Top 30 highest-paying jobs and professions in South Africa 2024

Top 30 highest-paying jobs and professions in South Africa 2024

Like every other country in the world, South Africa has a working population that drives its economy. Qualified adults work in various fields and industries, white and blue-collar. Some professions have higher salaries than others. Discover the highest-paying jobs in the country.

highest-paying jobs
Highest-paying jobs. Photo: pexels.com, @Pixabay (modified by author)
Source: UGC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Some careers are professions are considered more prestigious than others. They bring in more money than others. The information technology, business, management, and finance sectors are currently South Africa's most sought-after sectors. The highest-paying jobs in the country rake in thousands or millions of SA Rand annually.

The highest-paying jobs in SA

Below is a look at the top 30 highest-paying jobs in South Africa today. Some will surprise you. Kindly note that these are average figures.

30. Tax consultant - R236,525 pa

A tax consultant advises and guides clients on tax-related matters. They work with individuals and organisations to ensure they comply with tax requirements. They earn about R236,525 pa.

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29. Lawyer - R237,511 pa

Lawyers are professionals qualified to offer advice about the law or represent someone in legal matters. They can be called attorneys, solicitors, counsellors, or barristers. In SA, the base pay for a lawyer is R237,511 pa.

28. Air traffic controller - R254,453 pa

An air traffic controller helps guide planes both in the sky and on the ground. They use technology that allows them to see all air traffic in a given area. These experts make about R254,453 pa.

27. Digital marketing specialist - R261,580 pa

A digital marketing specialist plans digital marketing campaigns across multiple channels. They create and publish written and visual content to support marketing initiatives and optimise their marketing funnels to performance. These professionals earn about R261,580 pa.

26. Architect - R281,039 pa

One of the highest-paying jobs in South Africa is in architecture. Many people want qualified architects to design their dream homes or commercial properties. The base pay for these professionals is R281,039 pa.

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25. Industrial engineer - R309,549 pa

Industrial engineers develop job evaluation programmes. They also find ways to eliminate wastefulness in production processes. They have an average annual salary of R309,549 pa.

24. Pilot - R310,917 pa

The base salary for a commercial pilot is R310,917 pa. The amount increases with experience. Pilots are in charge of flying various types of aircraft within SA and beyond the country's borders.

top 30 highest-paying jobs in south africa
Top 30 highest-paying jobs in South Africa. Photo: pexels.com, @Magda Ehlers
Source: UGC

23. Sales manager - R313,799 pa

A sales manager is a professional responsible for the success of their company’s sales department. They set goals for their team and produce monthly forecasting reports to see how well they are doing in relation to the set targets. A sales manager in SA has a base pay of R313,799 pa.

22. Economist - R330,438 pa

An economist is a professional and practitioner in the social science discipline of economics. This individual is instrumental in the growth of a company. They earn about R330,438 pa.

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21. Mechanical engineer - R351,497 pa

Mechanical engineers design power-producing machines, e.g., electric generators, internal combustion engines, and steam and gas turbines. Their average annual income is R351,497.

20. Software engineer - R388,254 pa

A software engineer applies the principles of software engineering to design, develop, maintain, test, and evaluate computer software. The demand for reliable software in SA soars every day because all businesses and companies are digitising their services. A software engineer makes about R388,254 pa.

19. Human resource manager - R392,160 pa

A human resource Manager leads and directs the routine functions of the human resources department. They also hire and interview staff. A human resource manager in SA has an average salary of R392,160 pa.

18. Project manager - R399,060 pa

A project manager is responsible for delivering the project. They lead and manage the project team with authority and responsibility. They also run the project on a day-to-day basis, and their average annual pay is R399,060 pa.

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highest-paying jobs in south africa
Highest-paying jobs in South Africa. Photo: pexels.com, @Nelson Axigoth
Source: UGC

17. Land surveyor - R405,000 pa

A land surveyor updates boundary lines and prepare sites for construction to prevent legal disputes. They make precise measurements to determine property boundaries, and they earn about R405,000 pa.

16. Management consultant - R411,078 pa

Management consultants assist organisations in solving issues, creating value, maximisig growth and improving business performance. These professionals have a base salary of R411,078 pa in 2024.

15. Data scientist - R441,064 pa

A data scientist solves complex problems. They are part mathematician and part computer scientists. These professionals make about R441,064 pa.

14. Biomedical engineer - R450,000 pa

Biomedical engineers are instrumental in creating better and more advanced medical machinery. These professionals apply engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes. They have an average annual pay of R450,000.

13. Pharmacist - R482,325 pa

Pharmacists are experts on how drugs work and interact with the body. They specialise in the usage and administration of medication. They earn about R482,325 pa in SA in 2024.

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top 30 highest-paying jobs in south africa per month
Top 30 highest-paying jobs in South Africa per month. Photo: @Anna Shvets
Source: UGC

12. Dentist - R487,491 pa

Dentists focus on teeth, gums, and the mouth. They diagnose, prevent, manage, and treat diseases, disorders, and conditions of the mouth. They earn about R487,491 pa.

