Fitter and Turner Salary in South African Rands

The average fitter and turner salary in South Africa is around R9 410 per month, which is R57 hourly. It is a highly technical field with excellent scope to grow and improve. If you are interested in getting started as a fitter professional and want to know about their financial position, give this guide a quick read.

The fitter and turner salary in South Africa depends on several things, including the funds, the city in which they are based, current percentile, job vacancies, etc. Here is a complete breakdown of how these professionals get paid in the country.

Salary Range

The salary range for fitter and turner professionals in South Africa starts from R4 330 and goes up to R15 000 per month. On an hourly basis, this salary is approximately R54, which is the usual price for technical professionals. However, it is not a legally mandated salary and can go above and below based on your skills, education, gender, and the city you are based in.

Percentile

According to the official date, the median salary for fitter and turner professionals is around R8 990, which means half of the workforce is earning this amount. In contrast, the 25th percentile (25% of the workforce) earning is around R7 250 whereas the 75th percentile (75%) earning is anywhere near R10 400.

Fringe Benefits

Professionals enjoy fringe benefits in this field but are not always included in your salary package. The fringe benefits like housing, transport, and medical insurance depend on the agency you are working in, and it primarily comes down to your skills, expertise, and location.

Comparison with America

An average fitter and turner professional in America earns between $32,881 and $47,280 on a yearly basis. According to the stats, the median salary for these employees is anywhere around $37,647. Comparing it with those in SA, it is a much higher value, needless to say, it is understandable given the average hourly wage difference between the two countries.

Professional Responsibilities of a Fitter and Turner

A fitter and turner professional is a technician who provides his/ her services in the construction, manufacturing, and industrial setups. They are primarily responsible for the repairing, working, and maintenance of machine components. Following are some professional duties they perform in the field.

• Studying drawings and blueprints to read the sequential operations of machines
• Assembling machine parts together
• Cutting, bending, threading, and installing hydraulic pipes
• Diagnosing faults and repairing the machine components
• Maintaining the machine’s operational accuracy

Factors that Influence Fitter and Turner’s Salary in South Africa

There are numerous factors that influence your salary in the fitting and turning profession, including qualification, certification, level of expertise, gender, city station, and more. Let us discuss some of these features, so you can decide whether entering this field is worth it.

Qualification/ Education

Like any other profession, your educational background and academic qualifications matter a lot when it comes to fitting and turning. There is a large pay difference between professionals having different degrees. So, let us discuss this salary variance.

• High-School Certificate

Employees with a high-school certification from South Africa earn anywhere around R5 600 per month.

• Certificate/ Diploma

The second-level employees are those with a special diploma. They have an average pay of R8 790 per month, which is 57% more than those in Level One.

• Bachelor’s Degree

Lastly, professionals with undergraduate or BS degrees are expected to earn around R14 700 per month, which is 68% more than those in the second level.

Education Level	Salary Range
High-School Certificate	R5 600
Certification/ Diploma	R8 790
Bachelor’s Degree/ Undergraduate	R14 700

Level of Experience

Your skill set and level of expertise can also make a huge difference in deciding your final monthly salary as a fitter and turner. It is natural that professionals with ten years of experience will earn more than less, and vice versa. So, let us discuss what is the salary variance in this profession based on level of experience.

• Less than 2 Years of Experience

In this field, employees with almost two or less years of experience get paid up to R4 910 per month.

• 2-5 Years of Experience

For employees with two to five years of experience in fitting and turning, the average salary is around R6 560, which is almost 34% more than the previous category.

• 5-10 Years of Experience

Moving further, employees with around five to ten years of experience earn around R9 690, which is 48% more than those in the previous level.

• 10-15 Years of Experience

Moreover, professionals with an experience of fifteen to twenty years of expertise in fitting and turning get paid up to R11 800, which is around 22% more than their counterparts in the previous category.

• 15-20 Years of Experience

The expected wage of fitter and turner professionals with fifteen to twenty years of experience is anywhere around R12 900, which is 9% more than the previous category.

• More than 20 Years of Experience

Finally, employees with twenty or more years of expertise earn a salary of R 13 900, which is 8% more than those in the previous level.

Level of Experience	Estimated Salary (Per Month)
Less than 2 Years	R4 910
2-5 Years	R6 560
5-10 Years	R9 690
10-15 Years	R11 800
15-20 Years	R12 900
More than 20 Years	R13 900

Public Vs. Private Sector

Are fitter and turner professionals in the private sector paid more than the public sector in South Africa? Well, this is the most asked question by those planning to pursue this profession. The answer to this question is no, public sector professionals have more average income in this profession, and let us discuss how.

Public Sector	R32 400	7% more
Private Sector	R30 400

Gender

Like any other profession, gender plays an important role in determining the monthly salary of a fitter and turner professional. It is a male-dominated field and has more men recruited than women in South Africa. Here is the breakdown of how males and females are paid as fitter and turner professionals.

Male	R9 930	11% more
Female	R8 880

City of Allocation

The city where you are based can also play a vital role in deciding the salary. This is because some cities have a high living cost while others do not. Hence, here is a breakdown of how fitter and turner professionals are paid on the basis of cities in South Africa.

City Station	Average Salary (Per Month)
Bloemfontein	R8 760
Cape Town	R10 700
Durban	R9 840
Johannesburg	R9 140
Port Elizabeth	R8 580
Pretoria	R9 570

With more industries emerging in South Africa, more and more people are getting interested in getting jobs as fitter and turner professionals. It is a highly technical field, which means a massive scope for growth and learning, and eventually more financial benefits. I hope this guide has been helpful to anyone planning to enter this profession.