How much money does a person working as Linguist make in South Africa?
Average Monthly Salary
43,200 ZAR
( 518,000 ZAR yearly)
LOW
22,500
ZARAVERAGE
43,200
ZARHIGH
66,100
ZAR
A person working as Linguist in South Africa typically earns around 43,200 ZAR per month. Salaries range from 22,500 ZAR (lowest) to 66,100 ZAR (highest).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Linguist salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Linguist Pay Scale and Salaries in South Africa
Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison
5% of people earn
39,100 ZAR or more
10% of people earn
34,800 to 39,100 ZAR
20% of people earn
25,400 ZAR or less
65% of people earn
25,400 to 34,800 ZAR
22,500 ZAR |
39,300 ZAR |
66,100 ZAR |
Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range
Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary
Linguist salaries in South Africa range from 22,500 ZAR per month (starting salary) to 66,100 ZAR per month (maximum salary). This is not the minimum wage as per the law, only the lowest reported number in the salary survey that had thousands of participants and professionals from all over the country.
Median Salary
The median salary is 39,300 ZAR per month, which means that half (50%) of people working as Linguist(s) are earning less than 39,300 ZAR while the other half are earning more than 39,300 ZAR. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
Percentiles and Salary Scale
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Linguist(s) are earning less than 32,600 ZAR while 75% of them are earning more than 32,600 ZAR. Also from the diagram, 75% of Linguist(s) are earning less than 44,600 ZAR while 25% are earning more than 44,600 ZAR.
Pay Scale Structure
We grouped the most common and recurring salaries into brackets to give more insight into what salary to expect. This method is more accurate than just the average salary and gives more insights on how salaries are actually distributed. Around 65% of all reported figures are in the range 25,400 ZAR to 34,800 ZAR. Approximatly 20% fall under the 25,400 ZAR cap. Ten percent of wages are from 34,800 ZAR to 39,100 ZAR. Only 5% of people grossed 39,100 ZAR or more.
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Linguist Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does experience and age affect your pay?
Linguist average salary change by experience in South Africa
| 0 - 2 Years | 25,500 ZAR | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +34% | 34,200 ZAR |
| 5 - 10 Years | +30% | 44,500 ZAR |
| 10 - 15 Years | +21% | 53,900 ZAR |
| 15 - 20 Years | +9% | 58,900 ZAR |
| 20+ Years | +5% | 61,900 ZAR |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher your wage. We broke down Linguist salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience makes approximately 25,500 ZAR per month.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 34,200 ZAR per month, 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 44,500 ZAR per month, 30% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
“ On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years* experience mark. ”
* Based on the average change in salary over time. Salary variations differ from person to person.
Additionally, Linguist whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 53,900 ZAR per month, 21% 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 58,900 ZAR per month, 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 61,900 ZAR per month, 5% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
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Linguist Salary Comparison By Education
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary difference between different Linguist(s) who have the same experience but different education levels.
Linguist average salary difference by education level in South Africa
| Bachelor's Degree | 32,900 ZAR | |
| Master's Degree | +24% | 40,800 ZAR |
| PhD | +60% | 65,200 ZAR |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
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 Linguist salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is Bachelor's Degree, the average salary is 32,900 ZAR per month.
While someone with a Master's Degree gets a salary of 40,800 ZAR per month, 24% more than someone having a Bachelor's Degree degree.
People with PhD have an average salary of 65,200 ZAR per month, 60% more than someone with a Master's Degree.
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 Rand(s) to 467,000 Rand(s) 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 into a higher paying job. The numbers seem to support the thoery. 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 - Linguist
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male Linguist employees in South Africa earn 8% more than their female counterparts on average.
| Male | 45,100 ZAR | |
| Female | -7% | 41,800 ZAR |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary Comparison By Gender in South Africa for all Careers
Linguist Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in South Africa
How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for Linguist(s)? How often do employees get salary raises?
