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Construction / Building / Installation Average Salaries in South Africa 2024

How much money does a person working in Construction / Building / Installation make in South Africa?


Average Monthly Salary
19,300 ZAR
( 232,000 ZAR yearly)

LOW
7,880
ZAR
AVERAGE
19,300
ZAR
HIGH
53,300
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 Construction / Building / Installation in South Africa typically earns around 19,300 ZAR. Salaries range from 7,880 ZAR (lowest average) to 53,300 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 Construction / Building / Installation 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
Construction / Building / Installation
3D Printing Construction Technician20,700 ZAR
Adjudicator12,500 ZAR
Assembler9,930 ZAR
Boat Builder and Shipwright15,500 ZAR
Bricklayer8,890 ZAR
Building Administrator14,300 ZAR
Building Automation Engineer29,700 ZAR
Building Contracts Manager47,500 ZAR
Building Information Modeling Manager40,100 ZAR
Building Inspector13,500 ZAR
Building Monitor10,400 ZAR
Building Sales Manager44,400 ZAR
Building Systems Integration Specialist29,100 ZAR
Cabinetmaker11,100 ZAR
Carpenter12,400 ZAR
Civil Engineer30,700 ZAR
Civil Technician15,200 ZAR
Concreter9,670 ZAR
Construction and Building Inspector12,700 ZAR
Construction and Maintenance Manager23,900 ZAR
Construction Assistant12,400 ZAR
Construction Coordinator17,900 ZAR
Construction Data Analyst26,600 ZAR
Construction Estimator19,900 ZAR
Construction Field Engineer27,500 ZAR
Construction General Manager53,300 ZAR
Construction Inventory Officer10,400 ZAR
Construction Manager57,300 ZAR
Construction Operations Manager51,400 ZAR
Construction Project Controls Manager38,700 ZAR
Construction Project Coordinator31,900 ZAR
Construction Project Engineer31,900 ZAR
Construction Project Manager54,800 ZAR
Construction Project Manager55,700 ZAR
Construction Project Planner30,200 ZAR
Construction Quality Control Manager40,900 ZAR
Construction Robotics Engineer31,300 ZAR
Construction Safety Officer18,900 ZAR
Construction Superintendent19,100 ZAR
Construction Supervisor29,900 ZAR
Construction Technical Assistant11,200 ZAR
Construction Technical Officer13,400 ZAR
Construction Technical Writer12,300 ZAR
Construction Technician11,100 ZAR
Construction Waste Management Consultant29,600 ZAR
Construction Worker8,800 ZAR
Crane and Tower Operator10,700 ZAR
Crane Operator10,600 ZAR
Diesel Mechanic9,870 ZAR
Digital Construction Manager31,500 ZAR
Draughtsman9,470 ZAR
Drywall Installer11,000 ZAR
Electrical Draftsman11,100 ZAR
Electrical Engineering Supervisor35,000 ZAR
Electrical Engineering Technician12,600 ZAR
Electrical Supervisor22,800 ZAR
Electrician16,200 ZAR
Elevator Installer and Repairer12,900 ZAR
Engineer31,500 ZAR
Excavator Operator10,100 ZAR
Field Inspector18,800 ZAR
Floor Finisher12,000 ZAR
Floor Manager17,500 ZAR
Foreman9,030 ZAR
Frame and Truss Detailer9,670 ZAR
Furniture Finisher10,500 ZAR
Gas Technician 10,200 ZAR
Handyman8,860 ZAR
Health and Safety Coordinator13,100 ZAR
Health and Safety Officer14,500 ZAR
Installation Manager36,700 ZAR
Installer8,990 ZAR
Insulation Installer10,500 ZAR
Labourer7,900 ZAR
Land Surveyor14,100 ZAR
Lean Construction Specialist28,200 ZAR
Lift Technician9,960 ZAR
Maintenance Foreman9,180 ZAR
Material Tester16,200 ZAR
Model Maker15,500 ZAR
Order Picker9,610 ZAR
Painter10,300 ZAR
Pipe Layer8,830 ZAR
Pipe Welder8,680 ZAR
Pipefitter8,830 ZAR
Plumber11,600 ZAR
Prefabrication and Modular Construction Specialist29,700 ZAR
Property Coordinator25,200 ZAR
Purchasing Manager38,000 ZAR
Quantity Estimator20,100 ZAR
Quantity Surveyor20,300 ZAR
Roof Slater and Tiler9,650 ZAR
Sheet Metal Mechanic10,700 ZAR
Sheet Metal Worker8,780 ZAR
Site Clerk10,100 ZAR
Site engineer28,000 ZAR
Site Leader48,100 ZAR
Stock Controller15,400 ZAR
Structural Steel Construction Worker11,700 ZAR
Sustainable Materials Engineer28,000 ZAR
Technical Draughtsman11,900 ZAR
Tender Manager45,200 ZAR
Tendering Manager42,300 ZAR
Tower Crane Operator10,600 ZAR
Wall and Floor Tiler10,200 ZAR
Warehouse Manager35,700 ZAR
Welder9,190 ZAR
Welding Superintendent11,700 ZAR


Construction / Building / Installation Jobs Pay Scale and Salaries in South Africa

Median and salary distribution South Africa Construction / Building / Installation monthly
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Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison

5% of people earn
26,300 ZAR or more
10% of people earn
21,700 to 26,300 ZAR
20% of people earn
11,600 ZAR or less
65% of people earn
11,600 to 21,700 ZAR
Minimum Salary
7,880 ZAR
Median
17,800 ZAR
Maximum
53,300 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 Construction / Building / Installation in South Africa range from 7,880 ZAR (starting average salary) to 53,300 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 Construction / Building / Installation 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 Construction / Building / Installation in South Africa earn less than 14,000 ZAR, while 75% of them earn more. Additionally, the diagram reveals that 75% of individuals earn less than 23,000 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 Construction / Building / Installation in South Africa. The analysis revealed that roughly 65% of all reported salaries fell within the range of 11,600 ZAR to 21,700 ZAR. Approximately 20% of salaries were below the 11,600 ZAR mark, while 10% ranged from 21,700 ZAR to 26,300 ZAR. Only 5% of individuals earned a gross salary of 26,300 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 Construction / Building / Installation 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 Construction / Building / Installation 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 / Construction / Building / Installation / South Africa

Salary comparison by gender South Africa Construction / Building / Installation 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 Construction / Building / Installation in South Africa, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 8%.

Male
20,000 ZAR
Female-7%
18,500 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 / Construction / Building / Installation / South Africa

How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for individuals working in Construction / Building / Installation? How often do employees get salary raises?

Professionals working in Construction / Building / Installation 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 Construction / Building / Installation
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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 / Construction / Building / Installation / South Africa

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate South Africa Construction / Building / Installation
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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 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 / Construction / Building / Installation / South Africa


110 ZAR per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Construction / Building / Installation 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 Construction / Building / Installation in South Africa is 45 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
Bloemfontein18,800 ZAR
Cape Town22,500 ZAR
Durban21,500 ZAR
Johannesburg20,700 ZAR
Port Elizabeth19,500 ZAR
Pretoria20,300 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 Construction / Building / Installation in South Africa?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 17,800 ZAR and 23,000 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 Construction / Building / Installation in South Africa ranges from 7,880 ZAR to 14,000 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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