Computer Operator Average Salary in South Africa 2021
How much money does a Computer Operator make in South Africa?
LOW
10,500
ZAR AVERAGE
21,500
ZAR HIGH
33,500
ZAR
A person working as a Computer Operator in South Africa typically earns around 21,500 ZAR per month. Salaries range from 10,500 ZAR (lowest) to 33,500 ZAR (highest).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Computer Operator salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Computer Operator Salary Distribution in South Africa
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
Salary Range
Computer Operator salaries in South Africa range from 10,500 ZAR per month (minimum salary) to 33,500 ZAR per month (maximum salary).
Median Salary
The median salary is 21,900 ZAR per month, which means that half (50%) of people working as Computer Operator(s) are earning less than 21,900 ZAR while the other half are earning more than 21,900 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 Computer Operator(s) are earning less than 14,600 ZAR while 75% of them are earning more than 14,600 ZAR. Also from the diagram, 75% of Computer Operator(s) are earning less than 28,300 ZAR while 25% are earning more than 28,300 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
Computer Operator 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 Computer Operator salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
A Computer Operator with less than two years of experience makes approximately 12,500 ZAR per month.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 16,000 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 22,100 ZAR per month, 38% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Computer Operator(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 27,400 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 29,400 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 31,300 ZAR per month, 7% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Computer Operator average salary change by experience in South Africa
| 0 - 2 Years | 12,500 ZAR | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +29% | 16,000 ZAR |
| 5 - 10 Years | +38% | 22,100 ZAR |
| 10 - 15 Years | +24% | 27,400 ZAR |
| 15 - 20 Years | +7% | 29,400 ZAR |
| 20+ Years | +7% | 31,300 ZAR |
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Computer Operator Salary Comparison By Education
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary difference between different Computer Operator(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 Computer Operator salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is Certificate or Diploma, the average salary of a Computer Operator is 17,600 ZAR per month.
While someone with a Bachelor's Degree gets a salary of 27,100 ZAR per month, 53% more than someone having a Certificate or Diploma degree.
Computer Operator average salary difference by education level in South Africa
| Certificate or Diploma | 17,600 ZAR | |
| Bachelor's Degree | +53% | 27,100 ZAR |
Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers
Computer Operator 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 Computer Operator employees in South Africa earn 8% more than their female counterparts on average.
| Male | 22,200 ZAR | |
| Female | -7% | 20,500 ZAR |
Salary Comparison By Gender in South Africa for all Careers
Computer Operator Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in South Africa
How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for Computer Operator(s)? How often do employees get salary raises?
Computer Operator
Computer Operator(s) in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 10% every 19 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 2020
| 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 2020. 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
Computer Operator Bonus and Incentive Rates in South Africa
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
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A Computer Operator is considered to be a low 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.
70% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 30% 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 | 30% | |
| No Bonus | 70% |
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.
Computer Operator Average Hourly Wage in South Africa
120 ZAR per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) in South Africa is 120 ZAR. This means that the average Computer Operator in South Africa earns approximately 120 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.
Computer Operator VS Other Jobs
The average salary for Computer Operator is 22% less than that of Other IT. Also, Other IT salaries are 12% less than those of Information Technology.
Salary comparison with similar jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Applications System Specialist | 27,500 ZAR |  +28% |
| Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist | 39,800 ZAR | +85% |
| Artificial Intelligence Developer | 39,800 ZAR | +85% |
| Blockchain Associate | 30,700 ZAR | +43% |
| Blockchain Developer | 28,700 ZAR | +34% |
| Computer Animator | 27,500 ZAR | +28% |
| Computer Hardware Engineer | 25,500 ZAR | +19% |
| Computer Operator | 21,500 ZAR | +0% |
| Computer Technician | 24,700 ZAR | +15% |
| Copy Editor | 26,400 ZAR | +23% |
| Data Center Technician | 27,500 ZAR | +28% |
| Documentation Specialist | 27,600 ZAR | +28% |
| Ethical Hacker | 28,300 ZAR | +32% |
| GIS Analyst | 27,400 ZAR | +28% |
| Global BI Analyst | 32,600 ZAR | +52% |
| Hardware Design Engineer | 29,200 ZAR | +36% |
| Hardware Technician | 23,400 ZAR | +9% |
| Help Desk Analyst | 31,000 ZAR | +44% |
| Informatics Optimization Specialist | 31,800 ZAR | +48% |
| Information Assurance Analyst | 32,300 ZAR | +50% |
| Information Technology Infrastructure Engineer | 27,900 ZAR | +30% |
| Information Technology Quality Specialist | 31,800 ZAR | +48% |
| Information Technology Trainer | 32,800 ZAR | +53% |
| Interface Designer | 25,600 ZAR | +19% |
| Microsystems Engineer | 30,400 ZAR | +42% |
| Numerical Control Programmer | 25,900 ZAR | +21% |
| Records Manager | 27,500 ZAR | +28% |
| Scrum Master | 24,400 ZAR | +14% |
| Software Sales | 28,500 ZAR | +33% |
| Software Specialist | 26,500 ZAR | +23% |
| Storage Engineer | 26,600 ZAR | +24% |
| Systems Engineer | 24,800 ZAR | +15% |
| Systems Integrator | 29,900 ZAR | +39% |
| Technical Sales | 30,600 ZAR | +42% |
| Technical Trainer | 32,300 ZAR | +50% |
| Technical Writer | 28,200 ZAR | +31% |
| Tester | 26,600 ZAR | +24% |
| Usability Engineer | 28,800 ZAR | +34% |
| User Experience Consultant | 33,500 ZAR | +56% |
| User Experience Design Expert | 31,600 ZAR | +47% |
| User Experience Researcher | 31,800 ZAR | +48% |
| User Interface Designer | 28,900 ZAR | +35% |
| Video Game Designer | 26,300 ZAR | +22% |
| Visual Information Specialist | 27,900 ZAR | +30% |
| Writer and Documentor | 27,900 ZAR | +30% |
Salary Comparison By City
| City | Average Salary |
| Bloemfontein | 19,000 ZAR |
| Cape Town | 24,600 ZAR |
| Durban | 22,300 ZAR |
| Johannesburg | 22,500 ZAR |
| Port Elizabeth | 20,000 ZAR |
| Pretoria | 20,900 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 |
