A person working as Human Resources Officer in South Africa typically earns around 19,600 ZAR. Salaries range from 9,010 ZAR (lowest) to 31,100 ZAR (highest).
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Human Resources Officer 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.
![]() 9,010 ZAR |
![]() 18,700 ZAR |
![]() 31,100 ZAR |
Salaries for the position Human Resources Officer in South Africa range from 9,010 ZAR (starting salary) to 31,100 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.
With a median salary of 18,700 ZAR, half of the professionals who work as Human Resources Officer 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.
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 Human Resources Officer in South Africa earn less than 15,100 ZAR, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 21,600 ZAR while 25% earn more.
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 Human Resources Officer in South Africa compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 11,200 ZAR to 16,300 ZAR. About 20% of salaries are below the 11,200 ZAR mark, while 10% fall within the range of 16,300 ZAR to 18,600 ZAR. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 18,600 ZAR.
0 - 2 Years | 10,200 ZAR | |
2 - 5 Years | +34% | 13,700 ZAR |
5 - 10 Years | +48% | 20,200 ZAR |
10 - 15 Years | +22% | 24,600 ZAR |
15 - 20 Years | +9% | 26,800 ZAR |
20+ Years | +8% | 29,000 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 Human Resources Officer and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 10,200 ZAR.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 13,700 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 20,200 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 24,600 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 26,800 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 29,000 ZAR, 8% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Certificate or Diploma | 11,900 ZAR | |
Bachelor's Degree | +93% | 23,000 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 Human Resources Officer in order to make a comparison.
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 11,900 ZAR.
At this level, the average salary becomes 23,000 ZAR, 93% more than the previous level.
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 Human Resources Officer in South Africa, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 12%.
Male | 20,700 ZAR | |
Female | -11% | 18,500 ZAR |
Individuals working as Human Resources Officer 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.
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.
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
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.
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% |
The 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The minimum pay rate per hour for people working as Human Resources Officer in South Africa is 52 ZAR. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
Job Title | Average Salary |
Human Resources | ![]() | |
Benefits Administrator | 20,600 ZAR | ![]() |
Benefits Analyst | 24,700 ZAR | ![]() |
Benefits Manager | 41,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Benefits Specialist | 24,000 ZAR | ![]() |
Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer | 45,000 ZAR | ![]() |
Chief Happiness Officer | 45,700 ZAR | ![]() |
Chief Human Resources Officer | 54,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Chief Listening Officer | 40,700 ZAR | ![]() |
Chief People Officer | 55,200 ZAR | ![]() |
Chief Remote Work and Collaboration Officer | 36,200 ZAR | ![]() |
Compensation Analyst | 24,700 ZAR | ![]() |
Compensation and Benefits Manager | 42,900 ZAR | ![]() |
Compensation and Benefits Officer | 17,200 ZAR | ![]() |
Compensation and Benefits Specialist | 24,000 ZAR | ![]() |
Compensation Manager | 41,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Corporate Director of Human Resources | 53,400 ZAR | ![]() |
Corporate Recruiter | 35,600 ZAR | ![]() |
Corporate Trainer | 25,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Director of Talent Acquisition | 52,100 ZAR | ![]() |
Diversity and Inclusion Specialist | 32,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Benefits Administrator | 29,000 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Benefits Consultant | 38,400 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Benefits Coordinator | 15,100 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Communications Manager | 36,100 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Development Specialist | 34,600 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Engagement Specialist | 33,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Experience Manager | 37,900 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Health and Wellness Administrator | 30,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Performance Specialist | 25,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Relations Analyst | 33,000 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Relations Manager | 36,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Relations Practitioner | 37,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Relations Representative | 26,000 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Relations Specialist | 33,000 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Services Manager | 36,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Services Specialist | 33,400 ZAR | ![]() |
Employee Wellness Officer | 25,200 ZAR | ![]() |
Employment Advice Worker | 16,000 ZAR | ![]() |
Employment Interviewer | 24,100 ZAR | ![]() |
Employment Relations Officer | 15,900 ZAR | ![]() |
Employment Service Specialist | 19,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Employment Services Coordinator | 23,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Enrollment Counselor | 31,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Equal Opportunity Representative | 25,400 ZAR | ![]() |
Executive Human Capital Management | 51,400 ZAR | ![]() |
Executive Recruiter | 35,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Expatriate Administration Manager | 35,700 ZAR | ![]() |
