Construction / Building / Installation Average Salaries in South Africa 2021
How much money does a person working in Construction / Building / Installation make in South Africa?
LOW
7,880
ZAR AVERAGE
18,300
ZAR HIGH
53,300
ZAR
A person working in Construction / Building / Installation in South Africa typically earns around 18,300 ZAR per month. Salaries range from 7,880 ZAR (lowest average) to 53,300 ZAR (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different Construction / Building / Installation careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Salaries for specific jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Adjudicator | 12,500 ZAR |
| Assembler | 9,930 ZAR |
| Boat Builder and Shipwright | 15,500 ZAR |
| Bricklayer | 8,880 ZAR |
| Building Administrator | 14,300 ZAR |
| Building Contracts Manager | 47,500 ZAR |
| Building Inspector | 13,500 ZAR |
| Building Monitor | 10,400 ZAR |
| Building Sales Manager | 44,400 ZAR |
| Cabinetmaker | 11,100 ZAR |
| Carpenter | 12,400 ZAR |
| Civil Engineer | 30,700 ZAR |
| Civil Technician | 15,200 ZAR |
| Concreter | 9,670 ZAR |
| Construction and Maintenance Manager | 23,900 ZAR |
| Construction Assistant | 12,400 ZAR |
| Construction Coordinator | 17,900 ZAR |
| Construction Estimator | 19,900 ZAR |
| Construction Field Engineer | 27,500 ZAR |
| Construction General Manager | 53,300 ZAR |
| Construction Inventory Officer | 10,400 ZAR |
| Construction Operations Manager | 51,400 ZAR |
| Construction Project Coordinator | 31,900 ZAR |
| Construction Project Engineer | 31,900 ZAR |
| Construction Project Manager | 55,700 ZAR |
| Construction Project Planner | 30,200 ZAR |
| Construction Quality Control Manager | 40,900 ZAR |
| Construction Safety Officer | 18,900 ZAR |
| Construction Superintendent | 19,100 ZAR |
| Construction Supervisor | 29,900 ZAR |
| Construction Technical Assistant | 11,200 ZAR |
| Construction Technical Officer | 13,400 ZAR |
| Construction Technical Writer | 12,300 ZAR |
| Construction Technician | 11,100 ZAR |
| Crane and Tower Operator | 10,700 ZAR |
| Diesel Mechanic | 9,870 ZAR |
| Drywall Installer | 11,000 ZAR |
| Electrical Draftsman | 11,100 ZAR |
| Electrical Engineering Supervisor | 35,000 ZAR |
| Electrical Engineering Technician | 12,600 ZAR |
| Electrician | 16,200 ZAR |
| Elevator Installer and Repairer | 12,900 ZAR |
| Engineer | 31,500 ZAR |
| Excavator Operator | 10,100 ZAR |
| Floor Finisher | 12,000 ZAR |
| Floor Manager | 17,500 ZAR |
| Foreman | 9,030 ZAR |
| Frame and Truss Detailer | 9,670 ZAR |
| Furniture Finisher | 10,500 ZAR |
| Gas Technician | 10,200 ZAR |
| Handyman | 8,860 ZAR |
| Health and Safety Coordinator | 13,100 ZAR |
| Health and Safety Officer | 14,500 ZAR |
| Installation Manager | 36,700 ZAR |
| Installer | 8,990 ZAR |
| Insulation Installer | 10,500 ZAR |
| Labourer | 7,900 ZAR |
| Land Surveyor | 14,100 ZAR |
| Lift Technician | 9,960 ZAR |
| Material Tester | 16,200 ZAR |
| Model Maker | 15,500 ZAR |
| Order Picker | 9,610 ZAR |
| Painter | 10,300 ZAR |
| Pipe Layer | 8,830 ZAR |
| Pipefitter | 8,830 ZAR |
| Plumber | 11,600 ZAR |
| Property Coordinator | 25,200 ZAR |
| Purchasing Manager | 38,000 ZAR |
| Quantity Surveyor | 20,300 ZAR |
| Roof Slater and Tiler | 9,650 ZAR |
| Sheet Metal Mechanic | 10,700 ZAR |
| Site Clerk | 10,100 ZAR |
| Site engineer | 28,000 ZAR |
| Site Leader | 48,100 ZAR |
| Stock Controller | 15,400 ZAR |
| Structural Steel Construction Worker | 11,700 ZAR |
| Technical Draughtsman | 11,900 ZAR |
| Tendering Manager | 42,300 ZAR |
| Tower Crane Operator | 10,600 ZAR |
| Wall and Floor Tiler | 10,200 ZAR |
| Warehouse Manager | 35,700 ZAR |
| Welder | 9,190 ZAR |
| Welding Superintendent | 11,700 ZAR |
Construction / Building / Installation Jobs Salary Distribution in South Africa
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
Salary Range
Construction / Building / Installation salaries in South Africa range from 7,880 ZAR per month (minimum average salary) to 53,300 ZAR per month (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher).
