Average Environmental Economist Salary in Ecuador for 2026
An environmental economist in Ecuador earns about 25,940 USD a year. That's 47% above the national average of 17,620 USD.
Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in Ecuador sit around 10,000 USD a year, while the very top stretches to 37,880 USD. Everything on this page is in United States dollar (USD, symbol $), 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 Ecuador, 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 an environmental economist make in Ecuador?
A typical environmental economist working in Ecuador brings home around 2,161 USD a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 10,000 USD, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 37,880 USD 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 environmental economist 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. For a cross-country comparison, see the environmental economist salary in United States or Palau, both of which pay in the same currency.
How environmental economist pay ranges in Ecuador
A good way to think about salary in Ecuador is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all environmental economists in Ecuador earn less than 26,780 USD 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 18,780 USD (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 34,380 USD (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of environmental economists sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.
The very lowest reported salaries sit around 10,000 USD. The highest stretch to 37,880 USD, 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.
Environmental economist pay by experience in Ecuador
Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for an environmental economist in Ecuador, 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 environmental economist salary changes as you move through the career ladder.
- 0-2 Years11,360 USD
- 2-5 Years+65% from previous18,780 USD
- 5-10 Years+46% from previous27,380 USD
- 10-15 Years+8% from previous29,600 USD
- 15-20 Years+16% from previous34,480 USD
- 20+ Years+11% from previous38,140 USD
The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 65%. That is the point at which a environmental economist 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.
Environmental economist pay by education in Ecuador
Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving environmental economist pay in Ecuador. 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 environmental economist salary in Ecuador broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.
- Bachelor's Degree14,660 USD
- Master's Degree+66% from previous24,280 USD
- PhD+64% from previous39,800 USD
Environmental economist gender pay gap in Ecuador
The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and Ecuador is no exception. Male environmental economists in Ecuador earn an average of 27,040 USD a year, while female environmental economists earn around 23,660 USD. That works out to a 14% 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.
Environmental Economist gender pay gap
13%
Men earn this much more than women on average in Ecuador.
Pay raises for an environmental economist in Ecuador
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 Ecuador sees a raise of about 10% every 21 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 Ecuador, the national average raise is around 7% every 19 months.
By industry
Industries with the highest pay raises in Ecuador:
- 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 Level3% - 5%
- Mid-Career
- Senior Level
- Top Management
Environmental economist bonus rates in Ecuador
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.
57% of environmental economists in Ecuador reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes an environmental economist 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 43% of environmental economists reported no bonus at all over the same period.
Which careers pay bonuses in Ecuador
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
Environmental economist: public vs private sector pay
Public-sector pay in Ecuador is about 9% less 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
9%
Public-sector workers earn this much less than private-sector workers in Ecuador on average.
Environmental economist salary by city in Ecuador
Environmental economist pay is not even across Ecuador. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities in the dataset, followed by the full location table.
- Guayaquil
- Quito
- Duran
- Santo Domingo
- Cuenca
- Machala
- Manta
- Portoviejo
| Location | Type | Average | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guayaquil | City | 29,540 USD | 29,840 USD | 11,880-44,140 USD |
| Quito | City | 29,540 USD | 29,540 USD | 12,620-44,800 USD |
| Duran | City | 27,380 USD | 22,340 USD | 12,620-39,960 USD |
| Santo Domingo | City | 23,700 USD | 23,140 USD | 13,780-40,140 USD |
| Cuenca | City | 23,700 USD | 26,020 USD | 13,540-39,080 USD |
| Machala | City | 23,080 USD | 22,420 USD | 11,360-36,700 USD |
| Manta | City | 22,420 USD | 26,020 USD | 9,960-38,180 USD |
| Portoviejo | City | 21,300 USD | 23,140 USD | 12,300-37,620 USD |
Environmental Economist in Ecuador: FAQs
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How much does an environmental economist make per month in Ecuador?
An environmental economist in Ecuador earns about 2,161 USD a month before tax, based on an annual average of 25,940 USD.
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What's the salary range for an environmental economist in Ecuador?
Entry-level environmental economists in Ecuador start near 10,000 USD. Top-end pay reaches around 37,880 USD. The middle 50% of earners sit between 18,780 and 34,380 USD.
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Is the median environmental economist salary in Ecuador higher or lower than the average?
The median is 26,780 USD, higher than the average of 25,940 USD. Half of environmental economists in Ecuador earn below the median, half earn above it.
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What's the gender pay gap for environmental economists in Ecuador?
Men working as an environmental economist in Ecuador earn around 14% more than women on average (27,040 vs 23,660 USD a year).
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Do environmental economists in Ecuador get bonuses?
About 57% of environmental economists in Ecuador reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary.
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Do environmental economists earn more in the public or private sector in Ecuador?
In Ecuador, the private sector pays an environmental economist about 9% 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 environmental economists in Ecuador get a pay raise?
An environmental economist in Ecuador sees a raise of around 10% every 21 months, equivalent to roughly 6% a year.