Expatriate Administration Supervisor | 24,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Global Mobility Manager | 43,000 ZAR | ![]() |
Head of Culture | 39,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Head of Human Resources | 48,600 ZAR | ![]() |
Headhunter | 36,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Health Benefits Coordinator | 20,800 ZAR | ![]() |
HRIS Analyst | 17,600 ZAR | ![]() |
HRIS Manager | 30,900 ZAR | ![]() |
HRIS Officer | 16,200 ZAR | ![]() |
HRIS Supervisor | 17,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Administration Specialist | 21,000 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Administrative Assistant | 14,700 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Administrative Coordinator | 21,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Administrator | 22,100 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Advisor | 34,200 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Analyst | 30,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Assessor | 18,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Assistant | 14,200 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Assistant Manager | 39,000 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Associate | 13,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Compliance Officer | 32,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Consultant | 41,700 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Coordinator | 15,700 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Data Analytics Manager | 28,700 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Data Scientist | 31,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Deputy Manager | 40,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Development Manager | 47,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Director | 53,400 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Executive | 37,200 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Generalist | 25,200 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Manager | 48,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Officer | 19,600 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Recruiter | 37,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Representative | 20,900 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Section Head | 31,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Services Manager | 44,200 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Shared Services Manager | 34,700 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Specialist | 27,600 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Superintendent | 19,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Systems Administrator | 27,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Technology Consultant | 30,600 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Training Executive | 37,200 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Transformation Consultant | 35,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Human Resources Vice President | 49,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Industrial Organizational Psychologist | 42,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Job Evaluation Specialist | 34,900 ZAR | ![]() |
Labor Relations Director | 40,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Labor Relations Manager | 40,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Labor Relations Specialist | 19,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Learning and Development Manager | 42,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Learning and Development Specialist | 29,600 ZAR | ![]() |
Occupational Health and Safety Officer | 18,900 ZAR | ![]() |
Organizational Development Consultant | 39,900 ZAR | ![]() |
Organizational Development Manager | 44,100 ZAR | ![]() |
Organizational Development Specialist | 23,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Payroll Assistant | 16,900 ZAR | ![]() |
Payroll Supervisor | 20,600 ZAR | ![]() |
People Development Officer | 24,700 ZAR | ![]() |
People Operations Analyst | 32,100 ZAR | ![]() |
Personnel Officer | 14,000 ZAR | ![]() |
Personnel Recruiter | 37,200 ZAR | ![]() |
Records Clerk | 13,200 ZAR | ![]() |
Records Manager | 21,600 ZAR | ![]() |
Recruiter | 35,900 ZAR | ![]() |
Recruiting Coordinator | 19,100 ZAR | ![]() |
Recruiting Manager | 48,200 ZAR | ![]() |
Recruitment Consultant | 36,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Recruitment Officer | 20,000 ZAR | ![]() |
Recruitment Supervisor | 30,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Remote Collaboration Consultant | 26,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Remote Work Compliance Manager | 36,500 ZAR | ![]() |
Remote Work Coordinator | 24,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Remote Work Manager | 32,400 ZAR | ![]() |
Research Associate | 16,200 ZAR | ![]() |
SAP Resource Manager | 38,100 ZAR | ![]() |
Talent Acquisition Manager | 46,100 ZAR | ![]() |
Talent Acquisition Specialist | 27,100 ZAR | ![]() |
Talent Brand Manager | 39,600 ZAR | ![]() |
Talent Management Officer | 21,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Technical Recruiter | 21,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Training Administrator | 20,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Training and Development Manager | 45,700 ZAR | ![]() |
Training and Development Section Head | 37,100 ZAR | ![]() |
Training Executive | 38,100 ZAR | ![]() |
Training Manager | 45,800 ZAR | ![]() |
Training Officer | 18,300 ZAR | ![]() |
Training Specialist | 28,600 ZAR | ![]() |
Workforce Planning Analyst | 31,100 ZAR | ![]() |
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 |
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 18,700 ZAR and 21,600 ZAR. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.
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.
The base salary for a careers like Human Resources Officer in South Africa ranges from 9,010 ZAR to 15,100 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.
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