A cabinet minister in Chile earns between 8.24 million and 9.11 million Chilean pesos gross a month in 2026, depending on the ministry. The Finance Ministry's pay table on its transparency portal sets a salary of 9,110,534 pesos a month for the post of minister, plus an additional component of 261,098 pesos, for a total monthly gross of 9,371,632 pesos. That figure is for the top tier: the ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Defense, Finance and the General Secretariat of the Presidency (Segpres).
Ministers' salaries are no longer set by each government: they are defined by the Commission for Setting Remunerations, an autonomous body created in 2020. Here is how much a minister earns in Chile, why there are two tiers and how pay compares with the president, members of Congress and other officials.
How much does a minister earn in Chile in 2026
In September 2024, the Commission set the salaries that apply since the start of the current government, on March 11, 2026, according to The Clinic. The amounts were set in 2024 pesos and then adjusted; the table shows both figures:
| Position | Amount set (2024 pesos) | Amount in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Defense, Finance and Segpres | 8,451,330 | 9,110,534 (Finance Ministry table) |
| Other cabinet ministers | 7,642,942 | 8,239,091 (calculated with the same adjustment) |
| President of the Republic | 10,269,076 | 11,070,064 |
The 8,239,091 figure for other ministers is our own calculation: it applies to the 7,642,942 pesos of 2024 the same adjustment (7.8%) that took top-tier ministers from 8,451,330 to 9,110,534. It exactly matches the salary a member of the Chamber of Deputies receives today, which is consistent with the Constitution: Article 62 says deputies and senators receive pay equivalent to that of a cabinet minister. Details in how much a member of Congress earns in Chile.
What a minister's salary includes
A minister's pay is a "single, total gross remuneration": it does not add seniority allowances or performance bonuses like other civil servants. The Finance Ministry's transparency table breaks the post down as follows (figures in Chilean pesos):
| Position (grade) | Pay under Art. 38 bis of the Constitution | Other components | Total monthly gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minister (grade B) | 9,110,534 | 261,098 | 9,371,632 |
| Undersecretary (grade C) | 8,074,309 | 251,171 | 8,325,480 |
| Regional ministerial secretary | 4,554,112 | — | 4,554,112 |
The additional 261,098 pesos appear in the Finance Ministry table under legal allowance columns, without a breakdown by item in the public view. Pension contributions, health contributions and income tax, which reaches its top brackets at this level, are deducted from gross pay, so take-home pay is considerably lower.
Why not all ministers earn the same
The Commission singled out five ministries it considers of greater political responsibility and gave them the same salary as the presidents and vice presidents of the Senate and the Chamber. The rest of the ministers received the amount equivalent to a member of Congress. Before that decision, an undersecretary could earn about 10% more than their minister, a distortion the Commission sought to correct, according to The Clinic. Overall, the change meant a 4.5% cut in the total pay cost of that group of posts.
One difference between sources is worth explaining. A Commission report with data as of June 2025, cited by BioBioChile, showed that the 25 ministers at the time averaged 9,103,332 pesos that month. That figure reflects the previous scheme and a single month, so it is not directly comparable with the 2026 scale.
How much does a minister earn in Chile compared with other officials
| Position | Reference gross monthly pay (pesos) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| President of the Republic | 11,070,064 | Commission for Setting Remunerations |
| Minister (top tier) | 9,110,534 | Finance Ministry, transparency 2026 |
| Minister (other ministries) | 8,239,091 | Own calculation with the scale adjustment |
| Undersecretary | 8,074,309 | Finance Ministry, transparency 2026 |
| Deputy or senator | 8,239,091 | Parliamentary salary |
| Regional ministerial secretary | 4,554,112 | Finance Ministry, transparency 2026 |
| Central Bank board member | Up to about 21 million | Decree 700, via The Clinic |
Central Bank board salaries are not set by the same Commission: in September a decree signed by President Kast and Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz raised them by 14.4%, according to The Clinic. More comparisons in how much the president of Chile earns and how much a senator earns in Chile.
How much does a minister earn in Chile per year
Multiplying monthly amounts by twelve gives these reference annual gross salaries (our calculation, excluding bonuses and other components):
| Position | Monthly gross (pesos) | Annual gross (× 12) |
|---|---|---|
| President of the Republic | 11,070,064 | 132,840,768 |
| Minister of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Defense, Finance or Segpres | 9,110,534 | 109,326,408 |
| Other ministers | 8,239,091 | 98,869,092 |
| Undersecretary | 8,074,309 | 96,891,708 |
Can the government cut a minister's salary
Not on its own. In March 2026, President Kast announced he wanted to lower his own salary, but pay is set by the Commission, and changing it any other way would require a law, according to The Clinic. The alternative considered was donating part of the salary. The current scale applies for four years, until the end of the presidential term.
For comparison with other workers: a top-tier minister's gross salary is about 16 times Chile's minimum wage of 553,553 pesos.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a minister earn in Chile in 2026?
Between 8,239,091 and 9,110,534 pesos gross a month. The top tier is for Interior, Foreign Affairs, Defense, Finance and Segpres; the Finance Ministry table adds 261,098 pesos, for a total of 9,371,632.
Who sets ministers' salaries?
The Commission for Setting Remunerations, an autonomous body created in 2020. Its 2024 resolution applies from March 11, 2026.
Does a minister earn more than a deputy?
A second-tier minister earns the same as a deputy or senator. The five top-tier ministers earn more.
How much does an undersecretary earn?
8,074,309 pesos a month in main pay, 8,325,480 with other components, according to the Finance Ministry.
Is a minister's salary gross or net?
The figures are gross. Pension, health and income tax are deducted, so take-home pay is considerably lower.
