Clerk Average Salary in South Africa 2024
How much money does a person working as Clerk make in South Africa?
LOW
4,980
ZAR AVERAGE
10,800
ZAR HIGH
17,200
ZAR
A person working as Clerk in South Africa typically earns around 10,800 ZAR. Salaries range from 4,980 ZAR (lowest) to 17,200 ZAR (highest).
Salary Variance
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Clerk salaries in South Africa vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Clerk Pay Scale and Salaries in South Africa
Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison
10,300 ZAR or more
8,990 to 10,300 ZAR
6,190 ZAR or less
6,190 to 8,990 ZAR
 4,980 ZAR |
10,300 ZAR |
17,200 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 Clerk in South Africa range from 4,980 ZAR (starting salary) to 17,200 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 10,300 ZAR, half of the professionals who work as Clerk in South Africa 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 Clerk in South Africa earn less than 8,330 ZAR, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 11,900 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 Clerk in South Africa compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 6,190 ZAR to 8,990 ZAR. About 20% of salaries are below the 6,190 ZAR mark, while 10% fall within the range of 8,990 ZAR to 10,300 ZAR. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 10,300 ZAR.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Clerk / South Africa
How do experience and age affect pay?
| 0 - 2 Years | 5,650 ZAR | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +34% | 7,540 ZAR |
| 5 - 10 Years | +48% | 11,100 ZAR |
| 10 - 15 Years | +22% | 13,600 ZAR |
| 15 - 20 Years | +9% | 14,800 ZAR |
| 20+ Years | +8% | 16,000 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 Clerk and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 5,650 ZAR.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 7,540 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 11,100 ZAR, 48% 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 13,600 ZAR, 22% 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 14,800 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 16,000 ZAR, 8% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Salary Comparison By Education / Clerk / South Africa
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Clerk.
| High School | 6,440 ZAR | |
| Certificate or Diploma | +57% | 10,100 ZAR |
| Bachelor's Degree | +68% | 17,000 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 Clerk in order to make a comparison.
Level 1: High School
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 6,440 ZAR.
Level 2: Certificate or Diploma
At this level, the average salary becomes 10,100 ZAR, 57% more than the previous level.
Level 3: Bachelor's Degree
At this level, the average salary becomes 17,000 ZAR, 68% more than the previous level.
Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers
Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Clerk / South Africa
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 Clerk in South Africa, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 12%.
| Male | 11,400 ZAR | |
| Female | -11% | 10,200 ZAR |
Salary Comparison By Gender in South Africa for all Careers
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Clerk / South Africa
How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for individuals working as Clerk? How often do employees get salary raises?
Individuals working as Clerk in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 8% every 19 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 / Clerk / South Africa
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
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68% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 32% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 0% to 4% of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | 32% | |
| No Bonus | 68% |
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 / Clerk / South Africa
62 ZAR per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Clerk in South Africa is 62 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 Clerk in South Africa is 29 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 |
| Administration / Reception / Secretarial |  -100% | |
| Accreditation Specialist | 37,300 ZAR |  +240% |
| Admin Clerk | 11,400 ZAR | +5% |
| Admin Executive | 18,600 ZAR | +72% |
| Administrative Aide | 12,800 ZAR | +18% |
