Artisan Salary in South African Rands
An average artisan working in a factory setup in South Africa earns around R17 600 monthly, making it R108 per hour. It is a highly demanding and financially beneficial profession for anyone who is interested in painting, pottery, housework, sculpting, jewelry making, metalwork, and much more.
Similarly, South Africa is famous for its massive craft factory setup that produces and sells crafted equipment nationwide. Following is a detailed breakdown of the artisan salary in South Africa based on median salary, percentiles, and fringe benefits. So, keep on reading to know more.
Artisian’s Salary Range
An artisan based in South Africa earns from R1 63 740 to R3 45 600 yearly, from minimum to maximum. Every month, an average artisan earns around R17 600, which makes it an hourly rate of R108. That said, this value is not official and legally mandated and is reserved for changes based on your experience, gender, placement company, and skill set.
Median Salary
Median salary is the medium value of the monthly salary on the salary chart and can be described as the amount half the professional workforce earns over a month. When we talk about artisan and manufacturing laborers, their median salary is around R23 500, which is comparatively lower than other related fields, given the low hourly wage.
Percentile
Moreover, the extreme values of monthly pay on a salary chart denote the 25th and 75th percentile. According to the updated salary chart, 25% of the workforce earns around R13 645 and 75% of the workforce earns around R28 800 on a monthly basis. In the best-case scenario, you need to earn higher than the median salary, which in this case is around R24 000.
Fringe Benefits
Fringe benefits can be defined as the perks and privileges that are provided to employees apart from their salary amount. These include everything from housing allowance, rent allowance, medical waiver, and bonuses. The good thing about the manufacturing industry is that all the companies offer these fringe benefits to their employees and artisans.
Bonuses and Incentives
Do you get bonuses as an artisan working in South Africa? Yes, according to the recorded data, 69% of the surveyed staff enjoy bonuses and incentives on a monthly basis. These incentives are divided into two types and generally make up to 0-4% of your original monthly salary.
Individual Performance Bonuses
The standard bonuses are individual-based performance bonuses that are individually added to each employee’s monthly salary.
Company Performance Bonuses
Some companies in South Africa, like Escom and Glass Studio, have a bonus-based culture. They like to celebrate the profits and yearly earnings by distributing their share with the employees. Usually, the amount of these incentives is largely determined by the yearly profit of that specific company.
Other Incentives
Other incentives include goal-based and holiday incentives. These bonuses are usually given on team performance, completion of milestones, and as an appreciation token.
Comparison with America
In comparison, the artisans based in the USA earn anywhere between $29,000 and $82,000 every year, making approximately $14-$37 per hour. The median salary of these artisans based in America is $33,529, which is higher than those in SA, given its high hourly wage and massive factory setup.
Professional Responsibilities of an Artisan
An artisan is a person who works with their hands to create functional and decorative items. Most artisans in the modern day and age work in a factory setup to produce crafted toys, furnishings, tools, and clothes. Following are some professional duties of an artisan working in South Africa.
- Implementing artisanal techniques to produce crafted materials
- Working in factories to complete bulk orders
- Performing metal work, painting, sculpting, pottery, and weaving to produce decorative items
- Producing and selling jewelry pieces
- Supervising craft projects with other artisans
Factors that Influence Artisan Salary in South Africa
Several factors play their part in determining your salary as an artisan in South Africa, from your educational qualification to expertise, age, skill set, and the company you are placed in. So, let us discuss each factor in detail and check how they influence your monthly salary.
Qualification/ Education
Though you are not required to complete a formal university education, it is still preferable that you either have a high-school certificate or a special artisan diploma before entering the field. According to the recorded salary data, employees with a specialized diploma have a 24% increase in the salary package. However, it is a generalized criterion, and your experience as an artisan can help you overcome the educational barrier in most cases.
Level of Experience
Your level of experience and age is regarded as a high priority when deciding your salary as an artisan in South Africa. There is no doubt that people with twenty years of experience earn more than those with ten or fewer years of expertise. According to the official salary chart, the following is the noted salary variance on the basis of experience.
- 2-5 years of experience earns 32% more than employees with two years of experience
- 5-10 years of experience earn 36% more than those with less than five years of experience.
- Professionals who have hit the 15-year mark earn 21% more than those with less than 15 years of experience.
- Artisans with over twenty years of experience earn 14% more than those in the previous category.
Factory Setup
Another factor that is seriously counted in deciding your salary as an artisan is where you are going to be placed. For instance, some popular and established companies like Ersom, Made by Artisan, Wriggly Tin Farm, and Glass Studio pay their employees much more than start-ups. Hence, the only wise way out is to start from low and make it big, so don’t rush and focus more on getting the skills at the start of your career, and you can always excel later on.
Gender
Gender is yet another factor that affects your salary as an artisan working in a factory. This profession is highly dominated by male employees, which is evident through the 8% more factory hiring. According to the data collected by the Department of Commerce, the average salary for males is around R2 75,000 per year, whereas women earn around R2 46,000 on a yearly basis.
What is the average salary of an artisan in the USA?
On average, an artisan based in the USA earns anywhere between $69,000 and $82,000 on a yearly basis.
What is the average hourly salary of an artisan in America and South Africa?
The average hourly rate for artisans based in America is anywhere between $14 and $37. On the contrary, an average artisan working in South Africa has an expected salary of R108.
Do men or women artisans get paid more in South Africa?
No, the artisan industry is highly dominated by men, which means women in this profession are not paid equally. According to the recorded data, female artisans are paid 7% less than their male counterparts. Here, the estimated pay for men entering this profession is around R32 800 per month.
Do you need a degree to become an artisan in South Africa?
Though you do not require a professional university degree to become an artisan in South Africa, do consider that it is a skill-based job. Hence, if you are planning to enter this field, a high school certificate with a professional artisan diploma can easily guarantee you a good salary package.
What is the average salary of an artisan in South Africa and America?
On average, an artisan working in South Africa earns around R17 600 monthly, whereas their American counterparts have an estimated salary of $3,291.
What is the highest and lowest salary of an artisan in South Africa?
The highest and lowest salary for an artisan based in South Africa is anywhere around R28 800 and R13 645 per month, respectively.
What is the median salary of an artisan in South Africa?
The medium level or medium salary for artisans working in South Africa is R17 600 every month.
Artisans are highly respected worldwide because of their skill set, and South Africa is not alone. Its massive craft industry and high demand for hand-made decorative items make it attractive for people aspiring to enter this field. I hope this guide has helped you in understanding the future risks and benefits of entering this profession.
