How much does a programmer make in Latin America?

For every IT recruiter, as well as for software development managers, it is important to stay aware of the salaries the market pays. This allows you to put the salary expectations of candidates for programmer positions in perspective, to budget the cost of hiring or of a project, and to be able to make an appropriate offer.

Below we present a brief analysis of the salaries paid in several countries of the region, differentiating by type of profile, from junior programmers to senior programmers. Since outsourcing is a very common practice in IT, where companies try to hire staff in the lowest-cost geographies (starting with American companies, which usually have development centers in Latin America), it is also important to stay informed about competitive advantages in other countries (either to hire developers in that country or to prepare for possible price competition given lower programmer salaries elsewhere).

Latin American software developers are known for being highly skilled, and for their high-quality, efficient work. This combination, together 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, although higher on average than in places like India, are still less than half those of developers in the United States. Currently, the best salaries for software developers in Latin America are found 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. Semi-senior levels can aspire to an approximate amount of 1,500.00 to 2,500.00 USD; and senior levels, from 2,000.00 to 3,500.00 USD.

On the other hand, in Chile, junior and semi-senior software developers earn an approximate average of 1,500.00 USD per month, while a senior software developer can earn approximately 2,590.00 USD. Valparaíso, Viña del Mar and Santiago are the cities with the best salaries compared to the south and north zones.

In Peru the average salary of a junior or semi-senior software developer is approximately 1,360.00 USD per month. On the other hand, the approximate average salary of a junior-level developer in Uruguay is around 890.00 USD. Meanwhile, in Brazil and Colombia junior and semi-senior developers can earn between 870.00 and 1,245.00 USD per month.

However, the salary will depend on the programming language the developer masters, the region, city, company and experience.

Lastly, Mexico and Argentina have somewhat lower salaries.

In Mexico, a junior developer earns between 423.00 and 634.00 USD per month, a senior level earns between 730.00 and 2,115.00 USD per month, and a master can earn up to 3,170.00 USD. Salary can also depend on the city, as Guadalajara has the best offers, followed by Monterrey and Mexico City.

Meanwhile, in Argentina, a developer's monthly salary is approximately 715.00 USD for the junior category, 1,000.00 USD for the semi-senior category, and 1,380.00 USD for the senior category. Buenos Aires and Mendoza are the cities with the most activity.