Physiotherapist Salary in South African Rands

Physiotherapists are responsible for helping people affected by injuries and disabilities through physical therapy. An average physiotherapist in South Africa earns anywhere around R51 700 per month. Here is a complete guide on the average physiotherapist salary in South Africa for anyone interested to enter this field.

Physiotherapist Salary in South Africa

The average salary of a physiotherapist starts earning from R29 600 and goes up to R87 000. However, this amount may go up on the basis of your gender, location, and expertise. In comparison, the average salary of a US physiotherapist goes up to $46.32 per hour, which makes anywhere around $71,906 per month.

It is definitely higher than the salary of those based in SA. However, it is justified given the economic differences between the two countries. If we consider the 25th percentile of the average salary, it is around $80,000, which is only R49 200 for South African professionals.

Bonus and Incentives

But the question is, how much and how often do you get bonuses in the field of physiotherapy across the country? The good thing is that it is enough. According to the latest stats, around 79% of the registered staff enjoys increments, which are usually 6-8% of the original salary.

Professional Responsibilities of a Physiotherapist

Physiotherapy is using physical exercise, movement, and manual therapy to help people affected by severe injuries, illness, and disability. The professionals in this field are responsible for diagnosing, evaluating, managing, and treating a range of conditions caused by chronic physical diseases.

Factors that Influence Physiotherapist Salary in South Africa

Your monthly salary as a physiotherapist is highly influenced by your gender, skills, experience, and location. So, if you are interested in entering this field, do note these things to make sure you have a clear idea beforehand. Following are some important factors that can determine your salary as a physiotherapist.

Level of Experience

The thing that most significantly influences your monthly pay as a physiotherapist is your age and level of experience. There is a considerable difference in percentage after every five-year increase. Here is a breakdown of how your age and expertise can play their part in determining your salary.

Level of Experience	Salary (Per Month)	Increase (Percentage)
0-2 years of experience	R33 600	0%
2-5 years of experience	R45 100	34%
5-10 years of experience	R58 600	30%
10-15 years of experience	R70 900	21%
15-20 years of experience	R77 500	9%
Over 20 years of experience	R81 600	5%

Education

The next thing that is considered while deciding on a physiotherapist is your level of education, given that surgery is a highly technical field. Here, it is divided into three levels, candidates with a Bachelor’s degree, candidates with a Master’s degree, and candidates with Ph.D. And here is a list of how physiotherapists are paid across these three levels.

Level of Education/ Qualification	Salary Per Month	Increase (Percentage)
Bachelor’s Degree	R43 400	0%
Masters Degree	R53 700	24%
PhD	R85 900	60%

City of Employment

Your duty station and hospital facility are yet another determining factor of how you get paid as a physiotherapist in the country. The majority of metro cities have a greater number of physiotherapists, which obviously means they get paid more. Here is an average salary of a physiotherapist across the different cities of South Africa.

City	Salary (Per Month)
Pretoria, Gauteng	R57 900
Durban, KwaZulu Natal	R59 500
Johannesburg, Gauteng	R58 200
Cape Town, Western Cape	R67 700
Bloemfontein	R53 000
Port Elizabeth	R57 400

Gender

Lastly, gender can also impact your monthly salary as a physiotherapist. This is partly because women are most likely to not reach the stage of surgery as medical professionals. Following is the difference in payment between male surgeons and their female counterparts.

Male Physiotherapist	R59 400
Female Physiotherapist	R55 100

Physiotherapy has definitely grown as a profession across South Africa, and this is all thanks to the inclusion of this department in public sector hospitals. It is equally reputable in financial terms. I hope, after reading this guide, you have a clear idea of whether to enter this field or not.