South Africa’s job market is dynamic. Recent data from Stats SA reveals significant shifts. The average monthly salary climbed to R29,490 in the third quarter of the year. This new benchmark helps us identify South Africa’s top paying jobs. Understanding these trends is crucial for career planning.
The Latest Salary Snapshot
The Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) provides key insights. It shows a 0.3% increase over the second quarter’s revised R29,402. The previous Q2 figure was R29,290. Year-on-year, average monthly earnings rose by 4.3%. This covers the period between September 2024 and September 2025. Gross earnings saw an R10.7 billion jump. This is a 1.1% increase from R990 billion in June 2025. It reached just over R1 trillion by September 2025. Basic salary/wages also grew. They increased by R7.8 billion or 0.9%. This moved from R903.4 billion in June 2025 to R911.2 billion in September 2025. Bonuses showed a strong 10.9% increase. They went from R56.7 billion in June 2025 to R62.9 billion in September 2025. Overtime, however, decreased by R3.3 billion. This was an 11.1% drop, from R29.9 billion in June 2025 to R26.6 billion in September 2025.
Beyond the Average: Identifying High Earners
The QES data covers over 90 job types. These are within the formal, non-agricultural sector. Interestingly, 43 job types paid more than the national average. This number remained consistent from Q2 to Q3. The specific mix of these roles did change. This suggests widespread growth across various industries. No single sector is driving all the increases. The survey examines eight key industries. These are further divided into 20 sub-categories. They include manufacturing, government, and community services.
Exploring South Africa’s Top Paying Jobs
Certain sectors consistently offer higher remuneration. Financial intermediation and related activities lead the pack. Workers in this area earned an average of R75,206 per month. This highlights the strong performance of financial services. Following closely are roles in electricity, gas, steam and water supply. These professionals earned an average of R63,778 monthly. Utility salaries are known for being consistently high. Other lucrative fields include computer and related business services. Air transport and health and social work also feature prominently. These sectors provide significant earning potential for skilled individuals. For those interested in the financial technology space, exploring Top South African Fintech Startups to Watch could offer further insights into this dynamic industry.
Understanding the Key Industry Segments
To better understand these figures, let’s define the segments.
Mining: This category includes mining and quarrying operations.
Manufacturing: This diverse sector covers food, beverages, furniture, textiles, wood, printing, publishing, petroleum, chemicals, non-metals, mineral products, electrical goods, medical apparatus, and transport equipment.
Electricity & Water: This segment focuses on electricity, gas, and water supply services. Given the importance of this sector, recent discussions like Eskom’s R16 Billion Profit: A Turning Point? highlight its economic impact.
Trade: This broad category includes wholesale, retail, motor trade, and hospitality (hotels and restaurants).
Transport: This covers freight, storage, and postal communication services.
Business Services: This includes financial intermediation, banking, insurance, and real estate activities.
Government: This refers to social and personal services managed by or related to the state.
NGO: This covers social and personal services run by non-government organizations and entities.
The Full List of High-Paying Roles Above the Average
Here is a detailed breakdown of the 43 jobs. These roles currently pay more than the national average salary.
1. Activities auxiliary to financial intermediation (Business Services): R75,206
2. Electricity, gas, steam and water supply (Electricity & Water): R63,778
3. Financial intermediation (i.e. Banks) except insurance and pension funding (Business Services): R58,911
4. Computer and related activities (Business Services): R57,625
5. Extra Budgetary institutions (Government): R56,413
6. Air transport (Transport): R55,518
7. Coke oven products; petroleum refineries; processing of nuclear fuel (Manufacturing): R54,512
8. Insurance and pension funding (Business Services): R49,761
9. Electric motors, generators and transformers (Manufacturing): R47,812
10. Legal, accounting, bookkeeping and auditing activities (Business Services): R47,383
11. Health and social work (NGO): R46,944
12. Architectural, engineering and other technical activities (Business Services): R46,426
13. Motor vehicles (Manufacturing): R43,847
14. Collection, purification and distribution of water (Electricity & Water): R43,234
15. Sea and coastal water transport (Transport): R43,087
16. Research and development (Business Services): R42,515
17. Real estate activities (Business Services): R42,298
18. National departments (Government): R40,424
19. Activities of membership organisation (NGO): R39,243
20. Medical appliances and instruments and appliances etc (Manufacturing): R38,742
21. Post and telecommunications (Transport): R38,514
22. Provincial departments (Government): R36,777
23. Non-gold mining (Mining): R36,609
24. Basic chemicals (Manufacturing): R35,826
25. Other chemical products (Manufacturing): R35,531
26. Universities and technikons (Government): R35,372
27. Railway and tramway locomotives and rolling stock; aircraft and spacecraft (Manufacturing): R34,887
28. Gold mining (Mining): R34,651
29. Basic iron and steel (Manufacturing): R34,635
30. Office, accounting and computing machinery (Manufacturing): R34,572
31. Advertising (Business Services): R34,523
32. General purpose machinery (Manufacturing): R34,479
33. Supporting and auxilliary transport activities (Transport): R33,876
34. Optical instruments and photographic equipment; watches and clocks (Manufacturing): R33,803
35. Wholesale trade (Trade): R33,105
36. Special purpose machinery (Manufacturing): R33,072
37. Local government (Government): R31,734
38. Basic precious and non-ferrous metals (Manufacturing): R31,669
39. TVET Colleges (Government): R31,158
40. Land transport and transport via pipelines (Transport): R31,084
41. Television, radio, sound or video apparatus, etc (Manufacturing): R29,770
42. Publishing (Manufacturing): R29,563
43. Insulated wire and cable (Manufacturing): R29,563
The Other End of the Spectrum
While many jobs offer above-average pay, some fall below. Workers in hotels and restaurants are at the bottom. Their average monthly earnings are R11,873. Apparel and knitted textile manufacturing jobs pay slightly more. These workers earn an average of R12,035 per month. This highlights significant wage disparities across sectors.
Conclusion
The latest QES data paints a clear picture. South Africa’s top paying jobs are diverse. They span various critical industries. The increase in average salaries is positive. It shows growth across many sectors. This detailed overview helps job seekers and professionals. It guides them in understanding the current earning landscape. Strategic career choices can lead to higher remuneration. Staying informed about these trends is key for financial success.
