Average Salary
No matter which part of the world you are from, there are many reasons why a person should know about the average salary of their country. The same is the case for the residents of South Africa, especially those who are about to enter their careers.
One of the main reasons behind knowing the average salary in South Africa is that it prepares the person for what to expect when they are about to embark on the journey of looking for a job. Therefore, no matter what the profession is, it is important to know beforehand how much it can offer per month and annum.
The article below covers every aspect of the average salary in South Africa. You will find the average salary of different professions along with detailed information about the comparison of South African salaries to other countries. So, without any more delay, let’s talk about the salaries in the country.
What is the Average Salary in South Africa Right Now?
When we talk about an average salary, it highly depends upon the field and job of the person. If a person is working as a healthcare worker, their earning will be lower than those who are a part of the IT industry in South Africa.
However, if we have to make an average of the salaries of different employees in South Africa, then the range is ZAR26,000 to ZAR31,000. This is the average salary per month. If we convert it to an annual scale, then the salary range is ZAR312,000 to ZAR372,000 per annum.
As mentioned above, the average salary depends upon various factors. The job type, ranking, work experience, and level of education of the employee are a few factors that play a role in how much a person earns per month in South Africa.
Comparison Between Average Salary in USA and UK to South Africa
The average salary of a worker in the USA is $1100 per week, which makes an average of $4400 to $4500 per month. In South African currency, this amount converts to ZAR 20324.76 per week and ZAR 81299 to ZAR 83146 per month.
On the other hand, the average salary of a worker in the UK is £1800 to £4500 per month, depending upon the location, education level, job type, and the age of the person. In South African currency, this amount equals to ZAR 42529 to ZAR 106324.
The USA’s average monthly income is approximately 1600% to 1700% higher than that of South Africa. If we compare the monthly income of the UK with South Africa, the monthly average income of UK workers is 850% to 2100% higher than that of South African workers.
Salary of Cyril Ramaphosa
Being the President of South Africa, many assume that Cyril Ramaphosa must have a high monthly salary. This is not a lie as the monthly salary of Cyril is approximately $4 million. It will be increased to $4.6 million in the upcoming years.
If we convert it into South African currency, the monthly income of the President is ZAR 73908200. This makes his annual income ZAR 886898400. The net worth of Cyril Ramaphosa is over $500 million which is ZAR 9,238,525,000.
Minimum Wage in South Africa
At the beginning of 2023, the minimum wage in South Africa was ZAR 23.19 per hour. However, from the 1st of March, the Department of Labour increased the minimum wage by 9.6%. This made the new minimum wage in South Africa is ZAR 25.42 per hour.
So, if a person works for 8 hours per day, then their earnings will be ZAR 203.36 per day and ZAR 4405.79 per month. Those who work for 9 hours will earn ZAR 228.78 per day and ZAR 4956.52 per month.
This includes farm workers as well as domestic workers. No worker in the country can be paid less than this minimum amount. Those who do pay their employees less than the government-set minimum wage will be punished by lodging a complaint in the Department of Labour.
However, there is one category of workers that are exempted from this minimum wage i.e., EPWP. The minimum wage of EPWP is ZAR 13.97 per hour.
Salaries of Popular South African Professions & Skills
The average salaries of different professions in South Africa depend upon a few factors. The person’s education level, their rank in the job, as well as their previous work experience affect their average salary per month. The chart below lists the average salary of different professions in South Africa.
