Average Geophysicist Salary in Cuenca, Ecuador for 2026
In this article, we will look at the average Geophysicist salary for 2026 in Cuenca and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!
The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.
All salary information is in the local currency, which is the United States dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the USD currency code instead of the currency symbol $.
How Much Does a Geophysicist Make in Cuenca?
A Geophysicist working in Cuenca will typically earn around 27,620 USD per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 13,960 USD to the highest average salary of 41,820 USD.
These are average salaries for a Geophysicist in Cuenca and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Geophysicist to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.
Geophysicist salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.
Distribution of Geophysicist Salaries in Cuenca
So we've looked at the average salaries a Geophysicist will earn in Cuenca. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.
Salary ranges
We already know that a Geophysicist can earn between 13,960 USD and 41,820 USD on average in Cuenca. This is known as the range in statistics.
The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.
Median salary
The median salary for a Geophysicist in Cuenca is 28,720 USD. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.
What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 28,720 USD, and 50% of the population earn more than 28,720 USD.
If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.
If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).
Percentiles
Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.
For the average Geophysicist salary in Cuenca, 25% of the population are earning less than 17,740 USD while 75% of the population earn more than 17,740 USD.
75% of the population earn less than 38,180 USD, and 25% of the population earn more than 38,180 USD.
Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.
The difference between a median and an average salary
The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.
- If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
- If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
- If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.
Geophysicist Salary by Experience Level in Cuenca
The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.
We have researched the average Geophysicist salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.
- 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Geophysicist in Cuenca that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 16,880 USD.
- 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Geophysicist salary would increase to 19,060 USD.
- 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Geophysicist, the average salary would be 26,860 USD.
- 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 37,200 USD.
- 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Geophysicist with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 36,020 USD.
- 20+ Years Experience. For a Geophysicist with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 42,040 USD.
Average Salary by Experience Chart
| 0-2 Years | - | 16,880 USD |
| 2-5 Years | +29% | 19,060 USD |
| 5-10 Years | +38% | 26,860 USD |
| 10-15 Years | +24% | 37,200 USD |
| 15-20 Years | +7% | 36,020 USD |
| 20+ Years | +7% | 42,040 USD |
Geophysicist Salary by Education Level in Cuenca
As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?
In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.
The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.
In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Geophysicist in Cuenca based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.
- Bachelor's Degree. A Geophysicist in Cuenca with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 19,360 USD.
- Master's Degree. A Geophysicist in Cuenca with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 27,040 USD.
- PhD. A Geophysicist in Cuenca with a phd education can earn an average salary of 43,220 USD.
Average Salary by Education Chart
| Bachelor's Degree | - | 19,360 USD |
| Master's Degree | +38% | 27,040 USD |
| PhD | +64% | 43,220 USD |
How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?
The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in Ecuador is around 6,810 to 20,400 USD and takes two years to complete.
As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.
It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.
Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.
Geophysicist Salary Compared by Gender
In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.
In Cuenca, a male geophysicist will earn an average of 27,020 USD, while a female geophysicist will earn around 27,300 USD.
This means that a male geophysicist earns approximately 1% less than a female geophysicist for performing the same job.
Average Salary by Gender Chart in Cuenca
| Male | - | 27,020 USD |
| Female | +1% | 27,300 USD |
Geophysicist Average Pay Raise in Cuenca
In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.
From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Geophysicist in Cuenca is around 12% every 19 months.
The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in Ecuador is around 7% every 19 months.
In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.
To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:
Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12
So for this example, it would be:
Annual Increase = ( 12 ÷ 19 ) × 12 = 8%
What this means is that a Geophysicist in Cuenca can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 8% every 12 months.
Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Cuenca for 2026
In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in Ecuador.
You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.
| Banking | - | 9% |
| Energy | - | 9% |
| Information Technology | - | 9% |
| Healthcare | - | 9% |
| Travel | - | 9% |
| Construction | - | 9% |
| Education | - | 9% |
Geophysicist Bonus and Incentive Rates in Cuenca
Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.
Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.
A Geophysicist is a moderate bonus based job, with 58% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.
42% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.
For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7%.
| Received Bonus | - | 58% |
| No Bonus | - | 42% |
What are the Types of Bonus?
There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:
- Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
- Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
- Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
- Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.
Government vs Private Sector Salaries
Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.
