For every IT recruiter and software development manager, it is essential to keep up with the salaries paid in the market. It allows putting the income expectations of candidates for programmer positions in perspective, budgeting the cost of hiring or for a project, and being willing to make a suitable offer.
The following is a brief analysis of the salaries paid in various countries of the continent, differentiating by type of profile, from junior programmers to senior programmers. Outsourcing is an often observed practice in IT, where companies try to hire personnel in the geographies with lower costs (starting with American companies that usually have development centers in Latin America). Given that, it is essential to keep informed about competitive advantages in other countries (either to hire developers in that country or to prepare in case of possible price competition given lower programmer salaries elsewhere).
Latin American software developers are known for their highly skilled, high-quality work and efficiency. This combination, coupled with a not-so-different time zone and the ability to speak English, has helped Latin America become one of the leading centers for software development outsourcing.
However, hiring costs for developers in Latin America, while higher on average than in places like India, are still less than half those of developers in the United States. These days, the best salaries for software developers in Latin America are in Panama and Chile.
In Panama, a junior-level developer can earn between 1,000.00 and 1,800.00 USD, depending on whether the company is international or national. While semi-seniors can aspire to an approximate amount of 1,500.00 to 2,500.00 USD; and seniors from 2,000.00 to 3,500.00 USD.
On the other hand, in Chile, junior and semi-senior software developers earn an average of approximately 1,500.00 USD per month, while a senior software developer can make nearly 2,590.00 USD. Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, and Santiago are the cities with the best salaries counter to the south and north zones.
In Peru, the average salary of a junior or semi-senior software developer is approximately USD 1,360.00 per month. On the other hand, the average salary of a junior developer in Uruguay is around USD 890.00. While in Brazil and Colombia, junior and semi-senior developers earn between USD 870.00 and USD 1,245.00 per month.
However, the salary will depend on the programming language mastered by the developer, the region, city, company, and experience.
Lastly, Mexico and Argentina have slightly lower salaries.
In Mexico, a junior developer earns between 423.00 and 634.00 USD per month, a senior developer earns between 730.00 and 2,115.00 USD per month, and a master can make up to 3,170.00 USD. Salaries can also depend on the city, with Guadalajara having the best offers, followed by Monterrey and Mexico City.
Meanwhile, in Argentina, a developer’s monthly salary is approximately USD 715.00 for the junior category, USD 1,000.00 for semi-seniors, and USD 1,380.00 for seniors. Buenos Aires and Mendoza are the most active cities.