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Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist Average Salary in South Africa 2024

How much money does a person working as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist make in South Africa?


Average Monthly Salary
39,800 ZAR
( 478,000 ZAR yearly)

LOW
20,700
ZAR
AVERAGE
39,800
ZAR
HIGH
60,900
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 as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist in South Africa typically earns around 39,800 ZAR. Salaries range from 20,700 ZAR (lowest) to 60,900 ZAR (highest).


Salary Variance

This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist salaries in South Africa vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.



Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist Pay Scale and Salaries in South Africa

Median and salary distribution South Africa Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist monthly
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Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison

5% of people earn
36,000 ZAR or more
10% of people earn
32,100 to 36,000 ZAR
20% of people earn
23,400 ZAR or less
65% of people earn
23,400 to 32,100 ZAR
Minimum Salary
20,700 ZAR
Median
36,200 ZAR
Maximum
60,900 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 for the position Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist in South Africa range from 20,700 ZAR (starting salary) to 60,900 ZAR (maximum salary). It should be noted that the given figure is not the legally mandated minimum wage; rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that included thousands of participants and professionals from all regions of the country.

  • Median Salary

    With a median salary of 36,200 ZAR, half of the professionals who work as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist in South Africa earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. The median salary denotes the middle value of salaries. Ideally, you would want to belong to the group earning more than the median salary, located on the right side of the salary distribution graph.

  • Percentiles and Salary Scale

    The median is closely associated with two other values known as the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution chart, it can be determined that 25% of professionals employed as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist in South Africa earn less than 30,000 ZAR, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 41,100 ZAR while 25% earn more.

  • Pay Scale Structure

    To provide a better understanding of expected salaries, we categorized the frequently occurring salaries into different ranges. This approach provides a more precise representation of salary distribution for the job title Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist in South Africa compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 23,400 ZAR to 32,100 ZAR. About 20% of salaries are below the 23,400 ZAR mark, while 10% fall within the range of 32,100 ZAR to 36,000 ZAR. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 36,000 ZAR.

Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist / South Africa

How do experience and age affect pay?

0 - 2 Years
23,500 ZAR
2 - 5 Years+34%
31,500 ZAR
5 - 10 Years+30%
41,000 ZAR
10 - 15 Years+21%
49,600 ZAR
15 - 20 Years+9%
54,300 ZAR
20+ Years+5%
57,100 ZAR
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary comparison by years of experience monthly South Africa Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist
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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. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist and this is what we found.


All salary figures displayed here are per month except when noted otherwise.

Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 23,500 ZAR.

While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 31,500 ZAR, 34% more than someone with less than two year's experience.

Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 41,000 ZAR, 30% more than someone with two to five years of experience.

Additionally, professionals whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 49,600 ZAR, 21% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.

If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 54,300 ZAR, 9% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.

Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 57,100 ZAR, 5% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.

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.

Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers

Salary Comparison By Experience Level
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Salary Comparison By Education / Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist / South Africa

How do education levels affect salaries?

Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist.

Certificate or Diploma
27,900 ZAR
Bachelor's Degree+52%
42,400 ZAR
Master's Degree+42%
60,100 ZAR
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary comparison by education level monthly South Africa Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist
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We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down salaries by education level for the position Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist in order to make a comparison.


Level 1: Certificate or Diploma

Employees at this education level have an average salary of 27,900 ZAR.


Level 2: Bachelor's Degree

At this level, the average salary becomes 42,400 ZAR, 52% more than the previous level.


Level 3: Master's Degree

At this level, the average salary becomes 60,100 ZAR, 42% more than the previous level.



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.

You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you 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 the theory. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.

If you can afford the costs of higher education, the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.


Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers

Salary Comparison By Education Level
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Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist / South Africa

Salary comparison by gender South Africa Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist 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? For the people who work as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist in South Africa, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 8%.

Male
41,500 ZAR
Female-7%
38,500 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 / Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist / South Africa

How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for individuals working as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist? How often do employees get salary raises?

Individuals working as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 11% every 20 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 18 months.

Annual Salary Increment Rate South Africa Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist
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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 / Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist / South Africa

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate South Africa Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist
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47% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 53% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.

Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 5% of their annual salary.

Received Bonus
53%
No Bonus
47%

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.

Average Hourly Wage / Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist / South Africa


230 ZAR per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist in South Africa is 230 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 as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist in South Africa is 120 ZAR. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.

