A person working in Cape Town typically earns around 36,400 ZAR. Salaries range from 9,170 ZAR (lowest average) to 162,000 ZAR (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries in Cape Town vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Minimum Salary 9,170 ZAR |
Median 32,600 ZAR |
Maximum 162,000 ZAR |
Salaries in Cape Town range from 9,170 ZAR (starting salary) to 162,000 ZAR (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher). This is not the minimum wage as per the law, only the lowest reported number in the salary survey that had thousands of participants and professionals from all over the country.
The median salary is 32,600 ZAR, which means that 50% of the population in Cape Town earns less than that while the other half earns more. 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.
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of the population in Cape Town earn less than 23,500 ZAR while 75% of them earn more. Also from the diagram, 75% of the population earn less than 49,400 ZAR while 25% earn more than that.
We grouped the most common and recurring salaries into brackets to give more insight into what salary to expect. This method is more accurate than just the average salary and gives more insights into how salaries are actually distributed in Cape Town. Around 65% of all reported figures are in the range 21,600 ZAR to 55,500 ZAR. Approximately 20% fall under the 21,600 ZAR cap. Ten percent of wages are from 55,500 ZAR to 70,900 ZAR. Only 5% of people grossed 70,900 ZAR or more.
Salary is primarily determined by the level of experience one possesses, with higher levels of experience resulting in higher wages.
In Cape Town, employees with two to five years of experience typically earn an average of 32% more than entry-level and junior workers in all industries and fields.
Individuals with more than five years of experience tend to earn an average of 36% more than those with less than five years of experience.
After ten years of work, salaries increase by 21%, with an additional 14% increase for those who have worked for over 15 years.
These figures should be used as rough estimates, as considering individual job titles can lead to more accurate assessments.
The correlation between higher education and higher salary is widely acknowledged, but how much of an income increase can one expect from obtaining a degree?
We conducted a study in Cape Town comparing the salaries of professionals with different levels of college degrees who held similar positions in various industries.
Our results showed that individuals with a certificate or diploma earned an average of 17% more than those who only completed high school.
Those who obtained a Bachelor's Degree earned 24% more than their counterparts with a certificate or diploma.
Professionals with a Master's Degree earned 29% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.
Finally, those who held a PhD earned an average of 23% more than those with a Master's Degree while performing the same job.
Earning a Master's degree or any post-graduate qualification in South Africa is a substantial financial commitment, with tuition fees ranging from 156,000 ZAR to 469,000 ZAR and a duration of around two years. It's important to note that during this period, any salary increases are unlikely, assuming ongoing employment. Salary reviews are typically conducted after completing the program and obtaining the degree.
Many individuals pursue advanced education as a means of transitioning to higher-paying positions, and the statistics indicate that this is an effective strategy. On average, individuals who change jobs after earning a higher degree receive a salary increase of about 10% more than the typical annual raise.
Ultimately, deciding whether or not to pursue advanced education depends on a variety of factors, including the personal situation and experience. However, if one can afford the financial costs of obtaining a higher degree, the return on investment is likely to be worthwhile, with the ability to recoup the costs in approximately a year.
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? In South Africa, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 8% across all career fields.
Male | 32,600 ZAR | |
Female | -7% | 30,300 ZAR |
Employees in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 8% every 18 months.
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.
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
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.
100% of surveyed staff in South Africa reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while % said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from % to % of their annual salary.
Received Bonus | % | |
No Bonus | 100% |
The 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.
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.
Finance | High | |
Architecture | High | |
Sales | High | |
Business Development | High | |
Marketing / Advertising | High | |
Information Technology | Moderate | |
Healthcare | Moderate | |
Insurance | Moderate | |
Customer Service | Moderate | |
Human Resources | Moderate | |
Construction | Low | |
Transport | Low | |
Hospitality | Low |
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.
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.
