Technology · South Africa

QA Engineer Salary in South Africa

The South Africa median is $40,148 per year, with observed city pay up to Johannesburg at $28,110.

Showing amounts in USD (USD default; source data is ZAR). FX as of Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:02:31 +0000. Convert currencies

QA Engineer in South Africa: read the median against a +20% outlook

The South Africa national median for a qa engineer is R 647 000 a year. Among 1 metros with observed data, pay runs from about R 453 000 in Johannesburg to R 453 000 in Johannesburg (1×).

QA engineers design and automate tests to ensure software ships without defects. Common screening skills include Test automation, Selenium, CI/CD, and Bug tracking.

A modeled national band runs about R 437 400–R 903 200 around that midpoint. Licensing and immigration rules are independent of this cash sort. Employment outlook for the occupation is sketched at +20% over a decade — a national demand guess, not a hiring guarantee in every South African city.

When metro percentiles appear, prefer those over this national midpoint for a named city. Until then, treat R 647 000 as a country-level sketch and pressure-test any offer with tax and cost-of-living tools.

South Africa shows about 3.2% CPI in 2025. A qa engineer raise that trails inflation is a real-pay cut even if it still beats last year’s peers. This occupation is also covered in 39 other countries — useful for remote or relocation shortlists, after FX and local tax. Nearby technology titles on this site include Software Engineer, Frontend Developer, Backend Developer, and Data Scientist.

How to use QA Engineer pay data in South Africa

Start with the national median (R 647 000), then pick the metro where you would actually work. Observed city rows below are stronger than a pay-index guess. If your city is missing, stay on this page for the country figure and check the South Africa hub for other careers.

Convert gross through the salary calculator before comparing two cities — tax and rent often reorder a cash ranking. Figures are estimates for research, not employer bands.

National band vs top metro

National sketch: R 437 400 (10th) → R 647 000 (median) → R 903 200 (90th). Johannesburg’s observed median is R 453 000, with a local band about R 293 000–R 700 000. If an offer is “at the South Africa median” but the job is in Johannesburg, you may still be under local market.

National median
$40,148
per year
Monthly (national)
$3,345
per month, before tax
Highest-paying city
$28,110
Johannesburg, ZA
Hourly (national)
$19.30
varies by city

QA Engineer salary by city in South Africa

Cities below have observed metro percentiles for this role. Prefer these over national-only estimates when you are relocating to a specific market.

CityPer year
Johannesburg, ZA$28,110

QA Engineer salary in other countries

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Related Technology salaries in South Africa

Software EngineerFrontend DeveloperBackend DeveloperData ScientistDevOps EngineerProduct ManagerUX DesignerData AnalystIT Support SpecialistFull-Stack DeveloperWeb DeveloperData EngineerSite Reliability EngineerCloud ArchitectNetwork EngineerSystems AdministratorDatabase AdministratorAI Engineer

Frequently asked questions

How much does a qa engineer make in South Africa?
The national median is about R 647 000 per year. Across 1 observed cities, pay ranges from about R 453 000 to R 453 000.
Which South Africa city pays qa engineers the most?
Johannesburg, ZA leads observed metros at about R 453 000 per year (-30% vs national).
How many South Africa cities have qa engineer salary data?
1 metros list observed qa engineer percentiles in ZAR on this site.
Is qa engineer in demand in South Africa?
Occupation-level employment is projected at about +20% over ten years. Local hiring still follows South African industry mix.