| Administrative Analyst | 24,000 ZAR | +120% |
| Administrative Assistant | 16,400 ZAR | +52% |
| Administrative Associate | 16,400 ZAR | +52% |
| Administrative Coordinator | 16,900 ZAR | +56% |
| Administrative Manager | 24,900 ZAR | +130% |
| Administrative Officer | 16,500 ZAR | +53% |
| Administrative Receptionist | 16,300 ZAR | +51% |
| Administrative Secretary | 15,300 ZAR | +41% |
| Administrative Specialist | 16,200 ZAR | +50% |
| Administrative Support | 14,500 ZAR | +34% |
| Administrative Technician | 14,000 ZAR | +29% |
| Board Secretary | 15,600 ZAR | +44% |
| Branch Office Administrator | 26,700 ZAR | +150% |
| Business Administrator | 25,400 ZAR | +130% |
| Business Office Manager | 40,600 ZAR | +280% |
| Central Office Operator | 16,500 ZAR | +53% |
| Clerical Assistant | 9,950 ZAR | -8% |
| Clerk | 10,800 ZAR | -0% |
| Commercial Administrator | 24,700 ZAR | +130% |
| Commissions Processor | 19,700 ZAR | +82% |
| Conveyancing Secretary | 14,500 ZAR | +34% |
| Corporate Receptionist | 16,400 ZAR | +52% |
| Creditors Clerk | 16,100 ZAR | +49% |
| Data Entry Clerk | 11,700 ZAR | +8% |
| Data Entry Specialist | 16,200 ZAR | +50% |
| Document Controller | 13,500 ZAR | +25% |
| Document Management Specialist | 21,700 ZAR | +100% |
| Executive Administrative Assistant | 18,000 ZAR | +66% |
| Executive Assistant | 18,000 ZAR | +66% |
| Executive Officer | 20,200 ZAR | +87% |
| Executive Personal Assistant | 21,900 ZAR | +100% |
| Executive Secretary | 17,200 ZAR | +59% |
| File Clerk | 10,800 ZAR | -0% |
| Front Desk Attendant | 16,400 ZAR | +52% |
| Front Desk Coordinator | 19,900 ZAR | +84% |
| Front Desk Manager | 26,600 ZAR | +150% |
| Front Desk Receptionist | 15,900 ZAR | +47% |
| Front Desk Shift Leader | 20,300 ZAR | +88% |
| Front Office Assistant | 15,000 ZAR | +39% |
| Front Office Executive | 20,700 ZAR | +91% |
| Group Services Manager | 43,900 ZAR | +310% |
| Head Receptionist | 19,200 ZAR | +78% |
| Inquiry and Admissions Clerk | 10,600 ZAR | -2% |
| Key Account Assistant | 19,900 ZAR | +84% |
| Keyboard and Data Entry Operator | 10,400 ZAR | -4% |
| Leasing Administrator | 19,800 ZAR | +83% |
| Legal Secretary | 16,800 ZAR | +55% |
| Librarian | 19,700 ZAR | +82% |
| Mail Processing Clerk | 9,500 ZAR | -12% |
| Mail Sorting Clerk | 9,430 ZAR | -13% |
| Mailroom Clerk | 9,510 ZAR | -12% |
| Mailroom Manager | 17,800 ZAR | +65% |
| Management Support Secretary | 16,300 ZAR | +51% |
| Master Programme Coordinator | 32,700 ZAR | +200% |
| Medical Receptionist | 17,400 ZAR | +61% |
| Meeting and Event Assistant | 18,000 ZAR | +66% |
| Meeting and Event Manager | 39,400 ZAR | +260% |
| Night Manager | 24,100 ZAR | +120% |
| Office Administrator | 25,500 ZAR | +140% |
| Office Assistant | 11,200 ZAR | +4% |
| Office Automation Clerk | 19,600 ZAR | +81% |
| Office Clerk | 13,000 ZAR | +20% |
| Office Coordinator | 15,800 ZAR | +46% |
| Office Manager | 27,600 ZAR | +160% |
| Office Services Coordinator | 21,900 ZAR | +100% |
| Office Supervisor | 21,000 ZAR | +94% |
| Operations Analyst | 32,800 ZAR | +200% |
| Operations Clerk | 18,500 ZAR | +71% |
| Operations Manager | 44,400 ZAR | +310% |
| Personal Assistant | 16,200 ZAR | +50% |
| Planning Assistant | 19,100 ZAR | +77% |
| Process Expert | 25,300 ZAR | +130% |
| Program Coordinator | 24,000 ZAR | +120% |
| Programme Assistant | 21,400 ZAR | +98% |
| Project Administrator | 26,300 ZAR | +140% |
| Project Coordinator | 35,100 ZAR | +220% |
| Query Administrator | 20,900 ZAR | +93% |
| Reception Team Lead | 20,600 ZAR | +90% |
| Receptionist | 15,300 ZAR | +41% |
| Records Officer | 13,600 ZAR | +26% |
| Registry Administrator | 16,900 ZAR | +56% |
| Registry and Filing Clerk | 10,900 ZAR | +1% |
| Rental Clerk | 11,500 ZAR | +6% |
| Schedule Officer | 11,700 ZAR | +8% |
| Scheduler | 12,800 ZAR | +18% |
| School Secretary | 16,400 ZAR | +52% |
| Secretary | 14,300 ZAR | +32% |
| Service Reception Head | 18,400 ZAR | +70% |
| Switchboard Operator | 13,500 ZAR | +25% |
| Technical Program Manager | 36,900 ZAR | +240% |
| Technical Project Manager | 38,300 ZAR | +250% |
| Typist | 12,800 ZAR | +18% |
| Unit Secretary | 14,400 ZAR | +33% |
| Wayleave Officer | 11,200 ZAR | +4% |
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 Clerk in South Africa?
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 10,300 ZAR and 11,900 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 Clerk in South Africa ranges from 4,980 ZAR to 8,330 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
