Designer Average Salary in South Africa 2024
How much money does a person working as Designer make in South Africa?
LOW
8,830
ZAR AVERAGE
19,200
ZAR HIGH
30,500
ZAR
A person working as Designer in South Africa typically earns around 19,200 ZAR. Salaries range from 8,830 ZAR (lowest) to 30,500 ZAR (highest).
Salary Variance
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Designer 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.
Designer Pay Scale and Salaries in South Africa
Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison
18,200 ZAR or more
16,000 to 18,200 ZAR
11,000 ZAR or less
11,000 to 16,000 ZAR
 8,830 ZAR |
18,400 ZAR |
30,500 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 Designer in South Africa range from 8,830 ZAR (starting salary) to 30,500 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 18,400 ZAR, half of the professionals who work as Designer 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 Designer in South Africa earn less than 14,800 ZAR, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 21,100 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 Designer in South Africa compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 11,000 ZAR to 16,000 ZAR. About 20% of salaries are below the 11,000 ZAR mark, while 10% fall within the range of 16,000 ZAR to 18,200 ZAR. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 18,200 ZAR.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Designer / South Africa
How do experience and age affect pay?
| 0 - 2 Years | 10,000 ZAR | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +34% | 13,400 ZAR |
| 5 - 10 Years | +48% | 19,800 ZAR |
| 10 - 15 Years | +22% | 24,100 ZAR |
| 15 - 20 Years | +9% | 26,300 ZAR |
| 20+ Years | +8% | 28,500 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 Designer and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 10,000 ZAR.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 13,400 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 19,800 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 24,100 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 26,300 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 28,500 ZAR, 8% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Salary Comparison By Education / Designer / South Africa
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Designer .
| High School | 12,300 ZAR | |
| Certificate or Diploma | +18% | 14,500 ZAR |
| Bachelor's Degree | +45% | 21,000 ZAR |
| Master's Degree | +31% | 27,500 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 Designer in order to make a comparison.
Level 1: High School
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 12,300 ZAR.
Level 2: Certificate or Diploma
At this level, the average salary becomes 14,500 ZAR, 18% more than the previous level.
Level 3: Bachelor's Degree
At this level, the average salary becomes 21,000 ZAR, 45% more than the previous level.
Level 4: Master's Degree
At this level, the average salary becomes 27,500 ZAR, 31% 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 / Designer / 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 Designer in South Africa, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 12%.
| Male | 20,300 ZAR | |
| Female | -11% | 18,100 ZAR |
Salary Comparison By Gender in South Africa for all Careers
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Designer / South Africa
How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for individuals working as Designer ? How often do employees get salary raises?
Individuals working as Designer in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 10% every 18 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 / Designer / South Africa
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
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43% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 57% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 2% to 7% of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | 57% | |
| No Bonus | 43% |
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 / Designer / South Africa
110 ZAR per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Designer in South Africa is 110 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 Designer in South Africa is 51 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 |
| Advertising / Graphic Design / Events |  -100% | |
| Advertisement Fraud Analyst | 34,100 ZAR |  +78% |
| Advertising Account Executive | 36,000 ZAR | +87% |
| Advertising Account Manager | 39,000 ZAR | +100% |
| Advertising Account Planner | 19,100 ZAR | -1% |
| Advertising and Promotions Manager | 53,000 ZAR | +180% |
| Advertising Coordinator | 25,500 ZAR | +33% |
| Advertising Data Analyst | 34,900 ZAR | +82% |
| Advertising Manager | 51,600 ZAR | +170% |
| Advertising Operations Manager | 54,700 ZAR | +180% |
| Advertising Sales Director | 55,500 ZAR | +190% |
| Advertising Strategic Planner | 35,600 ZAR | +85% |
