Top 15 Highest Paying Tech Jobs in South Africa (+Salaries)

Last updated on May 20th, 2023 at 06:37 pm

One of the biggest problems in South Africa is the lack of skilled workers. This is why you will need to get into IT if you want to make money.

The problem is that there is a shortage of qualified IT professionals.

Highest Paying Tech Jobs in South Africa

There are lots of job openings available in this field. The problem is that not enough people apply for those jobs.

If you are looking to find a good tech job in South Africa, you will need to put yourself forward for the right roles. You can do this by using the Internet to search for jobs.

In this article, I will be listing the highest paying tech jobs in South Africa and giving you some tips on what you can do to get started.

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The Top 13 Highest Paying Tech Jobs in South Africa

In this section, we will review the highest paying tech jobs in South Africa, their average salaries, and a brief overview of their job roles and responsibilities:

Software Engineer

Average Salary (Yearly): 509,000 ZAR

Software engineers are computer programming experts who utilize their understanding of engineering concepts and coding to develop software platforms and solutions, design PC games and operate web-based infrastructure.

It is a rapidly growing profession, as the United States Department of Labor has estimated a 21% growth in this job field in the next six years.

IT Manager

Average Salary (Yearly): 315,000 ZAR

An IT Manager manages a team of technical experts.

He oversees everything from managing software licenses to ensuring security and planning for future growth.

It’s a challenging and rewarding career path, but it’s also a job that requires a lot of technical knowledge.

They are responsible for managing multiple systems and networks as well as the security and uptime of your company’s servers.

Cybersecurity Engineer

Average Salary (Yearly): 503,000 ZAR

A cybersecurity engineer, also known as a computer security engineer, works in the IT department to help secure computers, networks, and data.

The job requires knowledge in many areas of technology including programming, information security, architecture and design concepts, web and application security, cloud technologies, network and infrastructure security.

This career path is growing and offers a wide variety of career paths for those looking to learn about the field.

Digital Marketing Specialist

Average Salary (Yearly): 399,000 ZAR

The digital marketing specialist is an essential part of a successful digital marketing team.

They’re responsible for designing and implementing a variety of online marketing strategies as well as overseeing all the digital marketing campaigns that a company runs, from SEO and PPC to social media and email.

They work with the rest of the team to ensure the campaigns are running effectively and that the strategy behind them is well thought out.

Development Operations Manager

Average Salary (Yearly): 786,187 ZAR

The Development Operations Manager is charged with overseeing and streamlining organizational development processes to boost financial earnings.

The desired expert directly interacts with major stakeholders, including members of staff, the board of directors, financial backers, affiliates, and consultants.

Development operations managers may also be required to handle the day-to-day operational processes of their company’s development initiatives.

This might include things like making sure that all required permits are obtained, collaborating with contractors to acquire materials, and ensuring that contract workers are compensated in a prompt manner.

Software Architect

Average Salary (Yearly): 953,706 ZAR

Software architects are programmers and supervisors of entire computer platforms and software applications.

They assist companies and organizations of all kinds design different technology solutions for their specific needs.

They design systems and write code in order to rectify challenging business challenges that surface within the IT unit of a big corporation.

Software architects will identify and fix computer, software and application problems to seek remedies which will work with the latest computer applications.

They may implement policies and offer guidance to software developers, coders and others to apply the fixes and targets developed by the software architect.

Site Reliability Engineer

Average Salary (Yearly): 942,362 ZAR

A site reliability engineer blurs the dividing line between IT administration and development by handling the projects generally done by operations.

Instead, such projects are given to these professionals who use automation technologies to fix issues by developing scalable and efficient software products.

Site reliability engineering revolves around standardization and automation, particularly as technological structures transition to the cloud.

For this reason, they have foundational knowledge or expertise in system operations or software engineering.

Data Engineer

Average earning (Yearly): 678,848 ZAR

Data engineering is the process of creating and improving frameworks for gathering, recording and interpreting data sets.

It is a wide-ranging profession that has utility in almost all business sectors.

Businesses have the capacity to gather a large volume of data, and it is important they hire competent people and tools to make sure that it is in functional condition whenever it gets to data analysts and scientists.

This is why businesses seek the services of data engineers.

Data engineers engage in diverse projects to design structures that gather, handle and analyze unprocessed data into actionable data with practical value.

Their goal is to unravel data for businesses to monitor, streamline and boost their performance.

Business Systems Analyst

Average Salary (Yearly): 538,931 ZAR

Business Systems Analysts (also referred to as system analysts or computer systems analysts) are computer technology experts who collect and review system-related information about businesses to figure out where enhancements or updates are needed.

Business systems analysts are essentially technically adept, data-driven, methodological and supportive logical thinkers who assist in assessing the challenges of businesses.

Also, they create sustainable strategies for problem rectification and assist businesses with solutions in a cost-efficient and satisfactory manner.

Application Analyst

Average Salary (Yearly): 380,864 ZAR

The application analysts (also referred to as application systems analysts or application support analysts) are computer technology specialists who oversee and handle the apps and software of businesses.

They are highly important members of an organization’s IT staff and ensure that the system works properly, and users can get access to the data they want reliably and quickly.

Cloud Engineer

Average Salary (Yearly): 77,842 ZAR

As a Cloud Engineer, your role is to make plans, design, execute, manage and maintain cloud-based systems and applications for an organisation.

