19 ‘entry-level’ jobs in South Africa that pay over R400,000

Professional recruitment firm Robert Walters has published the results of its 2025 salary survey, which shows what young professionals can expect to earn in an entry-level job in the accounting, finance, and legal sectors in South Africa.
These numbers are based on the earning potential of people with 0-2 (or three) years of experience.
South Africa is facing 45.5% youth unemployment, and employment is continuously decreasing.
However, of South Africa’s unemployed, only about a fifth have tertiary education.
Qualified chartered accountants (CAs), private equity and corporate finance managers, investment analysts, associates of large private legal firms, and treasury accountants are the entry-level jobs with the highest potential earnings.
A qualified CA stands to earn R50,000 per month salary—or starting at R600,000 a year—with 0-2 years of experience behind them.
These skills are especially sought after in South Africa because there is a shortage of accountants.
This is due to a brain drain of local talent, where many qualified individuals believe international markets offer significantly higher salaries and better opportunities to achieve long-term goals.
However, the number of staff needed at accounting firms is expected to decrease because AI can take over the more mundane parts of the job, BBC reports.
According to Robert Walters’ data, there are about 19 entry-level (0-2 year experience) jobs that pay over R400,000, including actuaries and business analysts.
Private equity and corporate finance managers can earn R650,000 annually, or about R54,000 monthly, when they first step into their jobs.
An investment analyst stands to earn the same amount as a corporate finance manager.
Private practice associates at large firms can earn R640,000 in their first year. This means that they would earn salaries of about R53,000 per month.
However, this is practically double the salary of someone at a boutique firm.
A treasury accountant who is only just getting started also stands to earn R600,000, or R50,000 monthly.
Additionally, better-skilled people can earn more within a similar field. Non-qualified and partly qualified people earn less than fully qualified individuals.
Furthermore, several of these jobs are also on the government’s critical skills list. These occupations are sought after in South Africa and critical to the country’s development.
This list contains occupations like tax professionals, actuaries, auditors, forensic accountants, corporate treasurers and investment managers.
While this makes certain jobs more sought after, low economic growth stifles expansion, which means that there are not necessarily many positions available.
The table below outlines the starting salaries for graduate professionals with 0 to 2 years of experience – ordered from the highest starting salary.
Job title | Sector | Job Group | Salary 2025 (0-2 yrs XP) |
Associate | Legal | Private Practice (Large Firm) | R670,000 |
Private Equity/Corporate Finance | Banking | Banking | R650,000 |
Investment Analyst (CA plus CFA) | Banking | Investment Management/Asset Management | R650,000 |
Qualified CA(SA) Johannesburg | Banking | Accounting, Audit, Tax & Treasury | R600,000 |
Credit Analyst/Credit Manager (Qualified CA) | Banking | Credit | R600,000 |
Treasury Accountant | Accounting | Taxation/Treasury | R600,000 |
CA (SA) | Accounting | Qualified CA (SA) or CIMA or BCom | R550,000 |
CIMA Qualified Management Accountant | Banking | Accounting, Audit, Tax & Treasury | R500,000 |
Relationship Manager/Corporate Banker | Banking | Banking | R500,000 |
Credit Analyst/Credit Manager (Non-Qualified) | Banking | Credit | R500,000 |
Internal Auditor (Non-Qualified) | Banking | Internal audit or IT audit | R450,000 |
Strategy Consultant | Banking | Management Consultancy | R450,000 |
Quant Risk Analyst | Banking | Risk, Data Science & Analytics | R450,000 |
Part-QualifiedCA(SA)(Degree/HonoursArticles) | Banking | Accounting, Audit, Tax & Treasury | R400,000 |
Equity ResearchAnalyst (Non-Qualified) | Banking | Global Markets | R400,000 |
Business Analyst | Banking | Management Consultancy | R400,000 |
Actuary | Banking | Risk, Data Science & Analytics | R400,000 |
Treasury Specialist /Manager | Banking | Treasury | R400,000 |
CIMA/ CGMA | Accounting | Qualified CA (SA) or CIMA or BCom | R400,000 |
Non-QualifiedAccountant (BCom) | Banking | Accounting, Audit, Tax & Treasury | R350,000 |
Graduates (/-Honours) | Banking | Accounting, Audit, Tax & Treasury | R350,000 |
AML Officer /Manager /Specialist | Banking | AML & Financial Crime | R350,000 |
Management Consultant (Non-CA) | Banking | Management Consultancy | R350,000 |
Data Scientist (B.I.Business Intelligence) | Banking | Risk, Data Science & Analytics | R350,000 |
Ops Risk Manager | Banking | Risk, Data Science & Analytics | R350,000 |
Part Qualified CA (SA) | Accounting | Part Qualified | R350,000 |
Tax Accountant | Accounting | Taxation/Treasury | R350,000 |
Associate | Legal | Private Practice (Boutique Firm) | R330,000 |
Fund Accountant(Non-Qualified) | Banking | Accounting, Audit, Tax & Treasury | R320,000 |
Bcom | Accounting | Qualified CA (SA) or CIMA or BCom | R250,000 |
Part Qualified CIMA | Accounting | Part Qualified | R250,000 |
Internal Auditor | Accounting | Qualified CA (SA) or CIMA or BCom | R250,000 |