Pay by Role
South Africa · Salary comparison

AI Engineer vs DevOps Engineer salary

In South Africa, a ai engineer earns about 16% more than a devops engineer $63,598 vs $54,609 per year.

Showing amounts in USD (USD default; source data is ZAR). FX as of Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:02:31 +0000. Convert currencies

Pays more
Technology
AI Engineer
$63,598/yr
Monthly
$5,302
Hourly
$31
Range
$37,841$95,079
10-yr outlook
+40%
Technology
DevOps Engineer
$54,609/yr
Monthly
$4,550
Hourly
$26
Range
$34,948$78,635
10-yr outlook
+21%

Pay range, side by side

PercentileAI EngineerDevOps Engineer
Entry (10th)$37,841$34,948
25th$50,719$44,781
Median$63,598$54,609
75th$79,338$66,625
Senior (90th)$95,079$78,635

National South Africa figures in ZAR. Individual pay varies with experience, employer, and location.

More Technology comparisons

Frequently asked questions

Does a ai engineer or devops engineer earn more in South Africa?
A ai engineer earns more, at about R 1 040 000 per year vs R 893 000 for a devops engineer — roughly 16% (R 147 000) more.
What is the salary range for these roles in South Africa?
A ai engineer typically earns R 618 800–R 1 554 800, while a devops engineer earns R 571 500–R 1 285 900 per year.
How much do these jobs pay per month in South Africa?
On a monthly basis before tax, a ai engineer averages about R 86 700 and a devops engineer about R 74 400.
How do entry-level salaries compare?
At the 10th percentile in South Africa, a ai engineer earns about R 618 800 while a devops engineer earns about R 571 500 per year.
How do senior-level salaries compare?
At the 90th percentile in South Africa, a ai engineer earns about R 1 554 800 while a devops engineer earns about R 1 285 900 per year.
Are ai engineer and devops engineer similar careers?
Both roles sit in the Technology category on Pay by Role, which is why we compare them head-to-head. Day-to-day work still differs — review each job page for skills and outlook.