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Most in-demand jobs in South Africa that don’t require a degree – paying up to R248,800

Malcolm Libera

 ·28 Jun 2026

New data from Pnet’s latest Job Market Trends Report has revealed the top jobs in South Africa right now that don’t require a university degree, which pay up to R248,820 a year or R20,735 a month. 

While youth unemployment remains one of South Africa’s biggest socio-economic concerns, Pnet said there are still areas of the labour market where employers continue to recruit entry-level talent.

Pnet recently updated its measurement of hiring activity in South Africa to provide a more comprehensive view of labour demand.

Traditionally, vacancy advertisements were used as the primary indicator of hiring activity. 

However, the company now also includes recruiter searches conducted through its candidate database, which contains more than eight million CVs and candidate profiles.

According to Pnet, recruiters increasingly use database searches to identify and approach suitable candidates directly rather than relying solely on advertised vacancies.

The latest data shows that vacancy advertising increased by 4% month-on-month in May, although it remained 1% lower than a year earlier.

Candidate database searches by recruiters rose by 6% month-on-month but were still down 28% compared with the same period last year.

As a result, overall hiring activity increased by 5% compared with April, although it remained 9% lower than a year ago.

Pnet noted that a number of economic factors have contributed to the year-on-year decline in hiring activity.

These include Eskom’s 8.8% electricity tariff increase announced in April and due to take effect in July, as well as rising fuel prices linked to ongoing geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Despite these challenges, the report found that several occupations continue to provide accessible entry points into the labour market for school leavers, first-time job seekers and young South Africans with limited work experience.

The top jobs

Among the most attractive opportunities are sales representative roles, which require only a Grade 12 qualification.

Typical positions include sales assistants, junior and trainee sales representatives, and entry-level sales consultants.

Market-related salary packages range from R11,649 to R20,735 per month, making sales representative positions the highest-paying entry-level jobs highlighted in the report.

Administrative positions also remain in demand. Admin clerks, who generally require a matric certificate, can expect monthly salaries ranging from R5,875 to R10,784. Common entry-level roles include admin assistants, junior administrators and entry clerks.

Customer support agents are another popular entry point into the workforce. These roles typically involve client liaison, customer service and support functions. Salaries range between R11,671 and R17,170 per month.

Receptionists and call centre operators continue to offer opportunities for school leavers. Receptionist positions pay between R6,150 and R10,500 per month, while call centre operators can earn between R4,135 and R13,625.

The report also identified merchandising roles as a pathway into the sales sector. Junior merchandisers and sales promoters can expect salaries ranging from R5,200 to R12,163 per month.

Claims consultant positions in the finance sector remain an option. Graduate claims consultants, claims administrators and junior claims consultants typically earn between R8,855 and R11,280 per month.