The role also involves setting up support systems to store cloud infrastructures safe and implement efficient disaster recovery techniques to avoid data losses during unforeseen incidents.

An excellent understanding of software development, scripting languages and IT infrastructure is required to succeed in this role.

It is important to have a sound experience with at least any of the major cloud service providers such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform.

To thrive in this role, you must have a broad understanding of IT architecture, software development, and scripting languages.

Enterprise Architect

Average Salary (Yearly): 1,040,441 ZAR

An enterprise architect caters for businesses through servicing, maintaining and even managing computer networks, communication systems and services.

Most of the time, they are involved in monitoring, optimizing and streamlining enterprise services, hardware and software.

Furthermore, they also stay current with the most recent technological advancements and designs and are on the lookout for products, services and applications that can ease business activities.

Enterprise architects are strategic thinkers because they have to determine which systems have to be upgraded or optimized and what business tools have to be done away with and which applications or products will facilitate business activities across every division.

Java Developer

Average Salary (Yearly): 940,224 ZAR

A software development team focused on designing, developing, and managing Java-based applications is led by Java Developers.

They offer technical expertise in all aspects of the software development lifecycle.

The primary responsibilities of a Java Developer include writing well-designed codes, making sure that designs are in compliance with app specifications, and debugging or fixing technical issues.

To land a job in this role, you must have expertise and experience in Java programming, markup languages, web technologies, web app development and other related tools.

Machine Learning Engineer

Average Salary (Yearly): 927,588 ZAR

A Machine learning engineer utilizes the machine learning and methodologies devised by the researchers and applies them to real-life challenges, which ultimately develop solutions.

Machine learning engineers are highly multifunctional individuals.

Their ability to blend engineering and scientific techniques lets them execute numerous AI development plans and implementation tasks.

They collaborate well with data scientists and modellers who concentrate on interpreting statistical information into relevant business reports.

They also work with software engineers who create the systems and mechanisms that enhance the productivity of the tasks.

They seek to create software systems that replicate the way the brain works and self-learning machines by designing neural network models identical to the structure of the human brain.

These tech professionals work on projects such as mechatronics, self-driving automobiles, and biometric data.

Solutions Engineer

Average earning (Yearly): 523,729 ZAR

A solutions engineer is a sales representative who utilizes advanced technical expertise to market software products to customers.

Solutions engineers work with other marketing team members to demonstrate products to customers and respond to any technical inquiries they might have.

They also establish strong relationships with customers to understand the hurdles they’re experiencing and incorporate optimizations and updates based on those needs.

Solutions engineers mainly optimize and upgrade business systems, products or applications.

They might also have to pay visits to potential customers to demonstrate the efficacy of their products and how it adds value to the needs of their business.

They also regularly attend symposiums and conferences to offer demos of the product to people in attendance.

5 Steps to Clinching One of South Africa’s Most Lucrative Tech Jobs

If you’re not a citizen of South Africa, to engage in any work in South Africa, you will most likely need a South Africa work visa or permit.

Confirm Your Eligibility

Before sending out an application for a South African job, make sure you satisfy the eligibility criteria specified by South Africa immigration laws.

Search and Apply for a Tech Job

The next step is to search and make an application for the tech job. You can submit your resume/CV to companies looking for techies on websites like Workopolis, CareerBuilder, LinkedIn, Eluta, Glassdoor and Monster.

Apply and Receive your South Africa Work Permit

If you have been offered a tech job in South Africa, you have to apply for a work permit. It’s a fairly easy process.

If you need help with this process, you can contact a licensed South African immigration advisor.

Enjoy Life as a South African Techie

There are a few things as exciting as working in the South Africa Tech sector. It’s a big opportunity for anyone. Migrating to South Africa can be a big leap in your career path.

If it is your dream to work in the tech industry in South Africa, don’t delay any further. Begin the process today!

Highest Paying Tech Jobs in South Africa FAQs

Which jobs are the most lucrative in South Africa?

Here is a list of the most lucrative jobs in South Africa:

Specialist Doctors.
Chartered Accountant.

Actuarial Scientists.
Architect.
Judges.

Management Consultant.
Biomedical Engineers.
Lawyers.

Which South African state has the most tech jobs?

Johannesburg
Cape Town

Pretoria
Durban
East Rand

Port Elizabeth
Winelands
East London

Bloemfontein
Pietermaritzburg

Which IT skills are most sought after in South Africa?

Information systems (58%) and computer programming (57%), followed by mathematics and predictive analysis (52% each), are the tech skills that are most in demand.

The following talents are in high demand: cognitive technology (47%), information security (46%), software solutions (39%) and specialized crafts (36%)

Highest Paying Companies in South Africa?

Sentec (R619,370)
ICASA (R612,147)
Broadband Infraco SOC (R608,906)

South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) (R586,370)
Eskom (R428,000)
Standard Bank (R425,000)

Bain & Company (R418,000)
Nestle South Africa (R415,000)
First National Bank (R405,000)

Accenture (R399,000)
Vodacom South Africa (R392,000)
Sasol (R390,000)

Conclusion

Tech employees in South Africa are enjoying more salary increases than those in other industries.

South Africa also ranks as one of the best countries in Africa when it comes to digital innovation.

For this reason, there is a huge demand for tech professionals from other parts of the world as the country lacks enough local workforce to fill the vacancies.

This has motivated many tech businesses in South Africa to hire skilled foreign applicants.

This article explored 10 of the highest-paying tech jobs in the South Africa.

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