The Highest Paying Jobs in South Africa – Leading Careers in the Nation

Career choice is often informed by a number of factors, including training, education required, personality type as well as socio-economic conditions. One’s current financial status can also be an important deciding factor when considering a career choice, because certain careers have special requirements in terms of schooling or training, which can often be expensive to finance. South Africa is facing a serious skilled labour shortage. There is currently an over-supply of individuals with qualifications in humanities and the arts, while there is a drastic under-supply of graduates with much-needed skilled labour qualifications. 
Currently, petroleum engineers, pilots, air traffic controllers, quantity surveyors, chartered accountants, computer and information systems managers and lawyers account for some of the highest paying jobs in South Africa. According to statistics by trade union Solidarity’s Research Institute (SRI), around 11.2% of the adult population in South Africa have a tertiary education. Engineering, economics, medical and finance sectors have numerous entry-level positions and there is a high demand for individuals skilled in these areas of expertise.

When choosing a career path, it is advisable to choose a career in which one can easily get employed and gain stability. It would be wise to pay attention to future financial security provided by the career. A brief look at some of the most sought after skills in South Africa and their gross annual remuneration packages reveals the following:

Lawyers/Advocates earn in the region of R950 000 to R1.2 million; Doctors can demand anything between R850 000 and R1.1 million, while engineers can make anything from R750 000 to R950 000. Business and financial experts are remunerated from R850 000 to R1.2 million. A developing trend, in light of the rise of micro-lenders in South Africa, and with a greater need for risk control following the global financial crisis, is the spike in demand for credit risk analysts. Changes in the market will dictate how long this trend will last, but what will remain constant is the need for highly skilled professionals who provide the backbone to the country’s structure and enable progressive economic and technological advancements.