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Human Resources Average Salaries in South Africa 2024

How much money does a person working in Human Resources make in South Africa?


Average Monthly Salary
30,000 ZAR
( 360,000 ZAR yearly)

LOW
12,500
ZAR
AVERAGE
30,000
ZAR
HIGH
51,000
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 Human Resources in South Africa typically earns around 30,000 ZAR. Salaries range from 12,500 ZAR (lowest average) to 51,000 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 Human Resources 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
Human Resources
Benefits Administrator20,600 ZAR
Benefits Analyst24,700 ZAR
Benefits Manager41,800 ZAR
Benefits Specialist24,000 ZAR
Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer45,000 ZAR
Chief Happiness Officer45,700 ZAR
Chief Human Resources Officer54,500 ZAR
Chief Listening Officer40,700 ZAR
Chief People Officer55,200 ZAR
Chief Remote Work and Collaboration Officer36,200 ZAR
Compensation Analyst24,700 ZAR
Compensation and Benefits Manager42,900 ZAR
Compensation and Benefits Officer17,200 ZAR
Compensation and Benefits Specialist24,000 ZAR
Compensation Manager41,800 ZAR
Corporate Director of Human Resources53,400 ZAR
Corporate Recruiter35,600 ZAR
Corporate Trainer25,500 ZAR
Director of Talent Acquisition52,100 ZAR
Diversity and Inclusion Specialist32,300 ZAR
Employee Benefits Administrator29,000 ZAR
Employee Benefits Consultant38,400 ZAR
Employee Benefits Coordinator15,100 ZAR
Employee Communications Manager36,100 ZAR
Employee Development Specialist34,600 ZAR
Employee Engagement Specialist33,500 ZAR
Employee Experience Manager37,900 ZAR
Employee Health and Wellness Administrator30,800 ZAR
Employee Performance Specialist25,800 ZAR
Employee Relations Analyst33,000 ZAR
Employee Relations Manager36,300 ZAR
Employee Relations Practitioner37,500 ZAR
Employee Relations Representative26,000 ZAR
Employee Relations Specialist33,000 ZAR
Employee Services Manager36,300 ZAR
Employee Services Specialist33,400 ZAR
Employee Wellness Officer25,200 ZAR
Employment Advice Worker16,000 ZAR
Employment Interviewer24,100 ZAR
Employment Relations Officer15,900 ZAR
Employment Service Specialist19,800 ZAR
Employment Services Coordinator23,500 ZAR
Enrollment Counselor31,800 ZAR
Equal Opportunity Representative25,400 ZAR
Executive Human Capital Management51,400 ZAR
Executive Recruiter35,500 ZAR
Expatriate Administration Manager35,700 ZAR
Expatriate Administration Supervisor24,300 ZAR
Global Mobility Manager43,000 ZAR
Head of Culture39,500 ZAR
Head of Human Resources48,600 ZAR
Headhunter36,500 ZAR
Health Benefits Coordinator20,800 ZAR
HRIS Analyst17,600 ZAR
HRIS Manager30,900 ZAR
HRIS Officer16,200 ZAR
HRIS Supervisor17,800 ZAR
Human Resources Administration Specialist21,000 ZAR
Human Resources Administrative Assistant14,700 ZAR
Human Resources Administrative Coordinator21,800 ZAR
Human Resources Administrator22,100 ZAR
Human Resources Advisor34,200 ZAR
Human Resources Analyst30,500 ZAR
Human Resources Assessor18,500 ZAR
Human Resources Assistant14,200 ZAR
Human Resources Assistant Manager39,000 ZAR
Human Resources Associate13,300 ZAR
Human Resources Compliance Officer32,300 ZAR
Human Resources Consultant41,700 ZAR
Human Resources Coordinator15,700 ZAR
Human Resources Data Analytics Manager28,700 ZAR
Human Resources Data Scientist31,500 ZAR
Human Resources Deputy Manager 40,800 ZAR
Human Resources Development Manager47,800 ZAR
Human Resources Director53,400 ZAR
Human Resources Executive37,200 ZAR
Human Resources Generalist25,200 ZAR
Human Resources Manager48,800 ZAR
Human Resources Officer19,600 ZAR
Human Resources Recruiter37,300 ZAR
Human Resources Representative20,900 ZAR
Human Resources Section Head31,800 ZAR
Human Resources Services Manager44,200 ZAR
Human Resources Shared Services Manager34,700 ZAR
Human Resources Specialist27,600 ZAR
Human Resources Superintendent19,500 ZAR
Human Resources Systems Administrator27,500 ZAR
Human Resources Technology Consultant30,600 ZAR
Human Resources Training Executive37,200 ZAR
Human Resources Transformation Consultant35,300 ZAR
Human Resources Vice President49,500 ZAR
Industrial Organizational Psychologist42,800 ZAR
Job Evaluation Specialist34,900 ZAR
Labor Relations Director40,800 ZAR
Labor Relations Manager40,800 ZAR
Labor Relations Specialist19,300 ZAR
Learning and Development Manager42,300 ZAR
Learning and Development Specialist29,600 ZAR
Occupational Health and Safety Officer18,900 ZAR
Organizational Development Consultant39,900 ZAR
Organizational Development Manager44,100 ZAR
Organizational Development Specialist23,300 ZAR
Payroll Assistant16,900 ZAR
Payroll Supervisor20,600 ZAR
People Development Officer24,700 ZAR
People Operations Analyst32,100 ZAR
Personnel Officer14,000 ZAR
Personnel Recruiter37,200 ZAR
Records Clerk13,200 ZAR
Records Manager21,600 ZAR
Recruiter35,900 ZAR
Recruiting Coordinator19,100 ZAR
Recruiting Manager48,200 ZAR
Recruitment Consultant36,300 ZAR
Recruitment Officer20,000 ZAR
Recruitment Supervisor30,500 ZAR
Remote Collaboration Consultant26,500 ZAR
Remote Work Compliance Manager36,500 ZAR
Remote Work Coordinator24,300 ZAR
Remote Work Manager32,400 ZAR
Research Associate16,200 ZAR
SAP Resource Manager38,100 ZAR
Talent Acquisition Manager46,100 ZAR
Talent Acquisition Specialist27,100 ZAR
Talent Brand Manager39,600 ZAR
Talent Management Officer21,800 ZAR
Technical Recruiter21,800 ZAR
Training Administrator20,800 ZAR
Training and Development Manager45,700 ZAR
Training and Development Section Head37,100 ZAR
Training Executive38,100 ZAR
Training Manager45,800 ZAR
Training Officer18,300 ZAR
Training Specialist28,600 ZAR
Workforce Planning Analyst31,100 ZAR


