Average Head of Projects Salary in Costa Rica for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Head of Projects salary for 2024 in Costa Rica 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 Costa Rican colón. To keep things simple, we are using the CRC currency code instead of the currency symbol ₡.

How Much Does a Head of Projects Make in Costa Rica?

A Head of Projects working in Costa Rica will typically earn around 40,439,700 CRC per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 20,639,100 CRC to the highest average salary of 62,279,800 CRC.

Average Annual Salary
40,439,700 CRC
Average Monthly Salary
3,369,975 CRC

Lowest Annual Salary
20,639,100 CRC
Lowest Monthly Salary
1,719,925 CRC

Highest Annual Salary
62,279,800 CRC
Highest Monthly Salary
5,189,983 CRC

These are average salaries for a Head of Projects in Costa Rica and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Head of Projects to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Head of Projects 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 Head of Projects Salaries in Costa Rica

So we've looked at the average salaries a Head of Projects will earn in Costa Rica. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Head of Projects can earn between 20,639,100 CRC and 62,279,800 CRC on average in Costa Rica. 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 Head of Projects in Costa Rica is 39,718,900 CRC. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 39,718,900 CRC, and 50% of the population earn more than 39,718,900 CRC.

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 Head of Projects salary in Costa Rica, 25% of the population are earning less than 27,118,300 CRC while 75% of the population earn more than 27,118,300 CRC.

75% of the population earn less than 49,919,200 CRC, and 25% of the population earn more than 49,919,200 CRC.

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.

Head of Projects Salary by Experience Level in Costa Rica

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 head of projects 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 Head of Projects in Costa Rica that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 23,159,200 CRC.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Head of Projects salary would increase to 30,240,200 CRC.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Head of Projects, the average salary would be 42,359,400 CRC.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 50,878,500 CRC.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Head of Projects with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 55,201,700 CRC.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Head of Projects with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 59,640,200 CRC.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
23,159,200 CRC
2-5 Years +31%
30,240,200 CRC
5-10 Years +40%
42,359,400 CRC
10-15 Years +20%
50,878,500 CRC
15-20 Years +9%
55,201,700 CRC
20+ Years +8%
59,640,200 CRC

Head of Projects Salary by Education Level in Costa Rica

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 Head of Projects in Costa Rica based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Head of Projects in Costa Rica with a high school education can earn an average salary of 27,721,300 CRC.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Head of Projects in Costa Rica with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 31,919,300 CRC.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Head of Projects in Costa Rica with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 44,878,500 CRC.

  • Master's Degree. A Head of Projects in Costa Rica with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 57,719,800 CRC.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
27,721,300 CRC
Certificate or Diploma +15%
31,919,300 CRC
Bachelor's Degree +41%
44,878,500 CRC
Master's Degree +29%
57,719,800 CRC

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 Costa Rica is around 11,800,000 to 35,400,000 CRC 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.

Head of Projects 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 Costa Rica, a male head of projects will earn an average of 42,119,100 CRC, while a female head of projects will earn around 38,878,700 CRC.

This means that a male head of projects earns approximately 8% more than a female head of projects for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in Costa Rica

Male
42,119,100 CRC
Female -8%
38,878,700 CRC

Head of Projects Average Pay Raise in Costa Rica

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 Head of Projects in Costa Rica is around 14% every 16 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in Costa Rica is around 9% every 17 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 = ( 14 ÷ 16 ) × 12  = 11%

What this means is that a Head of Projects in Costa Rica can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 11% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Costa Rica for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in Costa Rica.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
7%
Energy
5%
Information Technology
3%
Healthcare
1%
Travel
8%
Construction
6%
Education
4%

Head of Projects Bonus and Incentive Rates in Costa Rica

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 Head of Projects is a high bonus based job, with 78% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

22% 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 6% to 8%.

Received Bonus
78%
No Bonus
22%

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 Costa Rica earn approximately 6% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
29,399,100 CRC
Private Sector -6%
27,721,300 CRC

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Head of Projects

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Head of Projects in Costa Rica.

