Office Manager Average Salary in South Africa 2022
How much money does an Office Manager make in South Africa?
LOW
13,500
ZAR AVERAGE
27,600
ZAR HIGH
43,000
ZAR
A person working as an Office Manager in South Africa typically earns around 27,600 ZAR per month. Salaries range from 13,500 ZAR (lowest) to 43,000 ZAR (highest).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Office Manager salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Office Manager Salary Distribution in South Africa
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
Salary Range
Office Manager salaries in South Africa range from 13,500 ZAR per month (minimum salary) to 43,000 ZAR per month (maximum salary).
Median Salary
The median salary is 28,100 ZAR per month, which means that half (50%) of people working as Office Manager(s) are earning less than 28,100 ZAR while the other half are earning more than 28,100 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 Office Manager(s) are earning less than 18,700 ZAR while 75% of them are earning more than 18,700 ZAR. Also from the diagram, 75% of Office Manager(s) are earning less than 36,300 ZAR while 25% are earning more than 36,300 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
Office Manager Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does experience and age affect your pay?
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher your wage. We broke down Office Manager salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
An Office Manager with less than two years of experience makes approximately 16,000 ZAR per month.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 20,600 ZAR per month, 29% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 28,400 ZAR per month, 38% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Office Manager(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 35,200 ZAR per month, 24% 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 37,700 ZAR per month, 7% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 40,200 ZAR per month, 7% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Office Manager average salary change by experience in South Africa
| 0 - 2 Years | 16,000 ZAR | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +29% | 20,600 ZAR |
| 5 - 10 Years | +38% | 28,400 ZAR |
| 10 - 15 Years | +24% | 35,200 ZAR |
| 15 - 20 Years | +7% | 37,700 ZAR |
| 20+ Years | +7% | 40,200 ZAR |
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Office Manager Salary Comparison By Education
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary difference between different Office Manager(s) who have the same experience but different education levels.
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 Office Manager salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is High School, the average salary of an Office Manager is 20,000 ZAR per month.
While someone with a Certificate or Diploma gets a salary of 23,000 ZAR per month, 15% more than someone having a High School degree.
A Bachelor's Degree gets its holder an average salary of 30,900 ZAR per month, 35% more than someone with a Certificate or Diploma.
Professionals who hold a Master's Degree are rewarded with an average salary of 38,900 ZAR per month, 26% more than someone with Bachelor's Degree.
Office Manager average salary difference by education level in South Africa
| High School | 20,000 ZAR | |
| Certificate or Diploma | +15% | 23,000 ZAR |
| Bachelor's Degree | +35% | 30,900 ZAR |
| Master's Degree | +26% | 38,900 ZAR |
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 the thoery. 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
Office Manager 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 Office Manager employees in South Africa earn 8% more than their female counterparts on average.
| Male | 28,500 ZAR | |
| Female | -7% | 26,400 ZAR |
Salary Comparison By Gender in South Africa for all Careers
Office Manager Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in South Africa
How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for Office Manager(s)? How often do employees get salary raises?
Office Manager
Office Manager(s) in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 9% every 21 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 2021
| 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 2021. 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
Office Manager Bonus and Incentive Rates in South Africa
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
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An Office Manager is considered to be a moderate bonus-based job 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.
45% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 55% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 6% of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | 55% | |
| No Bonus | 45% |
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.
Office Manager Average Hourly Wage in South Africa
160 ZAR per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) in South Africa is 160 ZAR. This means that the average Office Manager in South Africa earns approximately 160 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.
Office Manager VS Other Jobs
The average salary for Office Manager is 49% more than that of Administration / Reception / Secretarial. Also, Administration / Reception / Secretarial salaries are 41% less than those of All Jobs.
Salary comparison with similar jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Accreditation Specialist | 37,300 ZAR |  +35% |
| Administrative Aide | 12,800 ZAR |  -54% |
| Administrative Analyst | 24,000 ZAR | -13% |
| Administrative Assistant | 16,400 ZAR | -41% |
| Administrative Associate | 16,400 ZAR | -41% |
| Administrative Manager | 24,900 ZAR | -10% |
| Administrative Receptionist | 16,300 ZAR | -41% |
| Board Secretary | 15,600 ZAR | -43% |
| Central Office Operator | 16,500 ZAR | -40% |
| Clerk | 10,800 ZAR | -61% |
| Commercial Administrator | 24,700 ZAR | -10% |
| Commissions Processor | 19,700 ZAR | -29% |
| Conveyancing Secretary | 14,500 ZAR | -47% |
| Document Controller | 13,500 ZAR | -51% |
| Document Management Specialist | 21,700 ZAR | -21% |
| Executive Assistant | 18,000 ZAR | -35% |
| Executive Personal Assistant | 21,900 ZAR | -21% |
| Executive Secretary | 17,200 ZAR | -38% |
| Front Desk Attendant | 16,400 ZAR | -41% |
| Front Desk Coordinator | 19,900 ZAR | -28% |
| Front Desk Manager | 26,600 ZAR | -4% |
| Group Services Manager | 43,900 ZAR | +59% |
| Head Receptionist | 19,200 ZAR | -30% |
| Key Account Assistant | 19,900 ZAR | -28% |
| Keyboard and Data Entry Operator | 10,400 ZAR | -62% |
| Leasing Administrator | 19,800 ZAR | -28% |
| Legal Secretary | 16,800 ZAR | -39% |
| Librarian | 19,700 ZAR | -29% |
| Mailroom Manager | 17,800 ZAR | -35% |
| Management Support Secretary | 16,300 ZAR | -41% |
| Master Programme Coordinator | 32,700 ZAR | +19% |
| Medical Receptionist | 17,400 ZAR | -37% |
| Meeting and Event Assistant | 18,000 ZAR | -35% |
| Meeting and Event Manager | 39,400 ZAR | +43% |
| Night Manager | 24,100 ZAR | -13% |
| Office Administrator | 25,500 ZAR | -8% |
| Office Assistant | 11,200 ZAR | -59% |
| Office Manager | 27,600 ZAR | +0% |
| Office Services Coordinator | 21,900 ZAR | -21% |
| Operations Analyst | 32,800 ZAR | +19% |
| Operations Manager | 44,400 ZAR | +61% |
| Personal Assistant | 16,200 ZAR | -41% |
| Planning Assistant | 19,100 ZAR | -31% |
| Process Expert | 25,300 ZAR | -8% |
| Program Coordinator | 24,000 ZAR | -13% |
| Programme Assistant | 21,400 ZAR | -22% |
| Project Administrator | 26,300 ZAR | -5% |
| Project Coordinator | 35,100 ZAR | +27% |
| Reception Team Lead | 20,600 ZAR | -25% |
| Receptionist | 15,300 ZAR | -45% |
| Records Officer | 13,600 ZAR | -51% |
| Schedule Officer | 11,700 ZAR | -58% |
| School Secretary | 16,400 ZAR | -41% |
| Secretary | 14,300 ZAR | -48% |
| Switchboard Operator | 13,500 ZAR | -51% |
| Technical Program Manager | 36,900 ZAR | +34% |
| Technical Project Manager | 38,300 ZAR | +39% |
| Typist | 12,800 ZAR | -54% |
| Wayleave Officer | 11,200 ZAR | -59% |
Salary Comparison By City
| City | Average Salary |
| Bloemfontein | 26,700 ZAR |
| Cape Town | 31,300 ZAR |
| Durban | 30,600 ZAR |
| Johannesburg | 27,300 ZAR |
| Port Elizabeth | 27,800 ZAR |
| Pretoria | 27,500 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 |
