57 of the highest paying jobs in South Africa – with earnings up to R5 million a year
Jobs portal CareerJunction has published its monthly employment insights, highlighting the best-paying job sectors in the country.
The group analysed job offers advertised on its platform over the past 12 months to determine which sectors offer the highest salaries.
It found that Executive Management/Director roles in the Business & Management sector paid the most, with a median salary of between R100,000 and R134,167 per month (R1.2 million to R1.6 million a year).
This was followed by the Technical/Business Architecture role in the Information Technology sector, where the median salary worked out to be between R46,500 and R83,333 per month (R560,000 to R1.0 million a year).
The table below outlines the top-paying jobs in the country, based on CareerJunction’s data.
| # | Job Role | Job Sector | Monthly from | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Executive Management / Director | Business & Management | R100 000 | R134 167 |
| 2 | Technical / Business Architecture | Information Technology | R46 500 | R83 333 |
| 3 | IT Project Administration / Management | Information Technology | R50 000 | R72 000 |
| 4 | Strategy Consulting | Business & Management | R40 000 | R66 667 |
| 5 | Software Development | Information Technology | R40 000 | R66 667 |
| 6 | Electrical Engineering | Architecture & Engineering | R40 000 | R65 833 |
| 7 | Business Analysis | Information Technology | R41 667 | R65 000 |
| 8 | Risk Management | Finance | R50 000 | R62 500 |
| 9 | Mechanical Engineering | Architecture & Engineering | R37 750 | R60 000 |
| 10 | Data Analysis / Data Warehousing | Information Technology | R37 500 | R60 000 |
| 11 | Actuarial Management / Administration | Finance | R50 000 | R59 167 |
| 12 | Senior Management | Business & Management | R45 000 | R58 333 |
| 13 | Civil / Structural Engineering | Architecture & Engineering | R38 065 | R55 000 |
| 14 | Database Design / Development / Administration | Information Technology | R38 065 | R55 000 |
| 15 | Middle / Department Management | Business & Management | R41 667 | R54 167 |
| 16 | Financial Analysis | Finance | R41 667 | R50 000 |
| 17 | Systems Analysis | Information Technology | R36 250 | R50 000 |
| 18 | Product Management | Marketing | R35 000 | R50 000 |
| 19 | Business Development | Business & Management | R30 000 | R48 333 |
| 20 | Internal Auditing | Finance | R37 500 | R45 417 |
Salary analyses run by professional recruitment and human resource firms, Robert Walters and Michael Page, earlier in 2022 have also highlighted some of the top-paying jobs in the professional sector.
The 2022 Robert Walters Salary Survey showed there are 13 professional positions that draw salaries over R1 million a year, led by Human Resource Directors, pulling a maximum salary of R3.2 million, and chief financial officers, who earn up to R2.6 million on average.
These salaries are typically reported for professionals with in excess of 10+ years of working experience in their respective fields and do not account for bonuses and other rewards and incentives.
| # | Job Role | Job Sector | Yearly from | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HR Director/Executive | Human Resources | R1.8 million | R3.2 million |
| 2 | Group CFO | Banking & FS | R2.0 million | R2.6 million |
| 3 | Group Treasury Manager | Accounting & Finance | R1.8 million | R2.5 million |
| 4 | CFO/Financial Director (SME) | Accounting & Finance | R1.8 million | R2.4 million |
| 5 | Group Tax Manager | Accounting & Finance | R1.7 million | R2.2 million |
| 6 | CA (SA) | Accounting & Finance | R1.6 million | R2.2 million |
| 7 | Private Equity/Corporate Finance | Banking & FS | R1.5 million | R2.0 million |
| 8 | Head of Internal Audit | Banking & FS | R1.4 million | R2.0 million |
| 9 | Relationship Manager/Banker | Banking & FS | R1.3 million | R2.0 million |
| 10 | Head of Anti-Money Laundering | Banking & FS | R1.4 million | R1.8 million |
| 11 | Strategy Consultant | Banking & FS | R1.3 million | R1.8 million |
| 12 | HR Manager/ Head of HR | Human Resources | R1.2 million | R1.8 million |
| 13 | Finance Director (Large Firm) | Accounting & Finance | R1.4 million | R1.7 million |
Meanwhile, salary insights from Michael Page for 2022 show that experienced professionals at large companies continue to draw some of the highest salaries in the country, listing 24 positions that earn over R2 million a year.
Because the group deals with highly skilled professionals, many of the salaries covered in its report are over the R1 million a year mark – you can view the full list here.
| # | Job Role | Job Sector | Yearly from | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Group/Regional CFO | Finance & Accounting | R3.0 million | R5.0 million |
| 2 | VP of Supply Chain | Supply Chain & Logistics | R2.4 million | R3.8 million |
| 3 | Finance Director | Finance & Accounting | R2.0 million | R3.5 million |
| 4 | Chief Information Officer | Technology | R1.6 million | R3.0 million |
| 5 | Chief Marketing Officer | Sales & Marketing | R2.0 million | R2.8 million |
| 6 | General Manager | Sales & Marketing | R1.8 million | R2.8 million |
| 6 | VP of Procurement | Procurement | R1.8 million | R2.8 million |
| 8 | Supply Chain / Logistics Director | Supply Chain & Logistics | R1.7 million | R2.8 million |
| 9 | VP of Sales | Sales & Marketing | R2.2 million | R2.7 million |
| 9 | Group Tax Director | Finance & Accounting | R2.2 million | R2.7 million |
| 11 | General Manager | Sales & Marketing | R1.8 million | R2.6 million |
| 12 | Head of Marketing | Sales & Marketing | R1.8 million | R2.5 million |
| 13 | Country Manager | Sales & Marketing | R1.6 million | R2.4 million |
| 13 | Chief Audit Officer | Finance & Accounting | R1.6 million | R2.4 million |
| 15 | Manufacturing Director | Engineering & Manufacturing | R1.5 million | R2.3 million |
| 16 | Chief Information Security Officer | Technology | R1.4 million | R2.4 million |
| 17 | Procurement Director | Procurement | R1.6 million | R2.2 million |
| 17 | Tax Director | Finance & Accounting | R1.6 million | R2.2 million |
| 19 | Chief Technology Officer | Technology | R1.4 million | R2.2 million |
| 20 | Project Director | Engineering & Manufacturing | R1.6 million | R2.0 million |
| 20 | Head of Sales | Sales & Marketing | R1.6 million | R2.0 million |
| 22 | Chief Enterprise Architect | Technology | R1.5 million | R2.0 million |
| 23 | IT Director | Technology | R1.2 million | R2.0 million |
| 24 | Head of Software Development | Technology | R1.1 million | R2.0 million |
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