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Average Controls Software Engineer Salary in Brazil for 2026

A controls software engineer in Brazil earns about 83,060 BRL a year. That's 18% below the national average of 101,120 BRL.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in Brazil sit around 39,960 BRL a year, while the very top stretches to 136,100 BRL. Everything on this page is in Brazilian real (BRL, symbol R$), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in Brazil, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.


How much does a controls software engineer make in Brazil?

Average salary
83,060 BRL
6,921 BRL per month
Lowest reported
39,960 BRL
3,330 BRL per month
Highest reported
136,100 BRL
11,341 BRL per month

A typical controls software engineer working in Brazil brings home around 6,921 BRL a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 39,960 BRL, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 136,100 BRL for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior controls software engineer working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around.


How controls software engineer pay ranges in Brazil

A good way to think about salary in Brazil is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all controls software engineers in Brazil earn less than 91,580 BRL a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 58,240 BRL (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 119,900 BRL (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of controls software engineers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 39,960 BRL. The highest stretch to 136,100 BRL, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

39,960
Low
91,580
Median
136,100
High
58,240
25th
119,900
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in BRL

Controls software engineer pay by experience in Brazil

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a controls software engineer in Brazil, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical controls software engineer salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    43,340 BRL
  • 2-5 Years
    +39% from previous
    60,400 BRL
  • 5-10 Years
    +42% from previous
    85,700 BRL
  • 10-15 Years
    +26% from previous
    107,680 BRL
  • 15-20 Years
    +9% from previous
    116,960 BRL
  • 20+ Years
    +6% from previous
    124,400 BRL

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 42%. That is the point at which a controls software engineer typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.


Controls software engineer pay by education in Brazil

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving controls software engineer pay in Brazil. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average controls software engineer salary in Brazil broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • Bachelor's Degree
    52,540 BRL
  • Master's Degree
    +86% from previous
    97,880 BRL

Controls software engineer gender pay gap in Brazil

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and Brazil is no exception. Male controls software engineers in Brazil earn an average of 91,380 BRL a year, while female controls software engineers earn around 77,340 BRL. That works out to a 18% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Controls Software Engineer gender pay gap

15%

Men earn this much more than women on average in Brazil.

Men 91,380 BRL
Women 77,340 BRL

Pay raises for a controls software engineer in Brazil

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in Brazil sees a raise of about 11% every 16 months, which works out to roughly 8% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in Brazil, the national average raise is around 9% every 16 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in Brazil:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Controls software engineer bonus rates in Brazil

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

59%

59% of controls software engineers in Brazil reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a controls software engineer a moderate-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary. The remaining 41% of controls software engineers reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in Brazil

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Controls software engineer: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in Brazil is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

7%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in Brazil on average.

Public sector 106,500 BRL
Private sector 99,460 BRL

Controls software engineer salary by city in Brazil

Controls software engineer pay is not even across Brazil. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • Sao Paulo
  • Brasilia
  • Manaus
  • Salvador
  • Fortaleza
  • Belo Horizonte
  • Recife
  • Rio de Janeiro
  • Goiania
  • Curitiba
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
Sao PauloCity96,340 BRL103,600 BRL44,140-151,800 BRL
BrasiliaCity93,280 BRL101,920 BRL43,220-148,300 BRL
ManausCity89,340 BRL97,840 BRL41,560-142,300 BRL
SalvadorCity88,300 BRL96,500 BRL42,460-142,300 BRL
FortalezaCity88,260 BRL93,220 BRL41,700-138,200 BRL
Belo HorizonteCity87,640 BRL95,420 BRL42,320-142,300 BRL
RecifeCity87,640 BRL95,420 BRL42,320-142,300 BRL
Rio de JaneiroCity87,040 BRL96,720 BRL38,780-138,800 BRL
GoianiaCity85,460 BRL91,380 BRL36,720-134,600 BRL
CuritibaCity85,460 BRL91,380 BRL36,720-134,600 BRL
CampinasCity84,780 BRL90,900 BRL38,680-130,400 BRL
Sao LuisCity81,960 BRL87,760 BRL39,640-128,900 BRL
Joao PessoaCity81,880 BRL88,580 BRL39,160-128,500 BRL
Porto AlegreCity80,920 BRL84,880 BRL38,180-127,700 BRL
BelemCity79,500 BRL87,880 BRL35,420-129,000 BRL
TeresinaCity79,260 BRL87,020 BRL35,260-127,700 BRL
NatalCity79,120 BRL85,460 BRL35,340-125,100 BRL
MaceioCity78,960 BRL83,200 BRL34,120-123,400 BRL
LondrinaCity78,420 BRL83,140 BRL37,200-123,400 BRL
MacapaCity77,340 BRL85,880 BRL35,000-124,400 BRL
SantosCity77,060 BRL80,760 BRL33,980-119,860 BRL
AracajuCity74,940 BRL80,840 BRL34,960-120,040 BRL
CuiabaCity74,380 BRL81,880 BRL33,980-119,700 BRL
Vale do AcoCity73,760 BRL78,260 BRL34,480-119,560 BRL
Petrolina and JuazeiroCity72,260 BRL78,620 BRL35,500-117,520 BRL
MaringaCity69,780 BRL75,500 BRL33,120-111,900 BRL
VitoriaCity69,260 BRL74,300 BRL31,520-112,620 BRL


Controls Software Engineer in Brazil: FAQs

  • How much does a controls software engineer make per month in Brazil?

    A controls software engineer in Brazil earns about 6,921 BRL a month before tax, based on an annual average of 83,060 BRL.

  • What's the salary range for a controls software engineer in Brazil?

    Entry-level controls software engineers in Brazil start near 39,960 BRL. Top-end pay reaches around 136,100 BRL. The middle 50% of earners sit between 58,240 and 119,900 BRL.

  • Is the median controls software engineer salary in Brazil higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 91,580 BRL, higher than the average of 83,060 BRL. Half of controls software engineers in Brazil earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for controls software engineers in Brazil?

    Men working as a controls software engineer in Brazil earn around 18% more than women on average (91,380 vs 77,340 BRL a year).

  • Do controls software engineers in Brazil get bonuses?

    About 59% of controls software engineers in Brazil reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary.

  • Do controls software engineers earn more in the public or private sector in Brazil?

    In Brazil, the public sector pays a controls software engineer about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do controls software engineers in Brazil get a pay raise?

    A controls software engineer in Brazil sees a raise of around 11% every 16 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.