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Pilot Average Salary in South Africa 2024

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


Average Monthly Salary
57,700 ZAR
( 693,000 ZAR yearly)

LOW
28,300
ZAR
AVERAGE
57,700
ZAR
HIGH
90,000
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 as Pilot in South Africa typically earns around 57,700 ZAR. Salaries range from 28,300 ZAR (lowest) to 90,000 ZAR (highest).


Salary Variance

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



Pilot Pay Scale and Salaries in South Africa

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

5% of people earn
53,500 ZAR or more
10% of people earn
47,300 to 53,500 ZAR
20% of people earn
33,600 ZAR or less
65% of people earn
33,600 to 47,300 ZAR
Minimum Salary
28,300 ZAR
Median
53,800 ZAR
Maximum
90,000 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 for the position Pilot in South Africa range from 28,300 ZAR (starting salary) to 90,000 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 53,800 ZAR, half of the professionals who work as Pilot 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 Pilot in South Africa earn less than 44,000 ZAR, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 61,600 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 Pilot in South Africa compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 33,600 ZAR to 47,300 ZAR. About 20% of salaries are below the 33,600 ZAR mark, while 10% fall within the range of 47,300 ZAR to 53,500 ZAR. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 53,500 ZAR.

Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Pilot / South Africa

How do experience and age affect pay?

0 - 2 Years
33,500 ZAR
2 - 5 Years+29%
43,100 ZAR
5 - 10 Years+38%
59,500 ZAR
10 - 15 Years+24%
73,700 ZAR
15 - 20 Years+7%
78,900 ZAR
20+ Years+7%
84,200 ZAR
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary comparison by years of experience monthly South Africa Pilot
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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. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Pilot 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 33,500 ZAR.

While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 43,100 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 59,500 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 73,700 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 78,900 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 84,200 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
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Salary Comparison By Education / Pilot / South Africa

How do education levels affect salaries?

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

Certificate or Diploma
43,100 ZAR
Bachelor's Degree+34%
57,900 ZAR
Master's Degree+53%
88,800 ZAR
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary comparison by education level monthly South Africa Pilot
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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 Pilot in order to make a comparison.


Level 1: Certificate or Diploma

Employees at this education level have an average salary of 43,100 ZAR.


Level 2: Bachelor's Degree

At this level, the average salary becomes 57,900 ZAR, 34% more than the previous level.


Level 3: Master's Degree

At this level, the average salary becomes 88,800 ZAR, 53% 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
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Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Pilot / South Africa

Salary comparison by gender South Africa Pilot 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? For the people who work as Pilot in South Africa, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 8%.

Male
59,600 ZAR
Female-7%
55,200 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 / Pilot / South Africa

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

Individuals working as Pilot in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 12% 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 Pilot
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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 / Pilot / South Africa

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate South Africa Pilot
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18% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 82% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.

Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 5% to 9% of their annual salary.

