When job candidates are searching for work, salary offers are often a key factor in their decision-making process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the October 2024 Pnet Job Market Trends Report<\/strong><\/a>, however, there is no consistent pattern of salary growth or decline across sectors in South Africa, highlighting significant fluctuations that reflect the dynamic job market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “When looking at various job sectors and specific professional groups, it becomes clear that there is no overall pattern or trend in the growth of salary offers,” said Pnet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Aside from IT roles, each job sector reviewed shows fluctuating trends in salary growth,” it added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pnet explained that salaries usually depend on skill levels for specific hard and soft skills as well as years of experience in a particular role or job sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Another crucial factor impacting salaries is supply and demand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “Skills and professions in high demand, with a limited supply pool of talent, tend to receive higher paychecks compared to professions with an oversupply of talent,” added the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking at the findings, the report analyses salary trends in South Africa over the past six years, focusing on intermediate-level roles in Gauteng across:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Engineering<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Civil Engineer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Civil engineer salary bands increased from 2018 to 2021, but this has since declined. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, over the last six years there has been an overall increase of 8-10% in salary offers for civil engineers since 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Electrical Engineer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Salary offers for electrical engineers declined from 2018 to 2021, likely due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, this has increased to a new high in 2024, showing an average increase of 14% to 16% over six years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Structural Engineer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Structural engineers also experienced salary decreases from 2018 to 2021, also linked to the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike their electrical engineer counterparts, the decline continued to 2024, resulting in an 11% decrease over six years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Accountant<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Although salary offers for accountants dropped from 2018 to 2021, hardly any change in salary offers is evident when comparing 2018 to 2024,” said Pnet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bookkeeper<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Bookkeepers have experienced steady salary growth over the past six years, with offers increasing by 11% to 18% since 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Financial Controller<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike bookkeepers, financial controller roles have seen a continuous decline in salary offers since 2018. Over the past six years, salary offers for Financial Controllers have decreased by 24% to 25%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Business & Management<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Office Manager<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Pnet report highlights that salary offers for office managers have grown over the last six years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since 2018 (compared to 2024), salary offers for these roles have increased by between 15% and 34%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Branch Manager<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Salary offers for branch managers declined from 2018 to 2021, likely due to the economic disruptions caused by the pandemic and the associated lockdowns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Since 2021, salary offers have seen a slight increase, though they are still below 2018 levels, remaining 17% to 25% lower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Manager<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n General managers experienced a decline in salary offers from 2018 to 2021, but have seen significant growth since then. Over the past six years, salary offers have increased by 10%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Information Technology (IT)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Net Developer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Salary offers for Net Developers increased from 2018 to 2021, but have since declined. This decline follows a broader global trend of decreasing salaries for software developers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Comparing salary offers for net developers over the last six years, there has been minimal change,” said Pnet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Data Analyst<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Pnet explained that comparing salary offers for data analysts in 2024, 2021 and 2018, “there has been minimal change.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n IT Project Manager<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Like net developers, IT project managers saw an increase in salary offers from 2018 to 2021, but these offers have since declined. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When comparing 2024 to 2018, salary offers for this role have remained relatively unchanged over the past six years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Admin, Office & Support<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Receptionist<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Receptionists experienced a rise in salary offers from 2018 to 2021, followed by a slight decline. However, in 2024, salary offers for Receptionists are 8% to 16% higher than in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Office Administrator<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Pnet, salary offers for Office Administrators remained relatively stable from 2018 to 2021. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, since 2021, there has been notable growth, with salaries for office administrators in 2024 being 15% to 22% higher than in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Personal Assistant<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Salary offers for personal assistant have slowly decreased since 2018,” said Pnet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Comparing 2024 and 2018, salary offers for personal assistant have decreased by between -14% and -8%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The full report can be found here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n\n\n\n