Computer Scientist Average Salary in Cape Town 2024
How much money does a person working as Computer Scientist make in Cape Town?
LOW
29,600
ZAR AVERAGE
57,000
ZAR HIGH
87,200
ZAR
A person working as Computer Scientist in Cape Town typically earns around 57,000 ZAR. Salaries range from 29,600 ZAR (lowest) to 87,200 ZAR (highest).
Salary Variance
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Computer Scientist salaries in Cape Town vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Computer Scientist Pay Scale and Salaries in Cape Town
Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison
51,600 ZAR or more
46,000 to 51,600 ZAR
33,600 ZAR or less
33,600 to 46,000 ZAR
 29,600 ZAR |
51,800 ZAR |
87,200 ZAR |
Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range
Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary
Salaries for the position Computer Scientist in Cape Town range from 29,600 ZAR (starting salary) to 87,200 ZAR (maximum salary). It should be noted that the given figure is not the legally mandated minimum wage; rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that included thousands of participants and professionals from all regions of the country.
Median Salary
With a median salary of 51,800 ZAR, half of the professionals who work as Computer Scientist in Cape Town earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. The median salary denotes the middle value of salaries. Ideally, you would want to belong to the group earning more than the median salary, located on the right side of the salary distribution graph.
Percentiles and Salary Scale
The median is closely associated with two other values known as the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution chart, it can be determined that 25% of professionals employed as Computer Scientist in Cape Town earn less than 43,000 ZAR, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 58,800 ZAR while 25% earn more.
Pay Scale Structure
To provide a better understanding of expected salaries, we categorized the frequently occurring salaries into different ranges. This approach provides a more precise representation of salary distribution for the job title Computer Scientist in Cape Town compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 33,600 ZAR to 46,000 ZAR. About 20% of salaries are below the 33,600 ZAR mark, while 10% fall within the range of 46,000 ZAR to 51,600 ZAR. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 51,600 ZAR.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Computer Scientist / Cape Town
How do experience and age affect pay?
| 0 - 2 Years | 33,700 ZAR | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +34% | 45,200 ZAR |
| 5 - 10 Years | +30% | 58,700 ZAR |
| 10 - 15 Years | +21% | 71,100 ZAR |
| 15 - 20 Years | +9% | 77,700 ZAR |
| 20+ Years | +5% | 81,700 ZAR |
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Computer Scientist and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 33,700 ZAR.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 45,200 ZAR, 34% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 58,700 ZAR, 30% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, professionals whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 71,100 ZAR, 21% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 77,700 ZAR, 9% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 81,700 ZAR, 5% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Salary Comparison By Education / Computer Scientist / Cape Town
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Computer Scientist.
| Bachelor's Degree | 43,500 ZAR | |
| Master's Degree | +24% | 53,800 ZAR |
| PhD | +60% | 86,100 ZAR |
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down salaries by education level for the position Computer Scientist in order to make a comparison.
Level 1: Bachelor's Degree
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 43,500 ZAR.
Level 2: Master's Degree
At this level, the average salary becomes 53,800 ZAR, 24% more than the previous level.
Level 3: PhD
At this level, the average salary becomes 86,100 ZAR, 60% more than the previous level.
Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?
A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in South Africa costs anywhere from 156,000 ZAR to 469,000 ZAR and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.
You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.
Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support the theory. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.
If you can afford the costs of higher education, the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers
Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Computer Scientist / Cape Town
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? For the people who work as Computer Scientist in South Africa, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 8%.
| Male | 56,400 ZAR | |
| Female | -7% | 52,300 ZAR |
Salary Comparison By Gender in South Africa for all Careers
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Computer Scientist / Cape Town
How much are annual salary increments in Cape Town for individuals working as Computer Scientist? How often do employees get salary raises?
Individuals working as Computer Scientist in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately % every months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 18 months.
South Africa / All Professions
The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
How to calculate the salary increment percentage?
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency
Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs
Salary Packages and Schemes
Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.
Bonus and Incentive Rates / Computer Scientist / South Africa
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
Share This Chart Tweet Get Chart Linkhttp://www.salaryexplorer.com/charts/south-africa/science-and-technical-services/computer-scientist/annual-salary-bonus-rate-south-africa-computer-scientist.jpg
100% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while % said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from % to % of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | % | |
| No Bonus | 100% |
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based BonusesThe most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
Bonuses Are Not Commissions!
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?
The main two types of jobs | |
| Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
Average Hourly Wage / Computer Scientist / Cape Town
330 ZAR per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Computer Scientist in Cape Town is 330 ZAR.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.
About The Hourly Pay Rate
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?