| Serial Number | Profession | Average Monthly Salary (ZAR) |
| 1. | Teacher Salary | ZAR 22593 |
| 2. | Mechanical Engineering Salary | ZAR 29375 |
| 3. | Software Engineer & Developer Salary | ZAR 52 375 |
| 4. | Nurse Salary (Govt & Private) | ZAR 33,428 (Govt) & ZAR 49,011 (Private) |
| 5. | Cyber Security Salary | ZAR 77 083 |
| 6. | Civil Engineering Salary | ZAR 54 167 |
| 7. | Actuarial Science Salary | ZAR 44,100 |
| 8. | Flight Attendant Salary | ZAR 16 500 |
| 9. | Chartered Accountant Salary | ZAR 52 875 |
| 10. | Department of Labour Salary Schedule Form UIF | ZAR 26387 (Call Centre Representative) & ZAR 82306 (Director) |
| 11. | Nehawu Salary Increase 2022/23 Update | 7 to 7.5 percent |
| 12. | Lawyer Salary | ZAR 57,500 |
| 13. | Electrical Engineering Salary | ZAR 40,000 |
| 14. | Data Scientist Salary | ZAR 76,000 |
| 15. | Boilermaker Salary | ZAR 20,000 |
| 16. | Medical Doctor Salary | ZAR 60,001 |
| 17. | Pilot Salary | ZAR 20,000 |
| 18. | Pharmacist Salary | ZAR 45,000 |
| 19. | Business Analyst Salary | ZAR 57,293 |
| 20. | Neurosurgeon Salary | ZAR 108,759 |
| 21. | Architecture Salary | ZAR 100,000 |
| 22. | Chemical Engineering Salary | ZAR 45,000 |
| 23. | Radiographer Salary | ZAR 40,000 |
| 24. | Social Worker Salary | ZAR 19,477 |
| 25. | Physiotherapist Salary | ZAR 57,400 |
| 26. | Psychologist Salary | ZAR 60,000 |
| 27. | Project Manager & Assistant Salary | ZAR 50,000 (Project Manager) & ZAR 22,769 (Assistant) |
| 28. | Occupational Therapist Salary | ZAR 32,292 |
| 29. | Traffic Cop Salary | ZAR 27,315 |
| 30. | Geologist Salary | ZAR 45,000 |
| 31. | Dentist Salary | ZAR 35,000 |
| 32. | Biomedical Engineering Salary | ZAR 37,500 |
| 33. | Takealot Driver Salary | ZAR 10,750 |
| 34. | Computer Science Salary | ZAR 25,001 |
| 35. | Police (SAPS) Salary | ZAR 186,483 |
| 36. | Fitter And Turner Salary | ZAR 25,833 |
| 37. | Anesthesiologists Salary | ZAR 16,500 |
| 38. | Correctional Services Salary | ZAR 350,000 |
| 39. | Cardiologist Salary | ZAR 206149 |
| 40. | Petrol Attendant Salary | ZAR 15,500 |
| 41. | HR Manager Salary | ZAR 40,000 |
| 42. | Real Estate Agent Salary | ZAR 36,000 |
| 43. | Quantity Surveyor Salary | ZAR 30,000 |
| 44. | Biokineticist Salary | ZAR 48,250 |
| 45. | Safety Officer Salary | ZAR 23,929 |
| 46. | Assistant Teacher Salary | ZAR 16,800 |
| 47. | Graphic Designer Salary | ZAR 17,500 |
| 48. | Educare Employees Salary | ZAR 5281 |
| 49. | Somatology Salary | ZAR 18,000 |
| 50. | Financial Advisor, Manager & Economist Salary | ZAR 20,000, ZAR 40,000 & ZAR 222,000 |
| 51. | Eskom Ceo Salary | ZAR 586,666 |
| 52. | Public Management Salary | ZAR 190,000 |
| 53. | Health Promotion Officer Salary | ZAR 118,826 |
| 54. | Operations Manager Salary | ZAR 46,804 |
| 55. | SA Army Salary During Training | ZAR 12,397 |
| 56. | Audiologist Salary | ZAR 31,250 |
| 57. | Gynecologist Salary | ZAR 16,250 |
| 58. | Mining Engineering Salary | ZAR 37,500 |
| 59. | Domestic Workers Salary | ZAR 14,300 |
| 60. | Artisan Salary | ZAR 29,697 |
| 61. | Optometrist Salary | ZAR 27,500 |
| 62. | Dermatologist Salary | ZAR 187,830 |
| 63. | Marine Biologist Salary | ZAR 13,540 |
| 64. | Phlebotomist Salary | ZAR 27,500 |
| 65. | Firefighter Salary | ZAR 102,534 |
| 66. | Investment Banker Salary | ZAR 24,500 |
| 67. | Supply Chain Management Salary | ZAR 173,703 |
| 68. | Pediatrician Salary | ZAR 15,000 |
| 69. | Digital Marketing Manager Salary | ZAR 40,000 |
| 70. | Fashion Designer Salary | ZAR 15,000 |
| 71. | Chilton Elderly Care Salary | ZAR 18,000 |
| 72. | She Rep Salary | ZAR 35,001 |
| 73. | Surgeon Salary | ZAR 49,126 |
| 74. | IT Specialist Salary | ZAR 60,001 |
What’s a good salary in South Africa?
A good salary range in South Africa is ZAR 35000 to ZAR 50000 per month. It allows the individual to live comfortably in the country and pay for all of their expenses without any worries.
What is the average income to live comfortably in South Africa?
In order to live comfortably in South Africa, a person should earn ZAR 40,000. However, it has been claimed by experts that a person should make ZAR 45,000 to pay for all of their expenses.
What is the middle-class salary in South Africa?
The middle-class salary in South Africa starts from ZAR 20,000 to ZAR 25,000. An amount of monthly salary higher than ZAR 25,000 is considered decent.
The first concern of every person in South Africa who is about to start working revolves around the salary. Knowing the average salary in the country is one of the many methods that can help in tackling this concern as it will prepare you on what to expect. I hope the information shared in the article above helps you out in this journey!
