"Not Good Pay": 5 Degrees With the Lowest Starting Salaries in South Africa Revealed

• A TikTok creator broke down the five degrees that lead to the lowest starting salaries for South African graduates
• A BA in humanities and religious studies came in at number one, with graduates earning around R16,500 a month
• The video sparked debate online, with many viewers arguing law degrees deserved a spot on the list

A South African TikTok creator sparked a lively debate on 29 July 2026 after posting a countdown of the five university degrees tied to the lowest starting salaries in the country. The video, shared by @wickusvwyk, hit a nerve with students, parents and professionals who are weighing up whether their qualifications will pay off.

The list kicks off at number five with an arts degree, which includes qualifications like a degree in music or a BA in fine arts, drama or languages. Graduates in this field can expect to start on roughly R22,500 a month.

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A BA in social sciences, covering majors such as psychology, comes in at number four with a starting salary of around R20,000. The creator pointed out a key catch: an undergraduate degree alone does not qualify someone to practise as a psychologist, which means further study is almost unavoidable.

Teaching and agriculture also make the list

A Bachelor of Education, the standard qualification for entering the teaching profession, places third with a starting salary of about R19,500 a month. A BSc in agriculture is fourth from the bottom at roughly R19,000, even though these graduates contribute directly to food production across the country.

The degree with the lowest starting salary of all, according to the video, is a BA in humanities and religious studies. Graduates in this field reportedly earn around R16,500 a month when starting, which is R6,000 less than those with an arts degree.

Recruitment Director Gary Silbermann weighed in on the broader conversation on LinkedIn, noting that degrees in software engineering, data science, actuarial science, chartered accounting, nursing and engineering consistently show the strongest and fastest employment outcomes.

He added that South Africa produces far more graduates than it has graduate-level roles available, and that students choosing general or social science degrees often compete for the same non-specialist positions.

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Mzansi steps into the discussion

Commenters were quick to offer their own additions to the list on the TikTok page:

@Arista Mootheram said:

"Urm, I think LLB should be #1. My starting salary was R6000!!!"

@marloejansevanvuu wrote:

"LLB article clerks get around R8000 per month if you are lucky!!!"

@umakoti_kabafo_oshabeni shared:

"Food technology — 10k if you're lucky."

@Adam asked:

"What about any degree that requires articles?"

@🧸ྀིChloeೀ commented:

"Can someone who is a lawyer in SA tell me what their monthly income is? I'm debating whether to go into law or business."

Watch the full breakdown here:

More on SA salaries and career choices

• Briefly News recently reported on a Wits LLB graduate who spoke out about nearly two years of unemployment after graduating, highlighting the overlooked LLB articles crisis.
• South African-born rugby player John Chalsty became the highest-paid CEO on Wall Street after leading investment bank DLJ to massive revenue growth.
• A belt splicer's payslip sparked heated debate among South Africans about trade skills versus university degrees, with many questioning the demands behind the pay.

Source: Briefly News