The minimum pay rate per hour for people working as Computer Scientist in Cape Town is 170 ZAR. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
Salary comparison with similar jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Science and Technical Services |  -100% | |
| 3D Lab Technologist | 34,400 ZAR | -40% |
| 3D Printing Specialist | 33,300 ZAR | -42% |
| Algorithm Developer | 46,700 ZAR | -18% |
| Analytical Chemist | 65,000 ZAR |  +14% |
| Anthropologist | 51,500 ZAR | -10% |
| Archeologist | 42,100 ZAR | -26% |
| Assistant Breeder | 22,600 ZAR | -60% |
| Astronomer | 78,500 ZAR | +38% |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientist | 65,300 ZAR | +15% |
| Behavior Analyst | 44,500 ZAR | -22% |
| Behavior Intervention Specialist | 46,900 ZAR | -18% |
| Behavior Specialist | 46,100 ZAR | -19% |
| Biochemist | 74,100 ZAR | +30% |
| Biofuels Processing Technician | 30,700 ZAR | -46% |
| Biofuels Production Manager | 52,200 ZAR | -8% |
| Biologist | 72,200 ZAR | +27% |
| Biomedical Laboratory Officer | 29,200 ZAR | -49% |
| Biomedical Scientist | 77,100 ZAR | +35% |
| Biophysicist | 78,200 ZAR | +37% |
| Chemical Engineer | 34,400 ZAR | -40% |
| Chemical Technologist | 33,700 ZAR | -41% |
| Chemist | 71,700 ZAR | +26% |
| Chief Robotics Integration Officer | 55,200 ZAR | -3% |
| Chief Technologist | 64,200 ZAR | +13% |
| Climate Change Analyst | 47,900 ZAR | -16% |
| Clinical Laboratory Scientist | 75,700 ZAR | +33% |
| Computer Scientist | 57,000 ZAR | -0% |
| Conservation Scientist | 58,300 ZAR | +2% |
| Data Science Specialist | 44,000 ZAR | -23% |
| Data Scientist | 55,200 ZAR | -3% |
| DNA Analyst | 74,300 ZAR | +30% |
| Ecologist | 58,400 ZAR | +2% |
| Economic Development Specialist | 56,500 ZAR | -1% |
| Flavourist | 25,000 ZAR | -56% |
| Food Scientist | 46,400 ZAR | -19% |
| Forensic Scientist | 60,400 ZAR | +6% |
| Formulation Technologist | 30,000 ZAR | -47% |
| Fraud Investigator | 36,200 ZAR | -36% |
| Genomics Scientist | 76,700 ZAR | +35% |
| Geographer | 41,900 ZAR | -26% |
| Geographic Information Systems Technician | 25,700 ZAR | -55% |
| Geological Data Technician | 25,700 ZAR | -55% |
| Geological Technician | 30,600 ZAR | -46% |
| Geologist | 60,600 ZAR | +6% |
| Geomatics Scientist | 60,200 ZAR | +6% |
| Geophysical Data Technician | 24,700 ZAR | -57% |
| Geospatial Information Scientist and Technologist | 57,900 ZAR | +2% |
| Global Technical Lead | 76,300 ZAR | +34% |
| Hydrologist | 49,600 ZAR | -13% |
| Industrial Ecologist | 49,300 ZAR | -14% |
| Intelligence Analyst | 46,400 ZAR | -19% |
| Internet of Things (IoT) Architect | 37,000 ZAR | -35% |
| Internet of Things (IoT) Compliance Analyst | 40,800 ZAR | -28% |
| Internet of Things (IoT) Consultant | 41,600 ZAR | -27% |
| Internet of Things (IoT) Engineer | 36,800 ZAR | -35% |
| Internet of Things (IoT) Integration Specialist | 37,900 ZAR | -34% |
| Internet of Things (IoT) Logistics Analyst | 32,300 ZAR | -43% |
| Internet of Things (IoT) Security Analyst | 32,000 ZAR | -44% |
| Internet of Things (IoT) Specialist | 34,600 ZAR | -39% |
| Internet of Things (IoT) Technician | 28,000 ZAR | -51% |
| Knowledge Management Specialist | 37,700 ZAR | -34% |
| Lab Analyst | 31,400 ZAR | -45% |
| Lab Manager | 53,200 ZAR | -7% |
| Lab Technician | 23,300 ZAR | -59% |
| Laboratory Manager | 50,300 ZAR | -12% |
| Laboratory Researcher | 35,900 ZAR | -37% |
| Laboratory Technician | 22,600 ZAR | -60% |
| Life Sciences Analyst | 52,700 ZAR | -8% |
| Life Scientist | 57,600 ZAR | +1% |
| Marine Architect | 44,500 ZAR | -22% |
| Marine Biologist | 53,100 ZAR | -7% |
