Average Salary in South Africa 2026
Currency: ZAR · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in South Africa make?
Average Monthly Salary
29,357 ZAR
( 352,279 ZAR yearly )
~ 1,613 USD per month ( 19,356 USD yearly )
LOW
7,335 ZAR
403 USD
AVERAGE
29,357 ZAR
1,613 USD
HIGH
102,757 ZAR
5,646 USD
A person working in South Africa typically earns around 29,357 ZAR per month. Salaries range from 7,335 ZAR (lowest average) to 102,757 ZAR (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Distribution of Salaries in South Africa
Median and salary distribution monthly South Africa
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What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated.
The median (25,826 ZAR) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (29,357 ZAR) is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of workers, and can be skewed by extremely high or low salaries.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does a person's salary progress over time?
- 0–2 Years (Entry Level)176,140 ZAR
- 2–5 Years (Junior)228,974 ZAR
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)299,445 ZAR
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)352,279 ZAR
- 15+ Years (Senior)422,731 ZAR
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.
Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average +30% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.
Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average +31% more than those with five years or less of work experience.
As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by +18% and an additional +20% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.
“On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years experience mark.”
Salary Comparison By Education
How does the education level affect your salary?
- High School211,375 ZAR
- Certificate246,592 ZAR
- Associate281,827 ZAR
- Bachelor's352,279 ZAR
- Master's422,731 ZAR
- PhD493,184 ZAR
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High School → Certificate
+17%
Certificate → Bachelor's
+43%
Bachelor's → Master's
+20%
Master's → PhD
+17%
It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.
Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average +17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.
Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn +43% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.
Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are +20% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.
Finally, PhD holders earn +17% more than Master's Degree holders on average.
Salary Comparison By Gender
Salary comparison by gender monthly South Africa
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in South Africa earn 13% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in South Africa
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
8%
Average Raise
19 months
Review Frequency
9%
Annualized Increase
Employees in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 8% every 19 months.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in South Africa is 9%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in South Africa
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
60%
Received Bonus
40%
No Bonus
60% of surveyed staff in South Africa reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
6%
of annual salary
Types of Bonuses Considered:
• Individual Performance-Based Bonuses
• Company Performance Bonuses
• Goal-Based Bonuses
• Holiday / End of Year Bonuses
Top 5 Highest Paying Industries
Annual average salaries
- Legal475,584 ZAR
- Aviation457,967 ZAR
- Information Technology457,967 ZAR
- Banking440,349 ZAR
- Pharmaceuticals440,349 ZAR
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 880,698 ZAR | 73,401 ZAR |
| Pilot | 704,558 ZAR | 58,713 ZAR |
| Software Developer | 634,106 ZAR | 52,835 ZAR |
| Data Scientist | 598,871 ZAR | 49,904 ZAR |
| Financial Manager | 563,654 ZAR | 46,974 ZAR |
| Database Administrator | 528,419 ZAR | 44,044 ZAR |
| Engineer | 493,184 ZAR | 41,096 ZAR |
| Marketing Manager | 457,967 ZAR | 38,165 ZAR |
| Project Manager | 440,349 ZAR | 36,691 ZAR |
| Accountant | 387,514 ZAR | 32,287 ZAR |
| Hotel Manager | 352,279 ZAR | 29,357 ZAR |
| Nurse | 317,044 ZAR | 26,426 ZAR |
| Graphic Designer | 299,445 ZAR | 24,952 ZAR |
| Chef | 264,209 ZAR | 22,022 ZAR |
| Teacher | 246,592 ZAR | 20,548 ZAR |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Pretoria | 405,114 ZAR |
| Johannesburg | 369,897 ZAR |
| Cape Town | 369,897 ZAR |
| Durban | 369,897 ZAR |
| Port Elizabeth | 369,897 ZAR |
| Bloemfontein | 369,897 ZAR |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
27,882 ZAR
Private Sector
30,831 ZAR
Public Sector
+11%
Public sector employees in South Africa earn 11% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in South Africa
164 ZAR
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in South Africa is 164 ZAR. This means that the average person in South Africa earns approximately 164 ZAR for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in South Africa
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
2,857 ZAR
/month
Food
910 ZAR
/month
Transport
346 ZAR
/month
Utilities
455 ZAR
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in South Africa and explore top-paying jobs.