HOME BROWSE SALARIES ARTICLES BEST PAYING JOBS SUBMIT SALARY
Browse Salaries
Best Paying Jobs
Articles
Submit Salary
Salary Increase Letters

Journalist Average Salary in South Africa 2024

How much money does a person working as Journalist make in South Africa?


Average Monthly Salary
38,300 ZAR
( 460,000 ZAR yearly)

LOW
18,800
ZAR
AVERAGE
38,300
ZAR
HIGH
59,800
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 Journalist in South Africa typically earns around 38,300 ZAR. Salaries range from 18,800 ZAR (lowest) to 59,800 ZAR (highest).


Salary Variance

This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Journalist 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.



Journalist Pay Scale and Salaries in South Africa

Median and salary distribution South Africa Journalist monthly
Share This Chart
        Get Chart Linkhttp://www.salaryexplorer.com/charts/south-africa/media-broadcasting-arts-entertainment/journalist/median-and-salary-distribution-monthly-south-africa-journalist.jpg

Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison

5% of people earn
35,500 ZAR or more
10% of people earn
31,400 to 35,500 ZAR
20% of people earn
22,300 ZAR or less
65% of people earn
22,300 to 31,400 ZAR
Minimum Salary
18,800 ZAR
Median
35,800 ZAR
Maximum
59,800 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 Journalist in South Africa range from 18,800 ZAR (starting salary) to 59,800 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 35,800 ZAR, half of the professionals who work as Journalist 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 Journalist in South Africa earn less than 29,200 ZAR, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 40,900 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 Journalist in South Africa compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 22,300 ZAR to 31,400 ZAR. About 20% of salaries are below the 22,300 ZAR mark, while 10% fall within the range of 31,400 ZAR to 35,500 ZAR. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 35,500 ZAR.

Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Journalist / South Africa

How do experience and age affect pay?

0 - 2 Years
22,300 ZAR
2 - 5 Years+29%
28,600 ZAR
5 - 10 Years+38%
39,500 ZAR
10 - 15 Years+24%
48,900 ZAR
15 - 20 Years+7%
52,400 ZAR
20+ Years+7%
55,900 ZAR
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary comparison by years of experience monthly South Africa Journalist
Share This Chart
        Get Chart Linkhttp://www.salaryexplorer.com/charts/south-africa/media-broadcasting-arts-entertainment/journalist/salary-comparison-by-years-of-experience-monthly-south-africa-journalist.jpg

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 Journalist 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 22,300 ZAR.

While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 28,600 ZAR, 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 39,500 ZAR, 38% 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 48,900 ZAR, 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 52,400 ZAR, 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 55,900 ZAR, 7% 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
Share This Chart
        Get Chart Linkhttp://www.salaryexplorer.com/images/salary-by-experience.jpg

Salary Comparison By Education / Journalist / South Africa

How do education levels affect salaries?

Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Journalist.

High School
27,800 ZAR
Certificate or Diploma+15%
31,900 ZAR
Bachelor's Degree+35%
43,000 ZAR
Master's Degree+26%
54,100 ZAR
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary comparison by education level monthly South Africa Journalist
Share This Chart
        Get Chart Linkhttp://www.salaryexplorer.com/charts/south-africa/media-broadcasting-arts-entertainment/journalist/salary-comparison-by-education-level-monthly-south-africa-journalist.jpg

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 Journalist in order to make a comparison.


Level 1: High School

Employees at this education level have an average salary of 27,800 ZAR.


Level 2: Certificate or Diploma

At this level, the average salary becomes 31,900 ZAR, 15% more than the previous level.


Level 3: Bachelor's Degree

At this level, the average salary becomes 43,000 ZAR, 35% more than the previous level.


Level 4: Master's Degree

At this level, the average salary becomes 54,100 ZAR, 26% 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
Share This Chart
        Get Chart Linkhttp://www.salaryexplorer.com/images/salary-comparison-by-education.jpg


Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Journalist / South Africa

Salary comparison by gender South Africa Journalist monthly
Share This Chart
        Get Chart Linkhttp://www.salaryexplorer.com/charts/south-africa/media-broadcasting-arts-entertainment/journalist/salary-comparison-by-gender-monthly-south-africa-journalist.jpg

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 Journalist in South Africa, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 8%.

Male
39,600 ZAR
Female-7%
36,700 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
Share This Chart
        Get Chart Linkhttp://www.salaryexplorer.com/charts/south-africa/salary-comparison-by-gender-monthly-south-africa.jpg


Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Journalist / South Africa

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

Individuals working as Journalist in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 12% every 18 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 18 months.

Annual Salary Increment Rate South Africa Journalist
Share This Chart
        Get Chart Linkhttp://www.salaryexplorer.com/charts/south-africa/media-broadcasting-arts-entertainment/journalist/annual-salary-increment-rate-south-africa-journalist.jpg


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
Share This Chart
        Get Chart Linkhttp://www.salaryexplorer.com/charts/south-africa/annual-salary-increment-rate-south-africa.jpg

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
Share This Chart
        Get Chart Linkhttp://www.salaryexplorer.com/images/salary-increment-world.jpg

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 / Journalist / South Africa

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate South Africa Journalist
Share This Chart
        Get Chart Linkhttp://www.salaryexplorer.com/charts/south-africa/media-broadcasting-arts-entertainment/journalist/annual-salary-bonus-rate-south-africa-journalist.jpg

44% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 56% 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
56%
No Bonus
44%