Median Salary
The median salary is 18,700 ZAR per month, which means that half (50%) of people working in Construction / Building / Installation are earning less than 18,700 ZAR while the other half are earning more than 18,700 ZAR. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
Percentiles
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of people working in Construction / Building / Installation are earning less than 12,000 ZAR while 75% of them are earning more than 12,000 ZAR. Also from the diagram, 75% of people working in Construction / Building / Installation are earning less than 36,700 ZAR while 25% are earning more than 36,700 ZAR.
What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning 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
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does a person's salary progress over time?
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 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.
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Salary Comparison By Education
How does the education level affect your salary?
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 degrees levels across many jobs, 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 cerificate 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 Rand(s) to 467,000 Rand(s) 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 into 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 your situation and experience among many other factors. Putting all variables aside, if you can afford the costs of higher education then the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Construction / Building / Installation Salary Comparison By Gender
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in South Africa who work in Construction / Building / Installation earn 8% more than their female counterparts on average.
| Male | 18,900 ZAR | |
| Female | -7% | 17,500 ZAR |
Salary Comparison By Gender in South Africa for all Careers
Construction / Building / Installation Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in South Africa
How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for Construction / Building / Installation professionals? How often do employees get salary raises?
Construction / Building / Installation
Construction / Building / Installation professionals 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.
South Africa / All Professions
The term 'Annual Salary Increase' usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rarely 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
Annual Increment Rate By Industry 2020
| Banking | 3% | |
| Energy | 6% | |
| Information Technology | 9% | |
| Healthcare | 3% | |
| Travel | 6% | |
| Construction | 9% | |
| Education | 3% |
Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in South Africa for the year 2020. Companies within thriving industries tend to provide higher and more frequent raises. Exceptions do exist, but generally speaking, the situation of any company is closely related to the economic situation in the country or region. These figures tend to change frequently.
Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs
Construction / Building / Installation Bonus and Incentive Rates in South Africa
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
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Construction / Building / Installation is considered to be a low bonus-based field due to the generally limited involvement in direct revenue generation, with exceptions of course. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.
72% of surveyed staff in Construction / Building / Installation reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 28% 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 | 28% | |
| No Bonus | 72% |
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based BonusesThe most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, 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 BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese 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 Generators | Supporting 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: | Example: |
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.
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.
Construction / Building / Installation Hourly Average Wage in South Africa
110 ZAR per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) in South Africa is 110 ZAR. This means that the average person in South Africa earns approximately 110 ZAR for every worked hour.
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 fix 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.
Construction / Building / Installation VS Other Jobs
The average salary for Construction / Building / Installation is 41% less than that of All Jobs.
Salary Comparison By City
| City | Average Salary |
| Bloemfontein | 17,800 ZAR |
| Cape Town | 21,300 ZAR |
| Durban | 20,400 ZAR |
| Johannesburg | 19,600 ZAR |
| Port Elizabeth | 18,500 ZAR |
| Pretoria | 19,200 ZAR |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in South Africa earn 7% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
| Private Sector | 30,200 ZAR | |
| Public Sector | +7% | 32,300 ZAR |
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