Project management is a dynamic, exciting and lucrative career… but just how lucrative is it really?
We conducted research on average South African project manager salaries across PayScale, Glassdoor, BestJobs and Indeed, and here’s what we found.
Glassdoor
According to Glassdoor, a project manager makes an average of R827 408 per year, or R68 951 per month. This data is based on 71 salaries, but does not list additional compensation such as bonuses, profit sharing or commission. Glassdoor also lists the national average salary for senior project managers as R1 060 000 per year (R88 333 per month). However, it’s worth nothing that this figure is based on just 12 salaries.
Best Jobs
BestJobs has arguably conducted the most comprehensive research, having derived their data from 18 232 sources over 12 months. According to BestJobs, a project manager salary falls around the figure of R46 937 monthly (R563 244 annually). BestJobs offers no information on additional compensation or average salaries for different experience levels.
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Indeed
Indeed collected data for 272 salaries and reported an average monthly project manager salary of R31 314 or annual compensation of R375 768. Indeed has also done research on the salaries for senior and junior project managers. According to a study of 26 salaries, senior project managers earn an average salary of R34 064 per month (R408 768 annually). Junior project managers are reported to receive an average salary of R16 113 per month, or R193 356 per year – it must be noted, however, that this data is based on just 13 salaries. Indeed also lists the average salary for construction project managers as R35 079 per month (R420 948 annually), based on data from 28 salary submissions. The average salary for construction managers, which is a similar role to a construction project manager, sits at R36 675 per month, or R440 100 per year.
PayScale
PayScale reports an average annual pay of R429 450, or a monthly salary of R35 788, for project managers of the general or unspecified type. It goes on to list an average bonus of R32 799, commission earnings of R27 000 and profit sharing of R18 700. PayScale also lists the average salary of a project management assistant as R230 000 per year (R19 167 per month), with an average bonus of R23 750. Similarly to Indeed, PayScale lists the average salary of a construction project manager as R461 551 per year (R38 463), with an average bonus of R30 837, commission of R150 000 and profit sharing of R44 500. A senior project manager in construction is reported to earn R852 548 per year (R71 045 per month), with R72 500 in bonuses and R1010 736 in profit sharing. The salary of an assistant project manager in construction is R190 000 per year (R15 833 per month), with an annual bonus of R15 026 and profit sharing of R15 000. For senior project managers in engineering, PayScale reports an average annual salary of R1 040 752, or R86 729 per month, with an average yearly bonus of R64 341. Finally, the average salary for senior project managers in IT is R783 900 per year, or R65 325 monthly, with an annual bonus of R69 896 and profit sharing of R45 000.
Project Management Salary Data Notes
The above data offers some answers, but one also has to consider that relatively small sample sizes were studied in most cases. Furthermore, there are discrepancies between different websites, and it is important to remember that the job market is always in flux according to economic activity and supply and demand. Nevertheless, here is a consolidated summary of the average salary for project managers (of various descriptions) in South Africa:
| Role | Average Salary (per year / per month) | Total Additional Compensation | Reported by | Number of salaries studied: |
| Project Manager | R827 408 / R68 951 | Unlisted | Glassdoor | 71 |
| Project Manager | R375 768 / R31 314 | Unlisted | Indeed | 272 |
| Project Manager | R429 450 / R35 788 | R78 499 | PayScale | Unlisted |
| Project Manager | R563 244 / R46 937 | Unlisted | BestJobs | 18 232 |
| Senior Project Manager | R1 060 000 / R88 333 | Unlisted | Glassdoor | 12 |
| Senior Project Manager | R408 768 / R34 064 | Unlisted | Indeed | Unlisted |
| Junior Project Manager | R193 356 / R16 113 | Unlisted | Indeed | 13 |
| Project Management Assistant | R230 000 / R19 167 | R23 750 | PayScale | Unlisted |
| Senior Project Manager (Engineering) | R1 040 752 / R86 729 | R64 341 | PayScale | Unlisted |
| Senior Project Manager (IT) | R783 900 / R65 325 | R114 896 | PayScale | Unlisted |
| Project Manager (Construction) | R461 551 / R38 463 | R225 337 | PayScale | Unlisted |
| Project Manager (Construction) | R420 948 / R35 079 | Unlisted | Indeed | 28 |
| Senior Project Manager (Construction) | R852 548 / R71 045 | R174 236 | PayScale | Unlisted |
| Construction Manager | R440 100 / R36 675 | Unlisted | Indeed | Unlisted |
| Assistant Project Manager (Construction) | R190 000 / R15 833 | R30 026 | PayScale | Unlisted |
Last Updated: October, 2020