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 / Journalist / South Africa


220 ZAR per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Journalist in South Africa is 220 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 Journalist in South Africa is 110 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
Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment-100%
3D Artist29,900 ZAR-22%
3D Designer28,200 ZAR-26%
3D Generalist23,600 ZAR-38%
3D Visualization Specialist28,400 ZAR-26%
Acrobatic Rigger19,700 ZAR-49%
Actor38,700 ZAR+1%
Art Administrator31,200 ZAR-19%
Art Director38,300 ZAR-0%
Art Lead39,100 ZAR+2%
Artificial Intelligence Generated Art Creator28,900 ZAR-25%
Associate Media Director33,100 ZAR-14%
Associate Producer43,400 ZAR+13%
Broadcast and Sound Engineer25,800 ZAR-33%
Broadcast Associate21,400 ZAR-44%
Broadcast News Analyst30,200 ZAR-21%
Broadcast Technician17,900 ZAR-53%
Broadcasting Journalist36,900 ZAR-4%
Broadcasting Presenter38,900 ZAR+1%
Camera Equipment Repairer20,500 ZAR-47%
Camera Operator18,000 ZAR-53%
Cartoonist / Animator27,900 ZAR-27%
CAS Engineer31,000 ZAR-19%
Censorship Executive33,900 ZAR-12%
Chief Social Media Officer46,600 ZAR+22%
Choreographer26,300 ZAR-31%
Colorist15,300 ZAR-60%
Communications Manager43,000 ZAR+12%
Content Moderator25,400 ZAR-34%
Correspondent32,900 ZAR-14%
Dance Director30,900 ZAR-19%
Dancer27,500 ZAR-28%
Digital Content Manager40,900 ZAR+7%
Digital Music Promoter35,800 ZAR-7%
Director of Photography32,200 ZAR-16%
Disc Jockey19,400 ZAR-49%
Drone Cinematographer29,100 ZAR-24%
Editorial Assistant17,100 ZAR-55%
Events Manager30,000 ZAR-22%
Graphic Designer21,100 ZAR-45%
Illustrator23,700 ZAR-38%
Industrial Designer19,900 ZAR-48%
Influencer Marketing Manager40,600 ZAR+6%
Influencer Outreach Specialist31,700 ZAR-17%
Instructional Designer18,100 ZAR-53%
Internet Community Manager28,400 ZAR-26%
Internet Radio Producer43,600 ZAR+14%
Journalist38,300 ZAR-0%
Live Streaming Moderator25,000 ZAR-35%
Live Streaming Producer37,600 ZAR-2%
Live Streaming Specialist28,900 ZAR-25%
Makeup Artist19,500 ZAR-49%
Media Design Manager52,100 ZAR+36%
Media Equipment Operator17,100 ZAR-55%
Media Operations Manager40,600 ZAR+6%
Media Planner27,800 ZAR-27%
Media Producer37,900 ZAR-1%
Media Product Development Manager51,400 ZAR+34%
Media Production Manager50,200 ZAR+31%
Media Program Director56,400 ZAR+47%
Media Relation Executive57,700 ZAR+51%
Media Relations Manager53,200 ZAR+39%
Media Sales Manager58,500 ZAR+53%
Movement and Dance Coordinator29,700 ZAR-23%
Multimedia Coordinator20,600 ZAR-46%
Multimedia Designer20,600 ZAR-46%
Music Consultant26,000 ZAR-32%
Music Producer43,600 ZAR+14%
Musician21,900 ZAR-43%
News Associate27,100 ZAR-29%
News Reporter35,900 ZAR-6%
Online Community Moderator25,600 ZAR-33%
Podcast Advertising Specialist29,400 ZAR-23%
Podcast Producer31,000 ZAR-19%
Post Production Assistant17,800 ZAR-54%
Producer49,700 ZAR+30%
Product Designer20,400 ZAR-47%
Product Planner26,900 ZAR-30%
Production Artist27,400 ZAR-29%
Production Assistant18,700 ZAR-51%
Production Director43,100 ZAR+12%
Production Technician17,800 ZAR-54%
Program Researcher33,900 ZAR-12%
Promotion Coordinator25,200 ZAR-34%
Social Media Compliance Manager34,800 ZAR-9%
Social Media Compliance Officer29,800 ZAR-22%
Sound Engineer26,000 ZAR-32%
Sound Engineering Technician15,600 ZAR-59%
Stage Technician15,800 ZAR-59%
Sub Editor19,200 ZAR-50%
Television Executive Producer59,500 ZAR+55%
Transmission Engineer27,300 ZAR-29%
Video Editor22,200 ZAR-42%
Video Producer28,900 ZAR-25%
Videographer27,200 ZAR-29%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Content Creator47,200 ZAR+23%
Virtual Set Designer30,600 ZAR-20%
Virtual Staging Specialist31,600 ZAR-18%
Visual Designer27,300 ZAR-29%
Visual Effects Artist28,900 ZAR-25%
Voiceover Artist25,700 ZAR-33%

Salary Comparison By City

CityAverage Salary
Cape Town40,000 ZAR
Johannesburg36,600 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 Journalist in South Africa?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 35,800 ZAR and 40,900 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 Journalist in South Africa ranges from 18,800 ZAR to 29,200 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


Browse Salaries

Salary Increase Letters

Best Paying Jobs
Home BROWSE SALARIES ARTICLES BEST PAYING JOBS Salary Comparison Arabic

©Salary Explorer 2024