Job Title | Average Salary |
Accounting and Finance | |
Accountant | 25,600 ZAR |
Accounting Assistant | 19,200 ZAR |
Accounting Manager | 53,900 ZAR |
Bookkeeper | 15,900 ZAR |
Chartered Accountant | 32,000 ZAR |
Corporate Treasurer | 47,000 ZAR |
Financial Analyst | 44,600 ZAR |
Financial Manager | 73,700 ZAR |
Internal Auditor | 35,300 ZAR |
Administration / Reception / Secretarial | |
Administrative Assistant | 18,300 ZAR |
Office Manager | 31,300 ZAR |
Receptionist | 16,700 ZAR |
Secretary | 16,600 ZAR |
Advertising / Graphic Design / Events | |
Art Director | 35,400 ZAR |
Creative Director | 35,200 ZAR |
Graphic Designer | 21,900 ZAR |
Photographer | 19,600 ZAR |
Airlines / Aviation / Aerospace / Defense | |
Aerospace Engineer | 46,600 ZAR |
Air Traffic Controller | 38,300 ZAR |
Flight Attendant | 23,400 ZAR |
Pilot | 63,500 ZAR |
Architecture | |
Architect | 41,400 ZAR |
CAD Drafter | 18,000 ZAR |
Automotive | |
Mechanic | 12,800 ZAR |
Service Advisor | 23,800 ZAR |
Banking | |
Bank Branch Manager | 63,200 ZAR |
Teller | 13,500 ZAR |
Bilingual | |
Teacher | 28,300 ZAR |
Translator | 32,000 ZAR |
Business Planning | |
Business Analyst | 43,900 ZAR |
Business Development Manager | 55,900 ZAR |
Project Manager | 45,100 ZAR |
Care Giving and Child Care | |
Nanny | 14,300 ZAR |
Nursery Teacher | 12,900 ZAR |
Construction / Building / Installation | |
Civil Engineer | 33,300 ZAR |
Construction Project Manager | 61,000 ZAR |
Health and Safety Officer | 15,900 ZAR |
Customer Service and Call Center | |
Call Center Representative | 13,700 ZAR |
Customer Service Manager | 49,500 ZAR |
Customer Service Representative | 13,200 ZAR |
Engineering | |
Civil Engineer | 32,200 ZAR |
Electrical Engineer | 33,200 ZAR |
Engineer | 32,400 ZAR |
Mechanical Engineer | 34,000 ZAR |
Executive and Management | |
Chief Executive Officer | 76,700 ZAR |
Chief Financial Officer | 72,900 ZAR |
General Manager | 64,200 ZAR |
Project Manager | 40,400 ZAR |
Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering | |
Chef | 22,000 ZAR |
Executive Chef | 25,800 ZAR |
Hotel Manager | 66,200 ZAR |
Receptionist | 13,900 ZAR |
Travel Agent | 23,500 ZAR |
Waiter / Waitress | 11,300 ZAR |
Health and Medical | |
Dentist | 84,400 ZAR |
Dietitian | 66,800 ZAR |
Laboratory Technician | 27,000 ZAR |
Nurse | 27,600 ZAR |
Human Resources | |
Human Resources Manager | 53,900 ZAR |
Human Resources Officer | 22,100 ZAR |
Information Technology | |
Computer Technician | 27,100 ZAR |
Database Administrator | 34,500 ZAR |
Developer / Programmer | 34,800 ZAR |
Information Technology Manager | 58,800 ZAR |
Network Engineer | 29,900 ZAR |
Law Enforcement / Security / Fire | |
Police Officer | 20,900 ZAR |
Legal | |
Attorney | 68,100 ZAR |
Legal Assistant | 19,400 ZAR |
Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment | |
Journalist | 40,000 ZAR |
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology | |
Biomedical Engineer | 31,600 ZAR |
Pharmacist | 43,600 ZAR |
Sales Retail and Wholesale | |
Cashier | 13,600 ZAR |
Sales Manager | 61,300 ZAR |
Sales Representative | 22,100 ZAR |
Teaching / Education | |
Elementary School Teacher | 25,100 ZAR |
Secondary School Teacher | 27,800 ZAR |
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.
The minimum pay rate per hour for a person in Cape Town is 53 ZAR. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
City | Average Salary |
Bloemfontein | 30,400 ZAR |
Cape Town | 36,400 ZAR |
Durban | 34,800 ZAR |
Johannesburg | 33,500 ZAR |
Port Elizabeth | 31,600 ZAR |
Pretoria | 32,800 ZAR |
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 |
It is extremely difficult to give an exact figure of a good salary when no specific job is selected, however; an estimate can be provided based purely on the cost of living. A good compensation in Cape Town would range anywhere between 32,600 ZAR and 49,400 ZAR.
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.
The base salary in Cape Town ranges from 9,170 ZAR to 23,500 ZAR. The base salary depends on many factors including profession, experience, and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.
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