Human Resources Jobs Pay Scale and Salaries in South Africa

Median and salary distribution South Africa Human Resources monthly
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Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison

5% of people earn
27,300 ZAR or more
10% of people earn
23,600 to 27,300 ZAR
20% of people earn
15,300 ZAR or less
65% of people earn
15,300 to 23,600 ZAR
Minimum Salary
12,500 ZAR
Median
26,800 ZAR
Maximum
51,000 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 Human Resources in South Africa range from 12,500 ZAR (starting average salary) to 51,000 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 Human Resources is 26,800 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 Human Resources in South Africa earn less than 21,200 ZAR, while 75% of them earn more. Additionally, the diagram reveals that 75% of individuals earn less than 31,500 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 Human Resources in South Africa. The analysis revealed that roughly 65% of all reported salaries fell within the range of 15,300 ZAR to 23,600 ZAR. Approximately 20% of salaries were below the 15,300 ZAR mark, while 10% ranged from 23,600 ZAR to 27,300 ZAR. Only 5% of individuals earned a gross salary of 27,300 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 Human Resources 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 Human Resources 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 / Human Resources / South Africa

Salary comparison by gender South Africa Human Resources 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 Human Resources in South Africa, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 8%.

Male
31,300 ZAR
Female-7%
29,000 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 / Human Resources / South Africa

How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for individuals working in Human Resources? How often do employees get salary raises?

Professionals working in Human Resources in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 9% every 17 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 18 months.

Annual Salary Increment Rate South Africa Human Resources
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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 / Human Resources / South Africa

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate South Africa Human Resources
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50% of surveyed staff in Human Resources reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 50% 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
50%
No Bonus
50%

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 / Human Resources / South Africa


170 ZAR per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Human Resources in South Africa is 170 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 Human Resources in South Africa is 72 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
Bloemfontein29,100 ZAR
Cape Town34,900 ZAR
Durban33,300 ZAR
Johannesburg32,100 ZAR
Port Elizabeth30,300 ZAR
Pretoria31,500 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 in Human Resources in South Africa?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 26,800 ZAR and 31,500 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 Human Resources in South Africa ranges from 12,500 ZAR to 21,200 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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