD |
Human Resources | |
Human Resources Manager | 1,930 USD |
Human Resources Officer | 810 USD |
Information Technology | |
Computer Technician | 1,050 USD |
Database Administrator | 1,280 USD |
Developer / Programmer | 1,270 USD |
Information Technology Manager | 2,210 USD |
Network Engineer | 1,190 USD |
Law Enforcement / Security / Fire | |
Police Officer | 800 USD |
Legal | |
Attorney | 2,520 USD |
Legal Assistant | 720 USD |
Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment | |
Journalist | 1,480 USD |
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology | |
Biomedical Engineer | 1,150 USD |
Pharmacist | 1,720 USD |
Sales Retail and Wholesale | |
Cashier | 500 USD |
Sales Manager | 2,330 USD |
Sales Representative | 840 USD |
Teaching / Education | |
Elementary School Teacher | 920 USD |
Secondary School Teacher | 1,040 USD |
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.
City | Average Salary |
Cuenca | 1,340 USD |
Duran | 1,250 USD |
Guayaquil | 1,410 USD |
Machala | 1,220 USD |
Manta | 1,200 USD |
Portoviejo | 1,160 USD |
Quito | 1,370 USD |
Santo Domingo | 1,300 USD |
Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in Ecuador earn 13% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Private Sector | 1,280 USD | |
Public Sector | +13% | 1,450 USD |