Labour
Salaries and Labour Costs in El Salvador
The minimum wage for commerce, services and industry has been $408.80 a month since 1 June 2025. The 2025 household survey puts the average monthly salary at $437.39. On top of salary, employers pay 7.5% ISSS (on up to $1,000), 8.75% AFP, a 1% INCAF training levy, the year-end aguinaldo and holiday pay.
- Monthly minimum wage in commerce, services and industry
- $408.801
- Monthly minimum wage in commerce, services and industry
- Average monthly salary of employed people, 2025
- $437.392
- Average monthly salary of employed people, 2025
- Employer costs on top of salary, INVEST estimate
- 22.67%3
- Employer costs on top of salary, INVEST estimate
Minimum wages from 1 June 2025
| Sector | A month |
|---|---|
| Commerce, services, industry, sugar mills and agro-industry | $408.80 |
| Textile and clothing maquila | $402.32 |
| Coffee processing and sugar cane harvest | $305.23 |
| Agriculture, fishing and coffee harvest | $272.53 |
Source: Executive Decree No. 11 of 2025: minimum wages from 1 June 2025 (Judicial Documentation Centre, PDF, in Spanish)1
Average salaries by occupation, 2025
| Occupation group | A month |
|---|---|
| Directors, managers and senior officials | $1,053.09 |
| Professionals, scientists and intellectuals | $819.83 |
| Technicians and associate professionals | $679.80 |
| Office and administrative staff | $579.45 |
| Plant and machine operators | $456.20 |
| All employed people | $437.39 |
Source: Central Reserve Bank: Multipurpose Household Survey (EHPM) 2025 (PDF, in Spanish)2
These are national averages across all employers, including small firms and rural work; salaries for bilingual and specialised staff in San Salvador are usually higher.
What the employer adds
| Cost | Employer | Employee |
|---|---|---|
| ISSS health insurance, on salary up to $1,000 a month | 7.5% | 3% |
| AFP pension, on the whole salary | 8.75% | 7.25% |
| INCAF training levy, employers with ten or more staff | 1% of payroll | — |
| Aguinaldo (year-end bonus) | 15, 19 or 21 days of salary, by years of service | — |
| Paid holiday | 15 days a year plus 30% | — |
Source: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: El Salvador, other taxes; Decree 893 of 2023: Law of the Training Institute INCAF, Art. 19 (ILO NATLEX, PDF, in Spanish); Legislative Assembly: Labour Code (PDF, in Spanish)5,6,4
INVEST puts these costs at 22.67% of gross salary, or up to 31% with provisions for resignation and dismissal pay.3
The January payment (Quincena 25)
- A law approved in January 2026 provides for an extra payment of 50% of the monthly salary, made between 15 and 25 January, for employees earning up to $1,500.
- It carries no income tax, ISSS or AFP contributions.
- Private employers could pay it voluntarily in 2026, with a full credit against their income tax; it is compulsory from January 2027.
Source: Deloitte: scope of the Special Quincena 25 Law; Consortium Legal: Special Law Quincena 25 in El Salvador, January 20267,8
Sources
- Executive Decree No. 11 of 2025: minimum wages from 1 June 2025 (Judicial Documentation Centre, PDF, in Spanish)
- Central Reserve Bank: Multipurpose Household Survey (EHPM) 2025 (PDF, in Spanish)
- INVEST: Investor Guide El Salvador, 2025 edition (PDF, in Spanish)
- Legislative Assembly: Labour Code (PDF, in Spanish)
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: El Salvador, other taxes
- Decree 893 of 2023: Law of the Training Institute INCAF, Art. 19 (ILO NATLEX, PDF, in Spanish)
- Deloitte: scope of the Special Quincena 25 Law (in Spanish)
- Consortium Legal: Special Law Quincena 25 in El Salvador, January 2026
Figures checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.