| Advertising Team Leader | 30,200 ZAR | +57% |
| Animation Director | 43,100 ZAR | +120% |
| Animator | 23,200 ZAR | +21% |
| Art Director | 31,900 ZAR | +66% |
| Art Manager | 32,000 ZAR | +67% |
| Artificial Intelligence Advertising Analyst | 37,000 ZAR | +93% |
| Artist | 26,700 ZAR | +39% |
| Artworker | 18,700 ZAR | -3% |
| Assistant Art Director | 25,200 ZAR | +31% |
| Audio and Video Equipment Technician | 18,200 ZAR | -5% |
| Audio Engineer | 23,800 ZAR | +24% |
| Audiosual Technician | 18,900 ZAR | -2% |
| Branding Consultant | 41,700 ZAR | +120% |
| Broadcast Administrator | 34,000 ZAR | +77% |
| Catering Sales | 20,800 ZAR | +8% |
| Catering Trainer | 24,200 ZAR | +26% |
| Color Consultant | 20,600 ZAR | +7% |
| Commercial and Industrial Designer | 18,900 ZAR | -2% |
| Conference Organiser | 24,100 ZAR | +26% |
| Content and Media Production Lead | 36,500 ZAR | +90% |
| CopyWriter | 21,900 ZAR | +14% |
| Creative Content Strategist | 39,700 ZAR | +110% |
| Creative Designer | 23,300 ZAR | +21% |
| Creative Director | 32,100 ZAR | +67% |
| Creative Technologist | 39,800 ZAR | +110% |
| Crowd Management Specialist | 33,000 ZAR | +72% |
| Design Strategist | 32,100 ZAR | +67% |
| Designer | 19,200 ZAR | -0% |
| Desktop Publisher | 15,300 ZAR | -20% |
| Digital Campaign Manager | 33,700 ZAR | +76% |
| Digital Media Manager | 39,700 ZAR | +110% |
| Digital Media Strategist | 41,400 ZAR | +120% |
| Director of Events | 56,200 ZAR | +190% |
| Director of Graphic Design | 30,700 ZAR | +60% |
| Director of Social Media Marketing | 43,000 ZAR | +120% |
| Event Experience Designer | 34,900 ZAR | +82% |
| Event Security Specialist | 30,100 ZAR | +57% |
| Event Technology Consultant | 31,100 ZAR | +62% |
| Event Technology Integration Specialist | 29,200 ZAR | +52% |
| Events and Promotions Manager | 52,700 ZAR | +170% |
| Events Director | 52,900 ZAR | +180% |
| Exhibit Designer | 25,700 ZAR | +34% |
| Exhibit Display Coordinator | 24,900 ZAR | +30% |
| Exhibit Display Manager | 33,200 ZAR | +73% |
| Experiential Designer | 30,400 ZAR | +58% |
| Finisher | 17,000 ZAR | -11% |
| Gamification Specialist | 35,400 ZAR | +84% |
| Graphic Artist | 20,400 ZAR | +6% |
| Graphic Design Specialist | 23,400 ZAR | +22% |
| Graphic Designer | 20,500 ZAR | +7% |
| Graphics Artist | 21,400 ZAR | +11% |
| Graphics Design Supervisor | 27,700 ZAR | +44% |
| Group Creative Director | 34,900 ZAR | +82% |
| Imagery Analyst | 18,600 ZAR | -3% |
| Imaging Technologist | 18,600 ZAR | -3% |
| Immersive Storyteller | 28,500 ZAR | +48% |
| Interaction Designer | 15,900 ZAR | -17% |
| Lead Generation Specialist | 38,700 ZAR | +100% |
| Media Analyst | 27,000 ZAR | +41% |
| Media Executive | 35,200 ZAR | +83% |
| Media Planner | 26,900 ZAR | +40% |
| Media Production Coordinator | 24,600 ZAR | +28% |
| Media Production Manager | 44,300 ZAR | +130% |
| Media Project Manager | 42,700 ZAR | +120% |
| Media Relations Representative | 35,300 ZAR | +84% |
| Media Sales Executive | 44,000 ZAR | +130% |
| Meeting and Event Planner | 23,900 ZAR | +24% |
| Mobile Advertising Specialist | 40,600 ZAR | +110% |
| Motion Graphic Artist | 27,100 ZAR | +41% |
| Motion Graphics Designer | 27,100 ZAR | +41% |
| Multimedia Artist | 20,500 ZAR | +7% |
| Multimedia Specialist | 18,600 ZAR | -3% |
| NFT Designer | 24,300 ZAR | +27% |
| NFT Specialist | 26,200 ZAR | +36% |
| Photographer | 18,100 ZAR | -6% |
| PPC Campaign Manager | 32,900 ZAR | +71% |
| Print Production Manager | 35,800 ZAR | +86% |
| Product and Brand Manager | 51,600 ZAR | +170% |
| Sales Promotion Manager | 51,200 ZAR | +170% |
| Search Engine Optimization Specialist (SEO) | 21,500 ZAR | +12% |
| Sketch Artist | 23,300 ZAR | +21% |
| Social Media Event Strategist | 28,800 ZAR | +50% |
| Social Media Executive | 41,100 ZAR | +110% |
| Social Media Graphic Designer | 24,900 ZAR | +30% |
| Social Media Manager | 41,100 ZAR | +110% |
| Social Media Marketing Manager | 42,300 ZAR | +120% |
| Social Media Strategist | 41,200 ZAR | +110% |
| Special Events Supervisor | 31,900 ZAR | +66% |
| Technical Typist | 13,900 ZAR | -28% |
| User Experience UX Designer | 21,400 ZAR | +11% |
| UX Designer | 18,700 ZAR | -3% |
| Virtual / Augmented Reality Advertiser | 32,600 ZAR | +70% |
| Virtual / Augmented Reality Event Producer | 27,500 ZAR | +43% |
| Virtual / Augmented Reality Showroom Designer | 24,200 ZAR | +26% |
| Virtual Events Planner | 26,400 ZAR | +37% |
| Virtual Trade Show Manager | 24,400 ZAR | +27% |
| Voice Search Optimization Specialist | 32,100 ZAR | +67% |
| Web Accessibility Designer | 26,000 ZAR | +35% |
| Web3 Designer | 25,100 ZAR | +31% |
| Webinar Designer | 27,000 ZAR | +41% |
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 Designer in South Africa?
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 18,400 ZAR and 21,100 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 Designer in South Africa ranges from 8,830 ZAR to 14,800 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
