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Administration / Reception / Secretarial Average Salaries in South Africa 2024

How much money does a person working in Administration / Reception / Secretarial make in South Africa?


Average Monthly Salary
18,500 ZAR
( 222,000 ZAR yearly)

LOW
9,270
ZAR
AVERAGE
18,500
ZAR
HIGH
42,200
ZAR
All salary figures displayed here are per month except when noted otherwise.
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

A person working in Administration / Reception / Secretarial in South Africa typically earns around 18,500 ZAR. Salaries range from 9,270 ZAR (lowest average) to 42,200 ZAR (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).


Salary Variance

The provided figure represents the median compensation that encompasses housing, transportation, and other perks. The salaries within the Administration / Reception / Secretarial domain in South Africa exhibit significant discrepancies across various professions. In case you seek information about the remuneration of a specific position, please refer to the salaries listed below for respective job titles.

Salaries for specific jobs

Job TitleAverage Salary
Administration / Reception / Secretarial
Accreditation Specialist37,300 ZAR
Admin Clerk11,400 ZAR
Admin Executive18,600 ZAR
Administrative Aide12,800 ZAR
Administrative Analyst24,000 ZAR
Administrative Assistant16,400 ZAR
Administrative Associate16,400 ZAR
Administrative Coordinator16,900 ZAR
Administrative Manager24,900 ZAR
Administrative Officer16,500 ZAR
Administrative Receptionist16,300 ZAR
Administrative Secretary15,300 ZAR
Administrative Specialist16,200 ZAR
Administrative Support14,500 ZAR
Administrative Technician14,000 ZAR
Board Secretary15,600 ZAR
Branch Office Administrator26,700 ZAR
Business Administrator25,400 ZAR
Business Office Manager40,600 ZAR
Central Office Operator16,500 ZAR
Clerical Assistant9,950 ZAR
Clerk10,800 ZAR
Commercial Administrator24,700 ZAR
Commissions Processor19,700 ZAR
Conveyancing Secretary14,500 ZAR
Corporate Receptionist16,400 ZAR
Creditors Clerk16,100 ZAR
Data Entry Clerk11,700 ZAR
Data Entry Specialist16,200 ZAR
Document Controller13,500 ZAR
Document Management Specialist21,700 ZAR
Executive Administrative Assistant18,000 ZAR
Executive Assistant18,000 ZAR
Executive Officer20,200 ZAR
Executive Personal Assistant21,900 ZAR
Executive Secretary17,200 ZAR
File Clerk10,800 ZAR
Front Desk Attendant16,400 ZAR
Front Desk Coordinator19,900 ZAR
Front Desk Manager26,600 ZAR
Front Desk Receptionist15,900 ZAR
Front Desk Shift Leader20,300 ZAR
Front Office Assistant15,000 ZAR
Front Office Executive20,700 ZAR
Group Services Manager43,900 ZAR
Head Receptionist19,200 ZAR
Inquiry and Admissions Clerk10,600 ZAR
Key Account Assistant19,900 ZAR
Keyboard and Data Entry Operator10,400 ZAR
Leasing Administrator19,800 ZAR
Legal Secretary16,800 ZAR
Librarian19,700 ZAR
Mail Processing Clerk9,500 ZAR
Mail Sorting Clerk9,430 ZAR
Mailroom Clerk9,510 ZAR
Mailroom Manager17,800 ZAR
Management Support Secretary16,300 ZAR
Master Programme Coordinator32,700 ZAR
Medical Receptionist17,400 ZAR
Meeting and Event Assistant18,000 ZAR
Meeting and Event Manager39,400 ZAR
Night Manager24,100 ZAR
Office Administrator25,500 ZAR
Office Assistant11,200 ZAR
Office Automation Clerk19,600 ZAR
Office Clerk13,000 ZAR
Office Coordinator15,800 ZAR
Office Manager27,600 ZAR
Office Services Coordinator21,900 ZAR
Office Supervisor21,000 ZAR
Operations Analyst32,800 ZAR
Operations Clerk18,500 ZAR
Operations Manager44,400 ZAR
Personal Assistant16,200 ZAR
Planning Assistant19,100 ZAR
Process Expert25,300 ZAR
Program Coordinator24,000 ZAR
Programme Assistant21,400 ZAR
Project Administrator26,300 ZAR
Project Coordinator35,100 ZAR
Query Administrator20,900 ZAR
Reception Team Lead20,600 ZAR
Receptionist15,300 ZAR
Records Officer13,600 ZAR
Registry Administrator16,900 ZAR
Registry and Filing Clerk10,900 ZAR
Rental Clerk11,500 ZAR
Schedule Officer11,700 ZAR
Scheduler12,800 ZAR
School Secretary16,400 ZAR
Secretary14,300 ZAR
Service Reception Head18,400 ZAR
Switchboard Operator13,500 ZAR
Technical Program Manager36,900 ZAR
Technical Project Manager38,300 ZAR
Typist12,800 ZAR
Unit Secretary14,400 ZAR
Wayleave Officer11,200 ZAR


Administration / Reception / Secretarial Jobs Pay Scale and Salaries in South Africa

Median and salary distribution South Africa Administration / Reception / Secretarial monthly
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Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison

5% of people earn
23,300 ZAR or more
10% of people earn
19,900 to 23,300 ZAR
20% of people earn
12,400 ZAR or less
65% of people earn
12,400 to 19,900 ZAR
Minimum Salary
9,270 ZAR
Median
17,800 ZAR
Maximum
42,200 ZAR




Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range

All salary figures displayed here are per month except when noted otherwise.
  • Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary

    Salaries in Administration / Reception / Secretarial in South Africa range from 9,270 ZAR (starting average salary) to 42,200 ZAR (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher). To clarify, the number presented is not the legally mandated minimum wage. Rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that involved thousands of participants and professionals from across the entire country.

