A person working in Guatemala typically earns around 10,500 GTQ per month. Salaries range from 2,650 GTQ (lowest average) to 46,800 GTQ (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 Guatemala range from 2,650 GTQ per month (minimum salary) to 46,800 GTQ per month (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher).
The median salary is 11,100 GTQ per month, which means that half (50%) of the population are earning less than 11,100 GTQ while the other half are earning more than 11,100 GTQ. 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 6,190 GTQ while 75% of them are earning more than 6,190 GTQ. Also from the diagram, 75% of the population are earning less than 30,700 GTQ while 25% are earning more than 30,700 GTQ.
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 Guatemala costs anywhere from 52,400 Quetzal(s) to 157,000 Quetzal(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 Guatemala earn 12% more than their female counterparts on avergae across all sectors.
Male | 11,200 GTQ | |
Female | -11% | 9,930 GTQ |
Employees in Guatemala 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 | 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 Guatemala 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.
47% of surveyed staff in Guatemala reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 53% 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 | 53% | |
No Bonus | 47% |
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 | 6,710 GTQ |
Accounting Assistant | 5,190 GTQ |
Accounting Manager | 15,600 GTQ |
Bookkeeper | 4,430 GTQ |
Chartered Accountant | 8,870 GTQ |
Corporate Treasurer | 13,900 GTQ |
Financial Analyst | 12,800 GTQ |
Financial Manager | 19,300 GTQ |
Internal Auditor | 9,200 GTQ |
Administration / Reception / Secretarial | |
Administrative Assistant | 5,290 GTQ |
Office Manager | 8,390 GTQ |
Receptionist | 3,930 GTQ |
Secretary | 4,590 GTQ |
Advertising / Grapic Design / Events | |
Art Director | 9,780 GTQ |
Creative Director | 10,000 GTQ |
Graphic Designer | 6,020 GTQ |
Photographer | 5,740 GTQ |
Airlines / Aviation / Aerospace / Defense | |
Aerospace Engineer | 12,300 GTQ |
Air Traffic Controller | 10,500 GTQ |
Flight Attendant | 7,070 GTQ |
Pilot | 16,700 GTQ |
Architecture | |
Architect | 12,000 GTQ |
CAD Drafter | 4,900 GTQ |
Automotive | |
Mechanic | 3,570 GTQ |
Service Advisor | 7,100 GTQ |
Banking | |
Bank Branch Manager | 17,700 GTQ |
Teller | 3,620 GTQ |
Bilingual | |
Teacher | 7,600 GTQ |
Translator | 8,870 GTQ |
Business Planning | |
Business Analyst | 12,600 GTQ |
Business Development Manager | 15,900 GTQ |
Project Manager | 10,800 GTQ |
Care Giving and Child Care | |
Nanny | 4,200 GTQ |
Nursery Teacher | 3,670 GTQ |
Construction / Building / Installation | |
Civil Engineer | 9,460 GTQ |
Construction Project Manager | 16,000 GTQ |
Health and Safety Officer | 4,550 GTQ |
Customer Service and Call Center | |
Call Center Representative | 3,820 GTQ |
Customer Service Manager | 13,800 GTQ |
Customer Service Representative | 3,780 GTQ |
Engineering | |
Electrical Engineer | 9,760 GTQ |
Engineer | 9,180 GTQ |
Mechanical Engineer | 9,580 GTQ |
Executive and Management | |
Chief Executive Officer | 21,400 GTQ |
Chief Financial Officer | 21,400 GTQ |
General Manager | 17,800 GTQ |
Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering | |
Chef | 5,980 GTQ |
Executive Chef | 7,470 GTQ |
Hotel Manager | 17,900 GTQ |
Travel Agent | 6,140 GTQ |
Waiter / Waitress | 3,030 GTQ |
Health and Medical | |
Dentist | 23,400 GTQ |
Dietitian | 18,600 GTQ |
Laboratory Technician | 7,610 GTQ |
Nurse | 8,070 GTQ |
Human Resources | |
Human Resources Manager | 14,800 GTQ |
Human Resources Officer | 6,270 GTQ |
Information Technology | |
Computer Technician | 7,710 GTQ |
Database Administrator | 9,940 GTQ |
Developer / Programmer | 10,100 GTQ |
Information Technology Manager | 16,700 GTQ |
Network Engineer | 8,670 GTQ |
Law Enforcement / Security / Fire | |
Police Officer | 6,040 GTQ |
Legal | |
Attorney | 19,600 GTQ |
Legal Assistant | 5,230 GTQ |
Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment | |
Journalist | 10,800 GTQ |
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology | |
Biomedical Engineer | 8,910 GTQ |
Pharmacist | 13,100 GTQ |
Sales Retail and Wholesale | |
Cashier | 3,720 GTQ |
Sales Manager | 17,900 GTQ |
Sales Representative | 6,660 GTQ |
Teaching / Education | |
Elementary School Teacher | 7,000 GTQ |
Secondary School Teacher | 7,940 GTQ |
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.
Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in Guatemala earn 11% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Private Sector | 10,000 GTQ | |
Public Sector | +11% | 11,100 GTQ |