Systems developers and data analysts are at the top of the salary pyramid, with growth of 91% in 11 years, while arts and music teachers face a reduction of up to 45% in their salaries. These are some of the shocking findings of a recent survey carried out by researcher Janaína Feijó, from the Brazilian Institute of Economics at Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV/Ibre).
The research reveals an alarming disparity between the salaries of technology professionals and educators in Brazil. While website and multimedia developers enjoy a monthly average of R$6,075, with an impressive 91% growth adjusted for inflation over 11 years, arts, music teachers and other education professionals face a salary reduction ranging from 23% to 45%.
The pandemic triggered an acceleration in technological transformations, creating a growing demand for professionals with knowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). This trend aligns the Brazilian job market with developed and developing countries, where IT occupations continue to be among the best paid.
Janaína Feijó emphasizes that the shortage of professionals with knowledge in STEM and the rapid adoption of new technologies by society will continue to keep salaries for these professions at the top. She notes that repetitive and operational activities tend to be replaced by intelligent machines and solutions, creating a growing demand for professionals to develop and work in these areas.
Highest Paid Professions:
- Specialist doctors: R$ 18,475 (-13%)
- Mathematicians, actuaries and statisticians: R$ 16,568 (50%)
- General doctors: R$ 11,022 (-37%)
- Geologists and geophysicists: R$ 10,011 (-20%)
- Mechanical engineers: R$9,881 (-7%)
- Engineers not previously classified: R$9,451 (-11%)
- Program and application developers: R$9,210 (39%)
- Industrial and production engineers: R$8,849 (-22%)
- Economists: R$8,645 (-39%)
- Electrical engineers: R$8,433 (-22%)
Professions with Worst Pay:
- Pre-school teachers: R$2,285 (3%)
- Other teaching professionals: R$2,554 (-23%)
- Other art teachers: R$2,629 (-45%)
- Physicists and astronomers: R$3,000 (-16%)
- Social workers: R$3,078 (-7%)
- Librarians, documentary filmmakers and similar: R$ 3,135 (-32%)
- Special needs educators: R$3,379 (14%)
- Public relations professionals: R$ 3,426 (-23%)
- Speech therapists and speech therapists: R$ 3,485 (-28%)
- Elementary school teachers: R$3,554 (7%)
Therefore, the growing demand for IT talent is notable, which reinforces the need for investment in education and training in STEM areas to guarantee a competitive future in the Brazilian job market.
