Jobs in Demand in South Africa

 

 

South Africa's most in-demand jobs

Reports are written up on a regular basis, in analysis of the most needed, or should we say in demand, jobs in South Africa.

 

While some industry job postings had declined by approximately 10 percent month-on-month between December 2023 and December 2024, this was certainly not the case for engineering and registered nursing.

 

In fact, word on the street is that recruitment activity had grown by 15 percent over this time in engineering, and the closely linked architecture niche; while it had picked up by as much as 18 percent in the medical and/or health-care sector, particularly in nursing.

 

These trends are unlikely to change in a hurry due to the new fields being added to engineering that require upskilling and reskilling – such as green energy, renewable energy, robotics, AI, and mechatronics, as just a few examples.

 

Engineers remain in demand

Here’s a look at what a career in engineering (without specifying the particular type of engineering) is likely to pay you in the South African market:

Entry-level engineer	Average earnings	Senior engineer
R304 668	R559 665	R7 200 000

 

Registered nurses are hot property

 

In nursing, the shortage is multifaceted – driven by an aging workforce, the brain-drain of nurses of all ages seeking better opportunities overseas, and a poorly balanced distribution of nurses between urban and rural areas. Here’s an indication of earnings across the likes of entry-level nurses (still in training), average earnings, and what a senior RN or Nurse Educator can earn:

 

Entry-level position	Average earnings	Senior RN/Nurse Educator
R236 400	R330 000	R540 000

Which other roles, positions, and jobs have been in high demand and actively recruiting between December 2024 and now?

An increased demand for workers has been witnessed across the likes of admininstration, media-related jobs (such as graphic design), business management, IT, and those with mechanical experience/skills in the engineering, architecture, and technical sector.

 

The table below shows salaries for these roles, across the same entry-level, average, and advanced experience or skill levels:

 

Executive secretary

Entry-level position	Average earnings	Highly qualified/experienced senior
R227 636	R 264 000	R379 184

 

Art director

Entry-level position	Average earnings	Highly qualified/experienced senior
R228 000	R345 000	R600 000

Business manager

Entry-level position	Average earnings	Highly qualified/experienced senior
R300 014	R551 500	R6 896 250

 

IT project manager

Entry-level position	Average earnings	Highly qualified/experienced senior
R420 000	R660 000	R5 160 000

 

Mechanical engineer

Entry-level position	Average earnings	Highly qualified/experienced senior
R267 000	R376 920	R4 248 000

What is the current average salary that can be earned in South Africa?

According to Arcadia Finance, the average monthly salary to be earned locally ranges between R26 000 and R31 000; with the national minimum wage being set as R28.79 (as of 1 March 2025). It is important to note, however, that everything from “education, experience, location, industry, scarcity of that profession (i.e. how in demand it is in a particular area) and the current state of the economy” influence what an employer is able to pay you; and that skilled professionals based in urban areas receive higher pay packages than those in rural areas.

Although much has been, and continues to be done to overturn gender-related wage disparities, women still earn between 15 and 30 percent less than men at the same level – with higher pay gaps being apparent the more senior you rise up the career ladder.

I’m keen to study medicine. What can a surgeon earn in private practice?

p>Surgeon in private practice

Entry-level position	Average earnings	Highly qualified/experienced senior
R1.9 million	R4.4 million	R7.2 million

What new-age careers should I consider, from an earnings, satisfaction, and scarcity perspective?

According to News24, there are quite a few industries you should consider if your gaze is planted firmly on the future. The three most in demand jobs are listed below, with basic responsibilities and earnings across your career trajectory:

• An information security analyst keeps an organisation’s networks and systems in a safe space;

 

IT security analyst

Entry-level position	Average earnings	Highly qualified/experienced senior
R536 750	R1 033 000	R9.6 million

 

• A digital transformation specialist integrates fresh software into the organisational process, and operates with the big picture in mind across departments and growth phases;

 

Digital transformation specialist

Entry-level position	Average earnings	Highly qualified/experienced senior
R330 000	R 684 704	R6 480 000

 

and

• A digital marketing and strategy specialist promotes brands, as well as their products and services, in the online space.

 

Digital marketing and strategy specialist

Entry-level position	Average earnings	Highly qualified/experienced senior
R300 000	R361 000	R1 525 000

 

See more about in demand careers of the future, here.

Which research studies, reports, and companies should I keep my eye on if I wish to research the latest global scoop on salaries?

Key findings and implications for EU pay transparency can be found by checking out the research of 3RStrategy, while interested parties can also have a look at the Global Wage Report 2024-2025 (produced by the International Labour Organisation – ILO), and can read up on why HRdive experts believe “average salary increases are sloping downwards”.

Is your industry under remunerated? If so, is it time to make a move?

Perhaps you are grateful to be employed and, if under 25, could still be staying with your parents. However, it’s worth noting which salaries are the lowest paying and, if that is your industry, to consider making a move into a more in demand job before you need to pay a bond and school fees.

 

Economists.co.za advises that a few of the lowest remuneration forms of employment include that of a security guard, a domestic worker, a taxi driver, a forestry worker, and a shop or factory worker (across both wholesale and retail). Should you wish to take up a course of study to better your situation, make contact with the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), which is known to provide funding to academically deserving and financially needy South Africans, who have registered at a public university or TVET college.