Average Research Analyst Salary in Panama for 2026
A research analyst in Panama earns about 18,900 PAB a year. That's 27% below the national average of 25,940 PAB.
Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in Panama sit around 7,800 PAB a year, while the very top stretches to 29,640 PAB. Everything on this page is in Panamanian balboa (PAB, symbol B/.), 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 Panama, 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 research analyst make in Panama?
A typical research analyst working in Panama brings home around 1,575 PAB a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 7,800 PAB, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 29,640 PAB 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 research analyst 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 research analyst pay ranges in Panama
A good way to think about salary in Panama is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all research analysts in Panama earn less than 19,380 PAB 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 13,900 PAB (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 26,780 PAB (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of research analysts sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.
The very lowest reported salaries sit around 7,800 PAB. The highest stretch to 29,640 PAB, 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.
Research analyst pay by experience in Panama
Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a research analyst in Panama, 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 research analyst salary changes as you move through the career ladder.
- 0-2 Years9,740 PAB
- 2-5 Years+29% from previous12,580 PAB
- 5-10 Years+68% from previous21,100 PAB
- 10-15 Years+23% from previous25,940 PAB
- 15-20 Years+1% from previous26,080 PAB
- 20+ Years+3% from previous26,860 PAB
The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 68%. That is the point at which a research analyst 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.
Research analyst pay by education in Panama
Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving research analyst pay in Panama. 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 research analyst salary in Panama broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.
- High School13,540 PAB
- Certificate or Diploma13,100 PAB
- Bachelor's Degree+52% from previous19,940 PAB
- Master's Degree+35% from previous26,860 PAB
Research analyst gender pay gap in Panama
The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and Panama is no exception. Male research analysts in Panama earn an average of 19,160 PAB a year, while female research analysts earn around 17,760 PAB. 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.
Research Analyst gender pay gap
7%
Men earn this much more than women on average in Panama.
Pay raises for a research analyst in Panama
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 Panama sees a raise of about 9% 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 Panama, the national average raise is around 7% every 19 months.
By industry
Industries with the highest pay raises in Panama:
- Banking
- Energy1%
- Information Technology
- Healthcare2%
- 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
Research analyst bonus rates in Panama
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.
56% of research analysts in Panama reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a research analyst 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 44% of research analysts reported no bonus at all over the same period.
Which careers pay bonuses in Panama
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
Research analyst: public vs private sector pay
Public-sector pay in Panama is about 4% 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
4%
Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in Panama on average.
Research Analyst in Panama: FAQs
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How much does a research analyst make per month in Panama?
A research analyst in Panama earns about 1,575 PAB a month before tax, based on an annual average of 18,900 PAB.
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What's the salary range for a research analyst in Panama?
Entry-level research analysts in Panama start near 7,800 PAB. Top-end pay reaches around 29,640 PAB. The middle 50% of earners sit between 13,900 and 26,780 PAB.
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Is the median research analyst salary in Panama higher or lower than the average?
The median is 19,380 PAB, higher than the average of 18,900 PAB. Half of research analysts in Panama earn below the median, half earn above it.
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What's the gender pay gap for research analysts in Panama?
Men working as a research analyst in Panama earn around 8% more than women on average (19,160 vs 17,760 PAB a year).
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Do research analysts in Panama get bonuses?
About 56% of research analysts in Panama reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary.
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Do research analysts earn more in the public or private sector in Panama?
In Panama, the public sector pays a research analyst about 4% 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 research analysts in Panama get a pay raise?
A research analyst in Panama sees a raise of around 9% every 19 months, equivalent to roughly 6% a year.