Job Title Category Salary
Account Coordinator Executive and Management 25,679,100 CRC
Account Director Executive and Management 30,360,800 CRC
Account Executive Executive and Management 33,360,800 CRC
Account Manager Executive and Management 31,081,900 CRC
Administration Manager Executive and Management 33,001,000 CRC
Administration Officer Executive and Management 16,799,900 CRC
Administration Supervisor Executive and Management 24,958,800 CRC
Administrative Clerk Executive and Management 12,239,700 CRC
Administrative Officer Executive and Management 12,600,600 CRC
Area Director Executive and Management 28,200,200 CRC
Area Manager Executive and Management 30,360,800 CRC
Asset Protection Associate Executive and Management 33,360,800 CRC
Assistant Director Executive and Management 32,639,300 CRC
Assistant General Manager Executive and Management 32,639,300 CRC
Assistant Manager Executive and Management 34,198,600 CRC
Assistant Managing Director Executive and Management 39,600,100 CRC
Assistant Operations Manager Executive and Management 35,398,900 CRC
Assistant Project Manager Executive and Management 34,078,800 CRC
Assistant Section Head Executive and Management 28,439,500 CRC
Assistant to CEO Executive and Management 30,961,800 CRC
Assistant Vice President Executive and Management 35,640,500 CRC
Associate Account Director Executive and Management 31,678,800 CRC
Associate Director Executive and Management 32,161,000 CRC
Bid Manager Executive and Management 37,561,000 CRC
Branch Manager Executive and Management 34,919,600 CRC
Business Development Manager Executive and Management 39,241,100 CRC
Business Operations Associate Executive and Management 33,240,500 CRC
Business Operations Lead Executive and Management 32,758,100 CRC
Campaign Manager Executive and Management 38,158,300 CRC
Catering Coordinator Executive and Management 20,760,500 CRC
Catering Manager Executive and Management 32,639,300 CRC
CEO Executive and Management 62,519,300 CRC
Chairman of The Board Executive and Management 61,678,300 CRC
Chairman Office Manager Executive and Management 38,641,600 CRC
Chief Commercial Officer Executive and Management 46,560,900 CRC
Chief Corporate Officer Executive and Management 52,201,800 CRC
Chief Executive Officer Executive and Management 64,198,300 CRC
Chief Financial Officer Executive and Management 55,801,900 CRC
Chief Investment Officer Executive and Management 48,601,200 CRC
Chief of Staff Executive and Management 30,600,900 CRC
Chief Operating Officer Executive and Management 45,961,300 CRC
Chief Risk Officer Executive and Management 40,079,600 CRC
Client Account Manager Executive and Management 37,919,200 CRC
Client Accounts Officer Executive and Management 30,479,000 CRC
Client Services Manager Executive and Management 40,921,600 CRC
Commercial Director Executive and Management 42,719,800 CRC
Commercial Manager Executive and Management 36,960,300 CRC
Commercial Project Manager Executive and Management 35,758,400 CRC
Commodity Broker Executive and Management 27,241,100 CRC
COO Executive and Management 49,318,100 CRC
Corporate Affairs Executive Executive and Management 37,441,100 CRC
Corporate Compliance Director Executive and Management 41,878,100 CRC
Corporate Director Executive and Management 42,000,700 CRC
Corporate Officer Executive and Management 28,679,900 CRC
Corporate Partnerships Officer Executive and Management 28,919,800 CRC
Country Manager Executive and Management 49,438,400 CRC
Department Head Executive and Management 37,919,200 CRC
Department Manager Executive and Management 39,840,400 CRC
Department Supervisor Executive and Management 32,879,500 CRC
Deputy Director Executive and Management 45,719,900 CRC
Deputy Manager Executive and Management 42,601,100 CRC
Director Executive and Management 46,680,900 CRC
Director of Accreditation Executive and Management 40,799,600 CRC
Director of Catering Services Executive and Management 38,641,600 CRC
Director of Client Services Executive and Management 40,079,600 CRC
Director of Facilities Management Executive and Management 33,721,200 CRC
Director of Operations Executive and Management 40,799,600 CRC
Director of Process Simplification Executive and Management 33,001,000 CRC
Director of Product Management Executive and Management 40,199,100 CRC
Director of Project Management Executive and Management 42,119,100 CRC
Director of Revenue Management Executive and Management 36,960,300 CRC
Director of Training and Development Executive and Management 39,718,900 CRC
Distribution Manager Executive and Management 44,760,700 CRC