Linguist
Linguist(s) in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 12% every 20 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 18 months.
The figures provided here are averages of numbers. Those figures should be taken as general guidelines. Salary increments will vary from person to person and depend on many factors, but your performance and contribution to the success of the organization remain the most important factors in determining how much and how often you will be granted a raise.
South Africa / All Professions
The term 'Annual Salary Increase' usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rarely 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
“The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in South Africa is 5%.”
Annual Increment Rate By Industry 2022
| Banking | 3% | |
| Energy | 6% | |
| Information Technology | 9% | |
| Healthcare | 3% | |
| Travel | 6% | |
| Construction | 9% | |
| Education | 3% |
Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in South Africa for the year 2022. Companies within thriving industries tend to provide higher and more frequent raises. Exceptions do exist, but generally speaking, the situation of any company is closely related to the economic situation in the country or region. These figures tend to change frequently.
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.
Linguist Bonus and Incentive Rates in South Africa
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
"Linguist" is considered to be a moderate bonus-based job. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.
47% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 53% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 5% of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | 53% | |
| No Bonus | 47% |
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based Bonuses
The most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance Bonuses
Occasionally, 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 Bonuses
Granted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year Bonuses
These 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.
“Try to work for companies where your skills can generate revenue. We can't all generate revenue and that's perfectly fine.”
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.
Linguist Salary Trend and Forecast in South Africa
How are Linguist salaries changing over time? Listed below is a chart that shows the average salary in recent years.
| Average Salary 2019 | 38,300 ZAR | |
| Average Salary 2020 | +4% | 39,800 ZAR |
| Average Salary 2021 | +2% | 40,500 ZAR |
| Average Salary 2022 | +3% | 41,700 ZAR |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Linguist salaries in South Africa are on the rise in the year 2023 based on recent submitted salaries and reports. As displayed in the chart, salaries in 2022 are 3% higher than those of 2021. The trend suggests a slow yet continuous increase in pay in 2024 and future years. These numbers may vary from industry to another.
Linguist Average Hourly Wage in South Africa
250 ZAR per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in South Africa is 250 ZAR. This means that the average Linguist in South Africa earns approximately 250 ZAR for every worked hour.
Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ ( 52 x 5 x 8 )
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 fix 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 'Linguist' in South Africa is 130 ZAR. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
Linguist VS Other Jobs
43,200 ZAR
31,500 ZAR
31,100 ZAR
Average Salary
Linguist
Average Salary
Bilingual
Average Salary
All Jobs
The average salary for Linguist is 37% more than that of Bilingual. Also, Bilingual salaries are 1% more than those of All Jobs.
Salary comparison with similar jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Bilingual Paraprofessional | 35,100 ZAR |  -19% |
| Interpreter | 28,400 ZAR | -34% |
| Language Specialist | 42,800 ZAR | -1% |
| Linguist | 43,200 ZAR |  +0% |
| Multilingual Host | 30,800 ZAR | -29% |
| Teacher | 24,100 ZAR | -44% |
| Translator | 28,500 ZAR | -34% |
Salary Comparison By City
| City | Average Salary |
| Bloemfontein | 37,500 ZAR |
| Cape Town | 43,600 ZAR |
| Durban | 41,400 ZAR |
| Johannesburg | 43,700 ZAR |
| Port Elizabeth | 40,300 ZAR |
| Pretoria | 42,500 ZAR |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in South Africa earn 7% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
| Private Sector | 30,200 ZAR | |
| Public Sector | +7% | 32,300 ZAR |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide
What is considered to be a good and competitive salary for Linguist in South Africa?
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 39,300 ZAR and 44,600 ZAR. This is a very rough estimate and your experience and education will play a very huge part into your 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 salart after tax for every career.
Base / Basic Salary
The base salary for Linguist in South Africa is ranges from 32,600 ZAR to 44,600 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 in 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 of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning 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
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