Tanzania
+219%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Graduate jobs and salaries in South Africa
Updated Data years: 2020, 2024 How we use data
Older data (2020) The latest official figure is from 2020. It may not reflect today's labour market.
Quick answer
In South Africa, employees with tertiary education earned a median of ZAR 8,212 a month in 2020 (PPP$ 1,107) — +96% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 11.4%, against 28.9% for all adults aged 25 and over (2024).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO) · OECD
- +96%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2020)
- ZAR 8,212median monthly pay with tertiary education (2020)
- 11.4%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 28.9%, 2024)
- 43.1%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2024)
Do graduates earn more in South Africa?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | ZAR 1,291 | 174 | -69% |
| Basic education | ZAR 2,500 | 337 | -40% |
| Intermediate education | ZAR 3,500 | 472 | -17% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | ZAR 8,212 | 1,107 | +96% |
| Short-cycle tertiary | ZAR 8,212 | 1,107 | +96% |
| All levels | ZAR 4,200 | 566 | — |
The degree premium ranks 30 of 128 countries with data. That is below the Sub-Saharan Africa median of +151%.
Earnings over time (PPP$ a month)
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
PPP$ values are in current international dollars, so part of the rise reflects inflation.
Earnings compared with upper secondary education (OECD)
The OECD compares the earnings of adults aged 25–64 with each level of education to those who finished upper secondary school (= 100). Latest year: 2024.
| Education level | Index (upper secondary = 100) |
|---|---|
| Short-cycle tertiary | 157 |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | 303 |
| Master's, doctoral or equivalent | 391 |
| All tertiary | 306 |
| Below upper secondary | 53 |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Full-time, full-year earners.
Which occupations pay the most in South Africa?
Median monthly earnings by occupation group in 2020, from highest to lowest. Examples link to our career profiles.
| Occupation group | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | ZAR 17,000 | 2,292 | +209% |
| Managers Construction manager, Marketing manager, Project manager, Supply chain manager | ZAR 12,000 | 1,618 | +118% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | ZAR 9,000 | 1,214 | +64% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | ZAR 7,000 | 944 | +27% |
| Craft and related trades workers | ZAR 4,999 | 674 | -9% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | ZAR 4,711 | 635 | -14% |
| Clerical support workers | ZAR 4,500 | 607 | -18% |
| Elementary occupations | ZAR 2,500 | 337 | -55% |
| All occupations | ZAR 5,500 | 742 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in South Africa?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | 29.2% | 57.7% |
| Basic education | 36.8% | 61.2% |
| Intermediate education | 29.1% | 61.6% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 11.4% | 43.1% |
| All levels | 28.9% | 60.1% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 119 lowest of 130 countries with data. The Sub-Saharan Africa median is 8.3%.
Unemployment over time, adults 25+
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
Studying and working in South Africa
Rules on student visas, work after graduation and recognition of qualifications change often. Use the official sources below and check the date on any advice you read.
Guide: how to choose a country to study in · Guide: getting your degree recognised abroad
Country context
- Population
- 64.7M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $15,906 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 23.5% (2023)
Questions about graduate jobs in South Africa
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in South Africa?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in South Africa with tertiary education earned a median of ZAR 8,212 a month in 2020, compared with ZAR 4,200 for all employees — +96%. The degree premium ranks 30 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in South Africa?
In 2024, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in South Africa was 11.4%, compared with 28.9% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 43.1%.
Which jobs pay the most in South Africa?
The best-paid occupation group in South Africa in 2020 was “Professionals”, with median monthly earnings of ZAR 17,000 (PPP$ 2,292). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of ZAR 17,000.
Compare with other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Compare South Africa side by side
-
-
Kenya
+617%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2019) -
Sudan
-3%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2022) -
Uganda
+151%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2021) -
Angola
+200%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2024) -
Democratic Republic of the Congo
+66%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2016)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — HIES - National Income Dynamic Survey, 2020
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — HIES - National Income Dynamic Survey, 2020
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - Quarterly Labour Force Survey, 2024
- OECD — Education at a Glance, labour-market outcomes — Relative earnings and employment by field of study
- World Bank — World Development Indicators — Population, GDP per person (PPP) and tertiary enrolment
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). South Africa: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/south-africa/ (accessed September 26, 2026)