Division Manager Executive and Management 36,001,200 CRC
Duty Manager Executive and Management 36,358,600 CRC
Engagement Manager Executive and Management 43,438,200 CRC
Executive Director Executive and Management 61,441,300 CRC
Executive Manager Executive and Management 48,841,700 CRC
Franchise Manager Executive and Management 50,998,800 CRC
General Manager Executive and Management 51,119,900 CRC
Global Master Data Manager Executive and Management 43,198,900 CRC
Global Technical Lead Executive and Management 30,360,800 CRC
Head of Investment Executive and Management 41,158,900 CRC
Head of Middle Office Executive and Management 38,399,900 CRC
Head of Strategy Executive and Management 45,719,900 CRC
Head of Supply Chain Executive and Management 39,241,100 CRC
Head of Sustainability Executive and Management 34,319,800 CRC
Housing Manager Executive and Management 33,721,200 CRC
HSE Manager Executive and Management 36,001,200 CRC
Key Account Manager Executive and Management 34,799,800 CRC
Knowledge Manager Executive and Management 40,679,700 CRC
Location Manager Executive and Management 37,800,500 CRC
Logistics Executive Executive and Management 31,678,800 CRC
Logistics Manager Executive and Management 33,841,700 CRC
Management Consultant Executive and Management 33,119,100 CRC
Management Executive Executive and Management 45,361,500 CRC
Manager Executive and Management 42,839,200 CRC
Managing Director Executive and Management 52,800,100 CRC
MIS Executive Executive and Management 41,040,700 CRC
Ocean Services Manager Executive and Management 45,478,500 CRC
Operational Manager Executive and Management 42,839,200 CRC
Operations Analyst Executive and Management 35,878,200 CRC
Operations Assistant Executive and Management 29,881,100 CRC
Operations Director Executive and Management 45,361,500 CRC
Operations Executive Executive and Management 46,921,300 CRC
Operations Manager Executive and Management 45,599,600 CRC
Operations Supervisor Executive and Management 39,960,800 CRC
Planning Director Executive and Management 44,398,300 CRC
PMO Manager Executive and Management 37,919,200 CRC
Policy Administration Executive Executive and Management 34,679,400 CRC
Private Sector Executive Executive and Management 35,758,400 CRC
Product Development Manager Executive and Management 43,321,300 CRC
Product Executive Executive and Management 38,399,900 CRC
Production Executive Executive and Management 40,321,500 CRC
Production Manager Executive and Management 42,959,900 CRC
Production Supervisor Executive and Management 37,441,100 CRC
Program Director Executive and Management 45,119,800 CRC
Program Manager Executive and Management 44,641,600 CRC
Programme Coordinator Executive and Management 31,440,200 CRC
Project Control Manager Executive and Management 43,438,200 CRC
Project Coordinator Executive and Management 26,520,600 CRC
Project Management Officer Executive and Management 30,240,200 CRC
Project Manager Executive and Management 31,559,900 CRC
Project Portfolio Manager Executive and Management 32,519,500 CRC
Quality Manager Executive and Management 32,398,700 CRC
R/D Director Executive and Management 36,240,700 CRC
Regional Director Executive and Management 58,199,900 CRC
Regional Manager Executive and Management 41,520,800 CRC
Relationship Manager Executive and Management 39,960,800 CRC
Retail District Manager Executive and Management 29,161,000 CRC
Revenue Manager Executive and Management 32,398,700 CRC
Risk and Capital Manager Executive and Management 49,318,100 CRC
Risk Officer Executive and Management 31,440,200 CRC
Safety Manager Executive and Management 31,440,200 CRC
Section Head Executive and Management 32,758,100 CRC
Service Manager Executive and Management 33,001,000 CRC
Shift Supervisor Executive and Management 24,718,600 CRC
Solutions Manager Executive and Management 30,119,100 CRC
Supervisor Executive and Management 26,158,200 CRC
Supply Chain Manager Executive and Management 42,959,900 CRC
Surveyor Executive and Management 30,479,000 CRC
Technical Director Executive and Management 41,040,700 CRC
Technical Manager Executive and Management 40,079,600 CRC
Territory Manager Executive and Management 39,600,100 CRC
Validation Manager Executive and Management 36,601,600 CRC
Vice President Executive and Management 48,961,500 CRC
Zone Manager Executive and Management 44,398,300 CRC

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in Costa Rica, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
San Jose 46,921,300 CRC

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