  • Median Salary

    The median income in the field of Administration / Reception / Secretarial is 17,800 ZAR, implying that half of the workforce in South Africa earns less than this figure, and the other half earns more. It represents the central value of salaries. As a rule of thumb, you would prefer to be part of the group earning above the median wage, situated on the right-hand side of the salary distribution chart.

  • Percentiles and Salary Scale

    Two values that are highly correlated with the median are the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution diagram, it is possible to determine that 25% of individuals employed in Administration / Reception / Secretarial in South Africa earn less than 14,600 ZAR, while 75% of them earn more. Additionally, the diagram reveals that 75% of individuals earn less than 21,700 ZAR, while 25% earn more than that.

  • Pay Scale Structure

    Data was regrouped into brackets to provide a better understanding of what salaries can be expected. This approach was deemed more accurate than relying solely on the average salary, as it offers greater insights into the distribution of salaries in the field of Administration / Reception / Secretarial in South Africa. The analysis revealed that roughly 65% of all reported salaries fell within the range of 12,400 ZAR to 19,900 ZAR. Approximately 20% of salaries were below the 12,400 ZAR mark, while 10% ranged from 19,900 ZAR to 23,300 ZAR. Only 5% of individuals earned a gross salary of 23,300 ZAR or higher.

Salary Comparison by Years of Experience

How does a person's salary progress over time?

Salary Comparison By Experience Level
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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 in Administration / Reception / Secretarial in South Africa having experience from two to five years earn on average 32% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.

Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average 36% more than those with five years or less of work experience.

As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by 21% and an additional 14% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.

Those figures are presented as guidelines only. The numbers become more significant if you consider one job title at a time.


Change in salary based on experience varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of many different jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.
On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years* experience mark.
* Based on the average change in salary over time. Salary variations differ from person to person.


Salary Comparison By Education

How does the education level affect your salary?

Salary Comparison By Education
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Change in salary based on education varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of multiple jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.

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 degree levels across many jobs in Administration / Reception / Secretarial in South Africa, 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 24% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.

Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are 29% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.

Finally, PhD holders earn 23% more than Master's Degree holders on average while doing the same job.


Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?

A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in South Africa costs anywhere from 156,000 ZAR to 469,000 ZAR and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.

Employees can't expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming they already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.

Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support this tactic. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.

The decision really depends on the situation and experience among many other factors. Putting all variables aside, if a person can afford the costs of higher education then the return on investment is definitely worth it. Degree costs can be recovered roughly in a year or so.



Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Administration / Reception / Secretarial / South Africa

Salary comparison by gender South Africa Administration / Reception / Secretarial monthly
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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? In the field of Administration / Reception / Secretarial in South Africa, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 12%.

Male
19,500 ZAR
Female-11%
17,500 ZAR
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Comparison By Gender in South Africa for all Careers

Salary comparison by gender monthly South Africa
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Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Administration / Reception / Secretarial / South Africa

How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for individuals working in Administration / Reception / Secretarial? How often do employees get salary raises?

Professionals working in Administration / Reception / Secretarial in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 7% every 19 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 18 months.

Annual Salary Increment Rate South Africa Administration / Reception / Secretarial
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The figures provided here are averages of numbers. Those figures should be taken as general guidelines. Salary increments will vary from person to person and depend on many factors, but your performance and contribution to the success of the organization remain the most important factors in determining how much and how often you will be granted a raise.

South Africa / All Professions

Annual Salary Increment Rate South Africa
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The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.

How to calculate the salary increment percentage?

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 5%.

Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs

World Average Annual Salary Increment
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Salary Packages and Schemes

Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.

Bonus and Incentive Rates / Administration / Reception / Secretarial / South Africa

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate South Africa Administration / Reception / Secretarial
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69% of surveyed staff in Administration / Reception / Secretarial reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 31% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.

Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 0% to 4% of their annual salary.

Received Bonus
31%
No Bonus
69%

Types of Bonuses Considered

Individual Performance-Based Bonuses

The most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.

Company Performance Bonuses

Occasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.

Goal-Based Bonuses

Granted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.

Holiday / End of Year Bonuses

These types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.

Bonuses Are Not Commissions!

People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.


What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?

The main two types of jobs

Revenue GeneratorsSupporting Cast

Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business.

Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations.

Example:
A graphics designer working for a graphics designing company.

Example:
A graphic designer in the marketing department of a hospital.


Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.

Try to work for companies where your skills can generate revenue. We can't all generate revenue and that's perfectly fine.

Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level

Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.

Hourly Average Wage / Administration / Reception / Secretarial / South Africa


110 ZAR per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Administration / Reception / Secretarial in South Africa is 110 ZAR.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.


Hourly Wage = Annual Salary / ( 52 x 5 x 8 )

About The Hourly Pay Rate

The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.

What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?

The minimum pay rate per hour for people working in Administration / Reception / Secretarial in South Africa is 53 ZAR. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.

Salary Comparison By City

CityAverage Salary
Bloemfontein18,000 ZAR
Cape Town21,500 ZAR
Durban20,600 ZAR
Johannesburg19,800 ZAR
Port Elizabeth18,700 ZAR
Pretoria19,400 ZAR

Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison

Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in South Africa is 7% on average across all career fields.

Private Sector
30,400 ZAR
Public Sector+7%
32,400 ZAR
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide

What is considered to be a good and competitive salary in Administration / Reception / Secretarial in South Africa?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 17,800 ZAR and 21,700 ZAR. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.

Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)

All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

Base / Basic Salary

The base salary for jobs in Administration / Reception / Secretarial in South Africa ranges from 9,270 ZAR to 14,600 ZAR. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.


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 earn 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. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary


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