Salary comparison with similar jobs

Job TitleAverage Salary
Information Technology-100%
A/B Testing Specialist26,600 ZAR-33%
Applications System Specialist27,500 ZAR-31%
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Analyst35,800 ZAR-10%
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Developer34,100 ZAR-14%
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Ethics Officer40,900 ZAR+3%
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Governance Specialist45,200 ZAR+14%
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Implementation Officer45,700 ZAR+15%
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Lead47,800 ZAR+20%
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Officer46,800 ZAR+18%
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Prompt Specialist31,200 ZAR-22%
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Research Scientist43,900 ZAR+10%
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Sales36,300 ZAR-9%
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Software Engineer36,100 ZAR-9%
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Strategist48,600 ZAR+22%
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Trainer34,900 ZAR-12%
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist39,800 ZAR+0%
Artificial Intelligence Developer39,800 ZAR+0%
Blockchain Associate30,700 ZAR-23%
Blockchain Developer28,700 ZAR-28%
Blockchain Engineer31,100 ZAR-22%
ChatGPT Expert28,900 ZAR-27%
Computer Animator27,500 ZAR-31%
Computer Engineer25,500 ZAR-36%
Computer Hardware Engineer25,500 ZAR-36%
Computer Operator21,500 ZAR-46%
Computer Support Specialist24,700 ZAR-38%
Computer Technician24,700 ZAR-38%
Copy Editor26,400 ZAR-34%
Data Center Specialist32,800 ZAR-18%
Data Center Technician27,500 ZAR-31%
Data Visualization Specialist32,700 ZAR-18%
Deep Learning Developer31,700 ZAR-20%
Digital Ethics Consultant34,000 ZAR-15%
Documentation Specialist27,600 ZAR-31%
Ethical Hacker28,300 ZAR-29%
GIS Analyst27,400 ZAR-31%
Global BI Analyst32,600 ZAR-18%
Hardware Design Engineer29,200 ZAR-27%
Hardware Technician23,400 ZAR-41%
Help Desk Analyst31,000 ZAR-22%
Informatics Optimization Specialist31,800 ZAR-20%
Information Assurance Analyst32,300 ZAR-19%
Information Technology Infrastructure Engineer27,900 ZAR-30%
Information Technology Quality Specialist31,800 ZAR-20%
Information Technology Trainer32,800 ZAR-18%
Interface Designer25,600 ZAR-36%
Microsystems Engineer30,400 ZAR-24%
Mobile Interface Designer32,100 ZAR-19%
Neural Network Engineer37,200 ZAR-7%
Numerical Control Programmer25,900 ZAR-35%
Records Manager27,500 ZAR-31%
Robotic Process Automation Compliance Analyst29,900 ZAR-25%
Scrum Master24,400 ZAR-39%
Software Sales28,500 ZAR-28%
Software Specialist26,500 ZAR-33%
Software Tester26,800 ZAR-33%
Storage Engineer26,600 ZAR-33%
Systems Engineer24,800 ZAR-38%
Systems Integrator29,900 ZAR-25%
Technical Sales30,600 ZAR-23%
Technical Trainer32,300 ZAR-19%
Technical Writer28,200 ZAR-29%
Tester26,600 ZAR-33%
Usability Engineer28,800 ZAR-28%
User Experience Consultant33,500 ZAR-16%
User Experience Design Expert31,600 ZAR-21%
User Experience Researcher31,800 ZAR-20%
User Interface Designer28,900 ZAR-27%
Video Game Designer26,300 ZAR-34%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Architect40,000 ZAR+1%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Compliance Specialist39,000 ZAR-2%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Consultant44,100 ZAR+11%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Designer43,200 ZAR+9%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Developer38,100 ZAR-4%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Engineer38,700 ZAR-3%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Filmmaker46,900 ZAR+18%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Game Developer39,900 ZAR+0%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Marketing Specialist38,400 ZAR-3%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Officer42,200 ZAR+6%
Virtual / Augmented reality Sales Consultant42,800 ZAR+8%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Simulator Operator29,800 ZAR-25%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Specialist36,600 ZAR-8%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Technician31,300 ZAR-21%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Trainer41,000 ZAR+3%
Virtual / Augmented Reality User Experience Designer31,600 ZAR-21%
Visual Information Specialist27,900 ZAR-30%
Voice Interface Designer24,700 ZAR-38%
Writer and Documentor27,900 ZAR-30%

Salary Comparison By City

CityAverage Salary
Cape Town41,100 ZAR
Johannesburg37,500 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 for the job title Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist in South Africa?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 36,200 ZAR and 41,100 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 a careers like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist in South Africa ranges from 20,700 ZAR to 30,000 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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