Average Data Science Specialist Salary in Guatemala for 2026
A data science specialist in Guatemala earns about 159,400 GTQ a year. That's 25% above the national average of 127,700 GTQ.
Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in Guatemala sit around 84,560 GTQ a year, while the very top stretches to 239,300 GTQ. Everything on this page is in Guatemalan quetzal (GTQ, symbol Q), 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 Guatemala, 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 data science specialist make in Guatemala?
A typical data science specialist working in Guatemala brings home around 13,283 GTQ a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 84,560 GTQ, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 239,300 GTQ 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 data science specialist 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 data science specialist pay ranges in Guatemala
A good way to think about salary in Guatemala is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all data science specialists in Guatemala earn less than 148,300 GTQ 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 105,880 GTQ (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 180,300 GTQ (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of data science specialists sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.
The very lowest reported salaries sit around 84,560 GTQ. The highest stretch to 239,300 GTQ, 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.
Data science specialist pay by experience in Guatemala
Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a data science specialist in Guatemala, 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 data science specialist salary changes as you move through the career ladder.
- 0-2 Years100,580 GTQ
- 2-5 Years+27% from previous127,700 GTQ
- 5-10 Years+32% from previous168,100 GTQ
- 10-15 Years+17% from previous196,800 GTQ
- 15-20 Years+10% from previous216,800 GTQ
- 20+ Years+7% from previous231,000 GTQ
The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 32%. That is the point at which a data science specialist 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.
Data science specialist pay by education in Guatemala
Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving data science specialist pay in Guatemala. 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 data science specialist salary in Guatemala broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.
- Bachelor's Degree119,700 GTQ
- Master's Degree+33% from previous159,500 GTQ
- PhD+43% from previous228,000 GTQ
Data science specialist gender pay gap in Guatemala
The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and Guatemala is no exception. Male data science specialists in Guatemala earn an average of 163,800 GTQ a year, while female data science specialists earn around 152,000 GTQ. That works out to a 8% 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.
Data Science Specialist gender pay gap
7%
Men earn this much more than women on average in Guatemala.
Pay raises for a data science specialist in Guatemala
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 Guatemala sees a raise of about 10% every 19 months, which works out to roughly 6% 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 Guatemala, the national average raise is around 7% every 19 months.
By industry
Industries with the highest pay raises in Guatemala:
- Banking
- Energy
- Information Technology
- Healthcare
- Travel
- Construction
- Education2%
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 Level3% - 5%
- Mid-Career
- Senior Level
- Top Management
Data science specialist bonus rates in Guatemala
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.
49% of data science specialists in Guatemala reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a data science specialist a low-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 4% to 5% of base salary. The remaining 51% of data science specialists reported no bonus at all over the same period.
Which careers pay bonuses in Guatemala
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
Data science specialist: public vs private sector pay
Public-sector pay in Guatemala is about 12% 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
11%
Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in Guatemala on average.
Data Science Specialist in Guatemala: FAQs
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How much does a data science specialist make per month in Guatemala?
A data science specialist in Guatemala earns about 13,283 GTQ a month before tax, based on an annual average of 159,400 GTQ.
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What's the salary range for a data science specialist in Guatemala?
Entry-level data science specialists in Guatemala start near 84,560 GTQ. Top-end pay reaches around 239,300 GTQ. The middle 50% of earners sit between 105,880 and 180,300 GTQ.
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Is the median data science specialist salary in Guatemala higher or lower than the average?
The median is 148,300 GTQ, lower than the average of 159,400 GTQ. Half of data science specialists in Guatemala earn below the median, half earn above it.
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What's the gender pay gap for data science specialists in Guatemala?
Men working as a data science specialist in Guatemala earn around 8% more than women on average (163,800 vs 152,000 GTQ a year).
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Do data science specialists in Guatemala get bonuses?
About 49% of data science specialists in Guatemala reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 4% to 5% of base salary.
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Do data science specialists earn more in the public or private sector in Guatemala?
In Guatemala, the public sector pays a data science specialist about 12% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.
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How often do data science specialists in Guatemala get a pay raise?
A data science specialist in Guatemala sees a raise of around 10% every 19 months, equivalent to roughly 6% a year.