Pay by Role
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Salaries in South Africa

Average South African pay across 75 careers and 12 cities. Source figures are in ZAR.

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

Highest-paying jobs in South Africa

Cities in South Africa

Johannesburg, ZACape Town, ZADurban, ZAPretoria, ZAGqeberha, ZAPietermaritzburg, ZABloemfontein, ZAEast London, ZAVereeniging, ZAWelkom, ZANewcastle, ZAKrugersdorp, ZA

Salaries by job in South Africa

Technology

Software Engineer$58,094/yr$4,843/moFrontend Developer$58,094/yr$4,843/moBackend Developer$58,094/yr$4,843/moData Scientist$63,598/yr$5,302/moDevOps Engineer$54,609/yr$4,550/moProduct Manager$59,134/yr$4,929/moUX Designer$43,724/yr$3,645/moData Analyst$36,936/yr$3,076/moIT Support Specialist$23,238/yr$1,939/moFull-Stack Developer$58,094/yr$4,843/moWeb Developer$39,076/yr$3,259/moData Engineer$53,936/yr$4,495/moQA Engineer$39,565/yr$3,296/moSite Reliability Engineer$62,375/yr$5,198/moCloud Architect$70,325/yr$5,858/moNetwork Engineer$39,504/yr$3,290/moSystems Administrator$33,083/yr$2,758/moDatabase Administrator$40,972/yr$3,412/moAI Engineer$63,598/yr$5,302/mo

Healthcare

Registered Nurse$31,799/yr$2,648/moNurse Practitioner$52,896/yr$4,409/moPhysician$92,339/yr$7,693/moPharmacist$51,429/yr$4,287/moPhysical Therapist$35,407/yr$2,954/moDental Hygienist$33,083/yr$2,758/moDentist$73,994/yr$6,164/moSurgeon$109,462/yr$9,124/moPsychiatrist$98,454/yr$8,207/moPsychologist$38,342/yr$3,198/moVeterinarian$43,479/yr$3,626/moOptometrist$50,817/yr$4,238/moRadiologist$110,073/yr$9,173/moPhysician Assistant$53,936/yr$4,495/moOccupational Therapist$34,367/yr$2,862/mo

Finance & Business

Accountant$43,846/yr$3,657/moFinancial Analyst$52,591/yr$4,385/moMarketing Manager$38,036/yr$3,168/moProject Manager$40,483/yr$3,376/moSales Manager$45,986/yr$3,834/moBusiness Analyst$33,389/yr$2,782/moFinancial Advisor$41,950/yr$3,498/moInvestment Banker$67,267/yr$5,608/moActuary$52,529/yr$4,378/moAuditor$31,249/yr$2,605/moManagement Consultant$46,659/yr$3,889/moOperations Manager$36,202/yr$3,015/moHR Manager$32,349/yr$2,697/moRecruiter$29,903/yr$2,495/moReal Estate Agent$28,374/yr$2,367/mo

Education

Teacher$21,587/yr$1,798/moProfessor$36,018/yr$3,003/moSchool Principal$38,403/yr$3,198/mo

Engineering

Civil Engineer$38,036/yr$3,168/moMechanical Engineer$50,450/yr$4,207/moElectrical Engineer$42,990/yr$3,583/moChemical Engineer$42,990/yr$3,583/moAerospace Engineer$53,141/yr$4,427/moBiomedical Engineer$39,932/yr$3,327/moIndustrial Engineer$37,670/yr$3,137/moEnvironmental Engineer$37,670/yr$3,137/mo

Skilled Trades

Electrician$23,972/yr$2,000/moPlumber$23,482/yr$1,957/moCarpenter$20,302/yr$1,694/moChef$24,583/yr$2,049/moWelder$18,835/yr$1,572/moHVAC Technician$22,015/yr$1,835/mo

Legal

Lawyer$56,504/yr$4,709/moParalegal$24,889/yr$2,073/moCorporate Attorney$66,044/yr$5,504/mo

Creative

Graphic Designer$23,360/yr$1,945/moArchitect$34,123/yr$2,844/moCopywriter$25,500/yr$2,128/moVideo Editor$22,320/yr$1,859/moPhotographer$20,853/yr$1,737/moSocial Media Manager$23,238/yr$1,939/mo

Frequently asked questions

What is the average salary in South Africa?
It depends on the role. Pay by Role tracks 75 careers in South Africa; for example Radiologist averages about R 1 800 000 per year while a mid-ranked role like Biomedical Engineer is around R 653 000.
What is the highest-paying job in South Africa?
Among roles we cover, Radiologist leads at about R 1 800 000 per year. See the full ranking of highest-paying jobs in South Africa.
How many cities have salary data in South Africa?
We publish salaries for 12 cities in South Africa, each with local pay context in ZAR.
Are South Africa salaries shown before or after tax?
Figures are gross (pre-tax) averages in ZAR. Use the salary calculator for a simplified take-home estimate.
How often is South Africa salary data updated?
Pay by Role refreshes figures from public labour-market APIs on a regular cadence. Treat every number as an estimate for research, not a job offer.