11. IT manager - R488,851 pa

IT managers are responsible for maintaining all systems on-site and remotely. They work closely with systems and database administrators. The average annual income for an IT manager is R488,851 pa.

10. Cyber security engineer- R491,318 pa

A cyber security engineer earns about R491,318 pa in SA in 2024. These professionals identify threats and vulnerabilities in systems and software. Next, they develop and implement high-tech solutions to defend against hacking, malware, ransomware, and insider threats.

9. Chartered accountant - R501,474 pa

A chartered accountant is an international accounting designation granted to accounting professionals in SA. Their roles include auditing and assurance, financial accounting and reporting, management accounting, and applied finance or taxation. A chartered accountant makes about R501,474 annually.

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8. Financial manager - R543,927 pa

Financial managers perform data analysis and advise senior managers on profit-maximising strategies and ideas. They are responsible for the financial health of an organisation, and their average annual income is R543,927 pa.

7. Investment banker - R562,501 pa

An investment banker combines financial services industry expertise, analytical prowess, and effective persuasive communication skills to support clients in financial activities. They earn about R562,501 pa in SA.

highest-paying jobs in south africa
Highest-paying jobs in South Africa. Photo: pexels.com, @energepic.com
Source: UGC

6. Plant manager - R563,488 pa

A plant manager oversees all daily operations of a plant, from production and manufacturing to ensuring policies and procedures are followed. These senior professionals have an average annual income of R563,488.

5. Judge - R622,474 pa

A judge is a public official given the authority to hear, determine, and preside over legal matters tabled in a court of law. There are different types of judges in the country serving in various levels and capacities. The average annual income of a judge in SA is R622,474.

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4. Actuarial scientist - R706,602 pa

Actuarial science is a field that assesses financial risks in the insurance and finance fields using mathematical and statistical methods. Actuary is one of the highest-paying jobs with maths literacy in SA. An actuary in SA makes about R706,602 pa.

3. Medical doctor - R720,003 pa

Medicine is one of the most lucrative fields in the country. It is more marketable if you specialise in a particular branch, e.g. neurosurgery, paediatrics, dermatology, etc. The average annual income of a doctor is R720,003. The amount is higher for specialised medical professionals.

2. Petroleum engineer - R1,129,021 pa

Petroleum engineers design and develop methods for extracting oil and gas from deposits below the Earth's surface. These professionals earn about R1,129,021 pa in SA. Petroleum engineering is one of the top 30 highest-paying jobs in South Africa per month, with an average monthly pay of R94,085.

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1. Chief executive officer - R1,189,902 pa

A chief executive officer is the main person responsible for managing a company. A CEO makes about R1,189,902 pa.

Recap of the highest-paying jobs in SA in 2024

1Chief executive officerR1,189,902 pa
2Petroleum engineerR1,129,021 pa
3Medical doctor R706,602 pa
4Actuarial scientistR706,602 pa
5JudgeR622,474 pa
6Plant managerR563,488 pa
7Investment bankerR562,501 pa
8Financial managerR543,927 pa
9Chartered accountant R501,474 pa
10Cyber security engineerR491,318 pa
11IT managerR488,851 pa
12Dentist R487,491 pa
13PharmacistR482,325 pa
14Biomedical engineer R450,000 pa
15Data scientistR441,064 pa
16Management consultantR411,078 pa
17Land surveyor R405,000 pa
18Project manager R399,060 pa
19Human resource managerR392,160 pa
20Software engineerR388,254 pa
21Mechanical engineerR351,497 pa
22EconomistR330,438 pa
23Sales managerR313,799 pa
24PilotR310,917 pa
25Industrial engineerR309,549 pa
26ArchitectR281,039 pa
27Digital marketing specialist R261,580 pa
28Air traffic controllerR254,453 pa
29LawyerR237,511 pa
30Tax consultantR236,525 pa

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Which career has the most job opportunities in SA?

Some of the most lucrative careers in SA are engineering, actuarial science, law, data science, aviation, tax consultancy, medicine, and digital marketing.

What kind of job gets paid the most money?

Some of the best-paying jobs are in the fields of medicine, law, engineering, finance, economics, and aviation.

What are the highest-paying jobs in South Africa?

The top-paid professionals are chief executive officers, doctors, dentists, plant managers, judges, actuaries, and petroleum engineers.

What are the highest-paying jobs in the world?

The highest-paying jobs in the world are in data science, software engineering, medicine, law, and investment banking.

The highest-paying jobs in South Africa are prestigious and highly sought-after by young people. These jobs rake in handsome amounts of money annually.

READ ALSO: South Africa's cheapest golf clubs and most expensive ones: Top 20 list

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Briefly.co.za recently published South Africa's cheapest golf clubs and the most expensive ones. A golf club is a social organisation which provides a golf course and a building to meet for its members.

Golf is considered a rich man's game, and there is a notion that there is more to it than playing the sport. It is believed that the rich meet over golf to discuss business as they enjoy the game.

Source: Briefly News

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