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Minimum wage calculator (El Salvador)

Look up the minimum wage in force in El Salvador by sector (Executive Decree No. 11 of 2025): monthly, biweekly, weekly, daily, and hourly, and compare your salary with the minimum.

The economic sector of your activity under Executive Decree No. 11 (2025).

Enter your monthly salary to compare it with the sector minimum. Leave it empty if you only want to see the rates.

Monthly minimum wage

$408.80

Calculation breakdown

Biweekly minimum wage
$204.40
Weekly minimum wage
$94.34
Daily minimum wage
$13.44
Hourly minimum wage
$1.68

Calculation assumptions

  • The rates come from Executive Decree No. 11 (2025), as amended by Executive Decree No. 12 (2025), in force since June 1, 2025. No later decree exists; the next mandatory review is reported for 2028.
  • The monthly wage is a fixed amount regardless of the days in the month (28, 30, or 31).
  • The daily wage is derived as monthly × 12 ÷ 365 and the hourly wage as daily ÷ 8 (the 8-hour ordinary day shift, art. 161 of the Labor Code), rounded to 3 decimals. This derivation exactly reproduces the daily and hourly rates the decree itself publishes.
  • The biweekly wage is monthly ÷ 2 and the weekly wage is monthly × 12 ÷ 52, because a month does not contain a whole number of weeks.
  • The amounts are gross: ISSS, AFP, and ISR deductions apply afterwards.
  • The comparison uses the monthly minimum wage of the selected sector; one cent below already reports below the minimum.
  • The biweekly and weekly amounts are rounded to 2 decimal places (half up); the daily and hourly rates are shown with the 3 decimals of the decree.

What this calculator does

This calculator shows the minimum wage in force in El Salvador by economic sector, using the Executive Decree No. 11 (2025) rates in force since June 1, 2025: monthly, biweekly, weekly, daily, and hourly.

If you enter your monthly salary, it also compares it with the sector minimum and tells you clearly whether you are above, below, or exactly at the minimum, and by how much.

Who it is for

  • Workers who want to verify that their salary meets the legal minimum for their sector.
  • Employers setting salaries who need the official rates per pay period.
  • People comparing job offers across sectors.
  • Anyone looking for the official daily or hourly rate, not an approximation.

What information you need

  • The economic sector of your activity: commerce and services / industry, textile and apparel maquila, coffee processing plants, or the agricultural sector.
  • Optionally, your current monthly salary for the comparison.
  • The decree rates are already configured; you do not need to enter them.

How it is calculated

The monthly minimum wage comes straight from Executive Decree No. 11 (2025): $408.80 for commerce and services / industry, $402.32 for maquila, $305.23 for coffee processing plants, and $272.53 for the agricultural sector.

The biweekly wage is the monthly wage ÷ 2. The weekly wage is the monthly wage × 12 ÷ 52, because a month does not contain a whole number of weeks.

The daily wage is derived as monthly × 12 ÷ 365 and the hourly wage as daily ÷ 8 (the 8-hour ordinary day shift, art. 161 of the Labor Code). This derivation exactly reproduces the daily and hourly rates the decree itself publishes: $13.44 and $1.68 for commerce and services.

If you enter your salary, the difference is your salary − the sector monthly minimum, compared to the cent.

Formula

Biweekly
biweekly wage = monthly wage ÷ 2
Weekly
weekly wage = monthly wage × 12 ÷ 52
Daily (decree rate)
daily wage = monthly wage × 12 ÷ 365
Hourly (8-hour shift)
hourly wage = daily wage ÷ 8
Comparison with your salary
difference = your monthly salary − monthly minimum wage

Worked example

You work in the commerce and services sector and earn $450 per month.

  1. Sector monthly minimum: $408.80.
  2. Biweekly: $408.80 ÷ 2 = $204.40. Weekly: $408.80 × 12 ÷ 52 = $94.34.
  3. Daily: $408.80 × 12 ÷ 365 = $13.44. Hourly: $13.44 ÷ 8 = $1.68.
  4. Comparison: $450.00 − $408.80 = $41.20.

Your salary is $41.20 above the monthly minimum wage of your sector.

How to interpret the result

The minimum wage is a gross legal floor: no employer can pay less for the full ordinary shift, and ISSS, AFP, and ISR deductions apply afterwards.

If your salary shows below the minimum, your employer is breaking the law; you can file a complaint with the Ministry of Labor.

The monthly amount is fixed regardless of the days in the month; that is why the official daily rate is not the monthly wage ÷ 30.

These rates also define other legal amounts, such as the severance cap (4 × the daily minimum) and the ISR-exempt aguinaldo amount (2 × the commerce and services monthly minimum).

Common mistakes

  • Using the figures $402.26 (maquila) and $272.72 (agricultural) that circulated before the decree: they are superseded projections. The official rates are $402.32 and $272.53.
  • Calculating the daily rate as monthly ÷ 30: the official decree rate is monthly × 12 ÷ 365 ($13.44 for commerce, not $13.63).
  • Believing the monthly amount varies with the days of the month: it is a fixed amount (28, 30, or 31 days).
  • Comparing your net salary (after deductions) with the minimum: the minimum is gross.
  • Using the wrong sector: commerce and services and industry share a rate, but maquila, coffee processing, and the agricultural sector have their own.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum wage in force in El Salvador?

Since June 1, 2025: $408.80 per month for commerce and services and industry, $402.32 for textile and apparel maquila, $305.23 for coffee processing plants, and $272.53 for the agricultural sector (Executive Decree No. 11 of 2025, as amended by Executive Decree No. 12).

When does the minimum wage change again?

No decree later than the 2025 one exists. The Labor Code requires a review at least every 3 years, and the next mandatory review is reported for 2028, although the minimum wage council may convene earlier if conditions justify it.

How are the daily and hourly minimum wages calculated?

The decree publishes daily rates equal to monthly × 12 ÷ 365 and hourly rates equal to the daily rate ÷ 8 (ordinary day shift). For commerce and services: $13.44 per day and $1.68 per hour.

Is the minimum wage before or after deductions?

It is gross. Employee deductions (ISSS 3%, AFP 7.25%, and ISR withholding where applicable) apply on top of it. Use the net salary calculator to estimate your take-home pay.

What do I do if I am paid less than the minimum?

The minimum wage cannot be waived: paying less for the full ordinary shift breaks the law. You can file a complaint with the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.

Why do other sites show $402.26 or $272.72?

Those figures come from the pre-decree announcement (a 12% projection published before approval) and do not match the published decree. The official rates in force are $402.32 (maquila) and $272.53 (agricultural).

Sources

Last reviewed:
July 21, 2026
Calculation version:
1.0.0

Important notice

The results of these calculators are informative estimates and may differ from official calculations. They do not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Always verify with the competent institutions or a professional.

Related calculators

Severance calculator (El Salvador)

Calculate your severance for unjustified dismissal in El Salvador: 30 days of basic salary per year of service (art. 58), with the 4 daily minimum wage cap and the 15-day minimum.

Net salary calculator (El Salvador)

Calculate your monthly net salary in El Salvador: ISSS (3%) and AFP (7.25%) deductions plus ISR withholding per the current table, with a line-by-line breakdown.