Received Bonus
82%
No Bonus
18%

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 / Pilot / South Africa


330 ZAR per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Pilot in South Africa is 330 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 Pilot in South Africa is 160 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
Airlines / Aviation / Aerospace / Defense-100%
Aeronautical Engineer35,800 ZAR-38%
Aerospace Engineer41,900 ZAR-27%
Aerospace Technician32,300 ZAR-44%
Air Crew Member20,500 ZAR-64%
Air Crew Officer22,000 ZAR-62%
Air Traffic Assistant19,100 ZAR-67%
Air Traffic Controller36,000 ZAR-38%
Air Traffic Management Automation Engineer37,500 ZAR-35%
Aircraft 3D Printing Technician30,800 ZAR-47%
Aircraft Assembler17,200 ZAR-70%
Aircraft Body Repairer15,200 ZAR-74%
Aircraft Cabin Interior Designer36,100 ZAR-37%
Aircraft Captain54,100 ZAR-6%
Aircraft Cybersecurity Specialist40,300 ZAR-30%
Aircraft Electrician18,300 ZAR-68%
Aircraft Electronics Techician18,200 ZAR-68%
Aircraft Engineer35,400 ZAR-39%
Aircraft Fueler15,300 ZAR-73%
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer32,900 ZAR-43%
Aircraft Maintenance Manager53,500 ZAR-7%
Aircraft Maintenance Supervisor35,100 ZAR-39%
Aircraft Maintenance Technician16,000 ZAR-72%
Aircraft Mechanic17,400 ZAR-70%
Aircraft Pilot56,700 ZAR-2%
Aircraft Pneudraulics Repairer16,800 ZAR-71%
Aircraft Quality Assurance45,500 ZAR-21%
Aircraft Rigging Assembler16,800 ZAR-71%
Aircraft Service Technician15,800 ZAR-73%
Airfield Management Specialist51,000 ZAR-12%
Airfield Operations Specialist38,400 ZAR-33%
Airline Augmented Reality Developer30,300 ZAR-48%
Airline Cabin Crew33,100 ZAR-43%
Airline Copilot37,200 ZAR-36%
Airline Customer Experience Designer35,800 ZAR-38%
Airline Data Analyst34,000 ZAR-41%
Airline Pilot57,200 ZAR-1%
Airlines Sales Director66,400 ZAR+15%
Airlines Sales Manager61,500 ZAR+7%
Airlines Structural Assembler15,100 ZAR-74%
Airport Services Agent21,200 ZAR-63%
Airport Services Manager64,900 ZAR+12%
Airport Services Supervisor40,500 ZAR-30%
Airport Sustainability Manager44,500 ZAR-23%
Assistant Aircraft Mechanic14,900 ZAR-74%
Autonomous Air Taxi Coordinator20,100 ZAR-65%
Aviation Analyst44,700 ZAR-23%
Aviation Biofuel Specialist34,100 ZAR-41%
Aviation Engineer33,300 ZAR-42%
Aviation Inspector36,800 ZAR-36%
Aviation Manager69,600 ZAR+21%
Aviation Operations Controller37,500 ZAR-35%
Aviation Resources Manager56,700 ZAR-2%
Aviation Safety Assistant18,900 ZAR-67%
Aviation Safety Manager64,200 ZAR+11%
Aviation Safety Officer34,600 ZAR-40%
Aviation Security Specialist39,300 ZAR-32%
Aviation Sustainability Consultant43,700 ZAR-24%
Aviation Technician15,900 ZAR-72%
Aviation Training Specialist34,300 ZAR-41%
Cargo and Freight Agent14,900 ZAR-74%
Cargo Executive30,400 ZAR-47%
Chief Pilot59,900 ZAR+4%
Drone Compliance Officer33,500 ZAR-42%
Drone Delivery Specialist29,800 ZAR-48%
Drone Emergency Response Coordinator27,600 ZAR-52%
Drone Engineer29,800 ZAR-48%
Drone Event Coordinator27,700 ZAR-52%
Drone Fleet Manager35,700 ZAR-38%
Drone Geospatial Analyst33,100 ZAR-43%
Drone Infrastructure Engineer35,000 ZAR-39%
Drone Inspection Specialist30,100 ZAR-48%
Drone Inspector29,400 ZAR-49%
Drone Insurance Underwriter25,200 ZAR-56%
Drone Light Show Choreographer27,800 ZAR-52%
Drone Operator / Pilot22,300 ZAR-61%
Drone Payload Specialist25,200 ZAR-56%
Drone Pilot Instructor27,600 ZAR-52%
Drone Security Specialist31,300 ZAR-46%
Drone Software Engineer29,300 ZAR-49%
Drone Surveyor24,700 ZAR-57%
Drone Technician20,400 ZAR-65%
Drone Traffic Controller21,700 ZAR-62%
Drone Traffic Management Specialist31,800 ZAR-45%
Drone Traffic Safety Engineer30,400 ZAR-47%
Drone Videographer26,700 ZAR-54%
First Officer24,800 ZAR-57%
Fleet Controller53,700 ZAR-7%
Fleet Management Officer21,800 ZAR-62%
Flight Attendant23,000 ZAR-60%
Flight Planner30,900 ZAR-46%
Flight Scheduler28,000 ZAR-51%
Flight Simulation Engineer30,900 ZAR-46%
Freight and Cargo Inspector23,800 ZAR-59%
Helicopter Pilot37,500 ZAR-35%
Loading Bridge Operator13,700 ZAR-76%
Pilot57,700 ZAR-0%
Ramp Agent15,100 ZAR-74%
Reservations Sales Agent19,100 ZAR-67%
Safety and Quality Specialist33,500 ZAR-42%
Test Pilot41,400 ZAR-28%
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operator25,600 ZAR-56%
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technician24,100 ZAR-58%
Virtual / Augmented Reality Flight Simulator Designer34,100 ZAR-41%

Salary Comparison By City

CityAverage Salary
Cape Town63,500 ZAR
Johannesburg56,000 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 Pilot in South Africa?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 53,800 ZAR and 61,600 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 Pilot in South Africa ranges from 28,300 ZAR to 44,000 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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