| Marine Superintendent | 32,700 ZAR | -43% |
| Materials Analyst | 31,100 ZAR | -45% |
| Materials Scientist | 58,100 ZAR | +2% |
| Mathematician | 58,800 ZAR | +3% |
| Medical Scientist | 74,700 ZAR | +31% |
| Metallurgist | 54,100 ZAR | -5% |
| Meteorologist | 51,800 ZAR | -9% |
| Microbiologist | 80,500 ZAR | +41% |
| Natural Language Processing Researcher | 46,500 ZAR | -18% |
| Natural Resource Specialist | 44,700 ZAR | -22% |
| Natural Resources Analyst | 46,300 ZAR | -19% |
| Natural Sciences Manager | 68,500 ZAR | +20% |
| Neurotechnology Specialist | 66,300 ZAR | +16% |
| Nuclear Engineer | 78,600 ZAR | +38% |
| Physical Scientist | 63,400 ZAR | +11% |
| Physicist | 76,200 ZAR | +34% |
| Political Scientist | 58,700 ZAR | +3% |
| Polygraph Examiner | 19,800 ZAR | -65% |
| Polysomnographic Technologist | 35,700 ZAR | -37% |
| Product Development Scientist | 63,900 ZAR | +12% |
| Quantitative Research Analyst | 48,900 ZAR | -14% |
| Quantitative Researcher | 51,800 ZAR | -9% |
| Quantum Algorithm Developer | 44,700 ZAR | -22% |
| Quantum Computing Engineer | 38,600 ZAR | -32% |
| Quantum Computing Ethics Officer | 38,500 ZAR | -32% |
| Quantum Computing Specialist | 42,300 ZAR | -26% |
| Radiation Protection Specialist | 40,100 ZAR | -30% |
| Refrigeration Technician | 17,700 ZAR | -69% |
| Research Scientist | 52,800 ZAR | -7% |
| Risk Safety Engineer | 34,000 ZAR | -40% |
| Robotics Architect | 44,600 ZAR | -22% |
| Scientific Photographer | 31,500 ZAR | -45% |
| Scientific Programmer | 47,400 ZAR | -17% |
| Scientist | 53,300 ZAR | -6% |
| Service Engineer | 33,200 ZAR | -42% |
| Service Technician | 22,100 ZAR | -61% |
| Social Science Research Assistant | 32,500 ZAR | -43% |
| Social Scientist | 57,500 ZAR | +1% |
| Sociologist | 53,000 ZAR | -7% |
| Soil Scientist | 47,200 ZAR | -17% |
| Statistical Analyst | 31,500 ZAR | -45% |
| Statistical Assistant | 24,400 ZAR | -57% |
| Statistician | 51,500 ZAR | -10% |
| Survey Analyst | 33,600 ZAR | -41% |
| Survey Researcher | 30,000 ZAR | -47% |
| Surveying and Mapping Technician | 19,500 ZAR | -66% |
| Team Leader | 45,000 ZAR | -21% |
| Technical Manager | 53,500 ZAR | -6% |
| Technical Officer | 21,900 ZAR | -62% |
| Technical Service Director | 66,000 ZAR | +16% |
| Technical Services Regulatory Affairs Specialist | 35,000 ZAR | -39% |
| Technical Services Research and Development Manager | 75,100 ZAR | +32% |
| Technical Services Research Associate | 35,700 ZAR | -37% |
| Technical Services Research Coordinator | 37,300 ZAR | -35% |
| Technician | 21,400 ZAR | -62% |
| Water Ecologist | 60,600 ZAR | +6% |
| Wearable Technology Developer | 37,900 ZAR | -34% |
| Wearables Specialist | 31,100 ZAR | -45% |
| Wildlife Biologist | 51,200 ZAR | -10% |
Salary Comparison By City
| City | Average Salary |
| Cape Town | 57,000 ZAR |
| Johannesburg | 52,200 ZAR |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in South Africa is 7% on average across all career fields.
| Private Sector | 30,400 ZAR | |
| Public Sector | +7% | 32,400 ZAR |
Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide
What is considered to be a good and competitive salary for the job title Computer Scientist in Cape Town?
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 51,800 ZAR and 58,800 ZAR. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.
Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.
Base / Basic Salary
The base salary for a careers like Computer Scientist in Cape Town ranges from 29,600 ZAR to 43,000 ZAR. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.
What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary
