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Salary data for country: South Africa
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Salaries in South Africa - Paylab.com

The salary range of employees working in South Africa is, by default, in the range of 161,916 ZAR (low salaries, employees' actual wages may be even lower) to 609,360 ZAR (high salaries, actual salaries can be even higher).

This is the total annual salary including bonuses. Salaries can vary significantly within individual job positions. If you are interested in salaries for a specific position, participate in the survey.
Gross salary in South Africa is
80% of people earn:
162K - 609K ZAR
10% earn less lthan 162K ZAR
10% earns more than 609K ZAR
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Distribution of employees in South Africa into salary brackets in ZAR.

Average salary and range in South Africa by age in ZAR.

<24
 
 
Average 236K
Median 215K
10% 119K
25% 159K
75% 290K
90% 378K
25-34
 
 
Average 360K
Median 312K
10% 143K
25% 210K
75% 456K
90% 633K
35-44
 
 
Average 402K
Median 358K
10% 181K
25% 252K
75% 502K
90% 676K
45-54
 
 
Average 389K
Median 340K
10% 161K
25% 232K
75% 490K
90% 675K
55+
 
 
Average 356K
Median 314K
10% 152K
25% 217K
75% 448K
90% 611K

Comparison of the average salary of men and women in South Africa (ZAR).

Man icon
Men
396,480 ZAR
327,744 ZAR
Woman icon
Women
In general, in South Africa, men earn 21.0% more than women.

The best paid positions in South Africa

List of the best paid positions and their average monthly salary in South Africa (ZAR).

1. IT Architect Information Technology
13,581,216 ZAR
2. Chief Executive Officer Top Management
12,869,424 ZAR
3. IT Manager Management
12,117,312 ZAR
4. IT Director Top Management
11,948,400 ZAR
5. Leasing Director Leasing
11,004,624 ZAR
6. Business Intelligence Specialist Information Technology
10,536,624 ZAR
7. Plant manager Top Management
10,258,992 ZAR
8. Country Manager/Director Top Management
10,186,416 ZAR
9. Lead developer Information Technology
10,179,216 ZAR
10. Sales Manager Management
10,057,968 ZAR
11. Pilot Transport, Haulage, Logistics
9,728,784 ZAR
12. Senior Project Manager Management
9,623,808 ZAR
13. Managing Director Top Management
9,539,856 ZAR
14. Finance Manager Management
9,523,008 ZAR
15. Head of the Legal Department Management
9,478,368 ZAR
16. Scrum Master Information Technology
9,388,944 ZAR
17. Economic/Financial Manager Top Management
9,283,104 ZAR
18. Head of product development Management
9,058,608 ZAR
19. Data scientist Information Technology
9,033,552 ZAR
20. Sales Director Top Management
8,986,608 ZAR

The worst paid positions in South Africa

List of the worst-paid positions and their average monthly salary in South Africa (ZAR)

1. Nursery School Teacher Assistant Education, Science & Research
1,813,824 ZAR
2. Receptionist Administration
1,907,136 ZAR
3. Social counselor Medicine & Social Care
2,013,120 ZAR
4. Tailor Textile, Leather, Apparel Industry
2,057,328 ZAR
5. Porter, Information Staff General labour
2,079,504 ZAR
6. Assistant Administration
2,125,728 ZAR
7. Seamstress Textile, Leather, Apparel Industry
2,152,368 ZAR
8. Cleaner General labour
2,179,728 ZAR
9. Postal worker Transport, Haulage, Logistics
2,194,128 ZAR
10. Data entry operator Administration
2,204,208 ZAR
11. Assistant Teacher Education, Science & Research
2,240,496 ZAR
12. Packer Production
2,254,464 ZAR
13. Postal Delivery Worker Transport, Haulage, Logistics
2,266,560 ZAR
14. Kinetotherapist Medicine & Social Care
2,268,288 ZAR
15. Medical Orderly Medicine & Social Care
2,279,520 ZAR
16. General Labourer General labour
2,287,872 ZAR
17. School Caretaker Education, Science & Research
2,291,328 ZAR
18. Cashier Economy, Finance, Accountancy
2,306,016 ZAR
19. Fabric Cutter Textile, Leather, Apparel Industry
2,311,776 ZAR
20. Chambermaid Tourism, Gastronomy, Hotel Business
2,325,168 ZAR

Salaries in selected countries

Total average salary in randomly selected countries.

Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
223,465 ZAR (net)
BulgariaBulgaria
359,600 ZAR (net)
EstoniaEstonia
461,027 ZAR (net)
Slovak RepublicSlovak Republic
467,882 ZAR (gross)

The newest profiles in the salary survey

List of the latest respondents whose data are used in further salary survey calculations.

gender icon
Research Worker, Scientific Worker
Education, Science & Research
Age group
25-34
Work experience:
3 to 5 years
Region
City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality
Education:
Postgraduate (Doctorate)
Basic gross monthly salary
2,753 USD
Basic gross monthly salary
46,033 ZAR
Anually salary
33,036 USD
Anually salary
552,396 ZAR
ClockPosted: 2026-03-06 15:02:29
gender icon
Customs Broker
Transport, Haulage, Logistics
Age group
35-44
Work experience:
over 10 years
Region
City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality
Education:
Secondary with school-leaving examination
Basic gross monthly salary
1,166 USD
Basic gross monthly salary
19,500 ZAR
Anually salary
13,992 USD
Anually salary
234,000 ZAR
ClockPosted: 2026-03-06 09:48:04
gender icon
Receptionist
Administration
Age group
25-34
Work experience:
1 to 2 years
Region
City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality
Education:
Follow-up/Higher Professional Education
Basic gross monthly salary
658 USD
Basic gross monthly salary
11,000 ZAR
Anually salary
7,896 USD
Anually salary
132,000 ZAR
ClockPosted: 2026-03-04 14:31:14
gender icon
Production Supervisor
Management
Age group
45-54
Work experience:
over 10 years
Region
City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality
Education:
Secondary with school-leaving examination
Basic gross monthly salary
2,263 USD
Basic gross monthly salary
37,828 ZAR
Anually salary
27,156 USD
Anually salary
453,936 ZAR
ClockPosted: 2026-03-04 13:03:49
gender icon
Key Account Manager
Commerce
Age group
25-34
Work experience:
3 to 5 years
Region
City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality
Education:
Secondary with school-leaving examination
Basic gross monthly salary
1,944 USD
Basic gross monthly salary
32,500 ZAR
Anually salary
23,328 USD
Anually salary
390,000 ZAR
ClockPosted: 2026-03-03 09:47:27
gender icon
Food Technologist
Agriculture, Food Industry
Age group
Work experience:
3 to 5 years
Region
City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality
Education:
University education (Bachelor's degree)
Basic gross monthly salary
515 USD
Basic gross monthly salary
8,613 ZAR
Anually salary
6,180 USD
Anually salary
103,356 ZAR
ClockPosted: 2026-03-02 14:50:50
gender icon
Storekeeper
Management
Age group
35-44
Work experience:
3 to 5 years
Region
City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality
Education:
Primary education
Basic gross monthly salary
1,735 USD
Basic gross monthly salary
29,000 ZAR
Anually salary
20,820 USD
Anually salary
348,000 ZAR
ClockPosted: 2026-03-02 10:30:11
gender icon
Plumber
Service Industries
Age group
Work experience:
1 to 2 years
Region
City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality
Education:
Follow-up/Higher Professional Education
Basic gross monthly salary
508 USD
Basic gross monthly salary
8,500 ZAR
Anually salary
6,096 USD
Anually salary
102,000 ZAR
ClockPosted: 2026-02-28 21:56:30
gender icon
Agricultural Technician
Agriculture, Food Industry
Age group
25-34
Work experience:
3 to 5 years
Region
Capricorn District Municipality
Education:
University education (Bachelor's degree)
Basic gross monthly salary
3,988 USD
Basic gross monthly salary
66,667 ZAR
Anually salary
47,856 USD
Anually salary
800,004 ZAR
ClockPosted: 2026-02-27 08:03:22
gender icon
Senior Project Manager
Management
Age group
45-54
Work experience:
6 to 10 years
Region
City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality
Education:
University education (Master's degree)
Basic gross monthly salary
6,466 USD
Basic gross monthly salary
108,100 ZAR
Anually salary
77,592 USD
Anually salary
1,297,200 ZAR
ClockPosted: 2026-02-25 20:15:03
See more profiles

Frequently asked Questions

Frequently asked questions and answers about the salary level in $country.

The total gross average salary for job positions in the country based on Paylab.com data in South Africa is 30,143 ZAR.

The best-paid positions in the country South Africa are IT Architect, Chief Executive Officer, IT Manager, IT Director, Leasing Director.

The worst-paid positions in the country South Africa are Nursery School Teacher Assistant, Receptionist, Social counselor, Tailor, Porter, Information Staff.

When we add up the average salary of all women and the average salary of all men in the country South Africa, regardless of the work they do, women earn 17.34% less than men.

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