Public sector employees in Ecuador earn approximately 9% less than private sector employees in the same role.
| Public Sector | - | 15,700 USD |
| Private Sector | +9% | 17,260 USD |
Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Geophysicist
In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Geophysicist in Cuenca.
| Job Title | Category | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Assistant Yard Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 12,000 USD |
| Associate Analyst | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 15,580 USD |
| Associate Landman | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 6,080 USD |
| Auxiliary Equipment Operator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 5,620 USD |
| Biomass Plant Technician | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 5,960 USD |
| Biomass Power Plant Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 19,060 USD |
| Chemical Plant Operator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 12,620 USD |
| Chief Contract Compliance Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 14,840 USD |
| Completions Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 14,620 USD |
| Cost Controller | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 8,880 USD |
| Cost Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 12,620 USD |
| Crude Oil Marketing Representative | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 17,620 USD |
| Dispatcher | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 6,080 USD |
| Distribution Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 19,160 USD |
| Dragline Operator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 8,440 USD |
| Driller Offsider | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 5,720 USD |
| Dump Truck Driver | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 5,160 USD |
| Electric and Gas Operations Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 34,360 USD |
| Energy Advisor | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 19,980 USD |
| Energy Analyst | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 20,000 USD |
| Energy Auditor | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 17,760 USD |
| Energy Dispatch Director | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 24,860 USD |
| Energy Technical Assistant | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 9,360 USD |
| Energy Technical Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 15,920 USD |
| Energy Technical Support Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 19,640 USD |
| Energy Technical Trainer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 10,980 USD |
| Engineering Geologist | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 27,020 USD |
| Exploration Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 23,360 USD |
| Field Safety Auditor | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 15,760 USD |
| Fluids Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 12,240 USD |
| Fuel Cell Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 13,100 USD |
| Fuel Cell Technician | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 5,960 USD |
| Fuels Handler | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 6,080 USD |
| Gas Compressor Operator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 6,080 USD |
| Gas Distribution Plant Operator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 12,520 USD |
| Gas Supply Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 23,400 USD |
| Geologist | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 27,020 USD |
| Geothermal Production Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 27,380 USD |
| Geothermal Technician | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 11,300 USD |
| HSE Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 14,920 USD |
| HSE Officer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 8,560 USD |
| HSE Supervisor | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 12,760 USD |
| HSEQ Administrator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 9,980 USD |
| Inspector | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 12,000 USD |
| Instructor | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 13,060 USD |
| Instrument Designer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 12,520 USD |
| Lead Technical Field Advisor | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 19,020 USD |
| Logistics and Tool Coordinator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 13,700 USD |
| Maintenance Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 15,580 USD |
| Maintenance Superintendent | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 12,000 USD |
| Material Controller | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 11,300 USD |
| Mine Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 14,920 USD |
| Mine Surveyor | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 15,300 USD |
| Mining Project Administrator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 14,540 USD |
| Mining Project Assistant | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 9,960 USD |
| Mining Project Controls Consultant | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 16,400 USD |
| Mining Project Coordinator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 13,700 USD |
| Mining Project Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 14,920 USD |
| Mining Project Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 19,360 USD |
| Mining Site Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 19,860 USD |
| Mining Team Leader | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 17,620 USD |
| NDT Technician | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 7,240 USD |
| Oil Service Unit Operator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 7,040 USD |
| Oil Trader | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 19,640 USD |
| Oilwell Pumper | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 6,700 USD |
| Petroleum Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 16,720 USD |
| Petroleum Geologist | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 27,620 USD |
| Petroleum Pump System Operator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 9,020 USD |
| Petroleum Technician | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 10,320 USD |
| Pipeline Technician | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 5,160 USD |
| Power Coordinator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 7,080 USD |
| Power Plant Operations Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 26,280 USD |
| Power Plant Operator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 12,180 USD |
| Radio Operator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 5,040 USD |
| Reliability Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 17,020 USD |
| Reservoir Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 12,240 USD |
| Risk Analyst | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 20,300 USD |
| Roughneck | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 14,660 USD |
| Scaffolder | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 8,560 USD |
| Shutdown Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 12,620 USD |
| Solar Energy Installation Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 20,000 USD |
| Solar Energy Systems Engineer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 14,840 USD |
| Solar Photovoltaic Installer | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 9,140 USD |
| Solar Thermal Technician | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 7,800 USD |
| Supply Operations Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 23,660 USD |
| Sustainability Specialist | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 22,420 USD |
| System Development Advisor | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 17,560 USD |
| Tanker Truck Driver | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 5,720 USD |
| Utility Operator | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 5,960 USD |
| Wind Energy Project Manager | Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | 19,480 USD |
Salary Comparison by City
If you want to compare salaries with different cities in Ecuador, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Duran | 26,080 USD |
| Guayaquil | 27,020 USD |
| Machala | 27,380 USD |
| Manta | 25,940 USD |
| Portoviejo | 26,020 USD |
| Quito | 28,720 USD |
| Santo Domingo | 28,820 USD |
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