Nurse Average Salary in South Africa

The average salary for a nurse in South Africa is about R341,620 per year before tax, which is roughly R28,470 a month. This is about 21% more than the country’s average salary. Nurses just starting usually earn around R144,200 per year. Experienced nurses or those in higher positions can make over R583,500 a year, not including extra benefits. Entry-level nurses may start with about R270,000 per year, while highly experienced nurses can earn more than R1,200,000 a year in some cases. How much a nurse earns depends on their job type, experience, location, and where they work. For example, Enrolled Nurses earn about R184,674 a year on average. Specialist nurses can make over R682,000 annually. Beginners might earn around R15,000 a month, and nurses with over 20 years of experience can make more than R37,000 a month. Nurses who manage others, like Head Nurses, often earn higher salaries, sometimes over R318,000 a year. Pay also differs if a nurse works in a public or private hospital, or a city versus a rural area.

Salary Differences in South Africa

Salary differences for various nursing roles in South Africa:

• Nursing Manager: Earns about R560,000 per year, which is around 64% higher than the average nurse salary.
• Professional Nurse (Specialist Nursing): Makes approximately R366,000 per year, about 7% more than the average nurse.
• Registered Nurse (RN): Earns around R352,000 per year, which is close to 3% above the average salary.
• Professional Nurse (General Nursing): Makes about R335,000 per year, roughly 2% below the average nurse salary.
• Staff Nurse / Enrolled Nurse (EN): Earns approximately R195,000 per year, which is 43% less than the average nurse salary.
• Nursing Auxiliary (NA): Has an average salary of about R147,000 per year, 57% lower than the average nurse salary.

Important Notes:

These pay rates are average standard rates. Clients do have negotiated rates and might differ from the rates provided in the table. Always enquire what specific pay rate you will earn per shift that you are assigned to with your booking consultant.

• Day rates are paid on hours worked from 07h00 to 19h00.
  
• Night rates are paid on hours worked on weekdays from 19h00 to 07h00.
  
• Saturday rates paid on hours worked from Midnight Friday to Midnight Saturday.
  
• Sunday rates are paid from Midnight Saturday to Midnight Sunday.
  
• Public Holiday rates are paid on hours worked from Midnight on the start of the holiday to Midnight at the end of the holiday – except Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, where Public Holidays will be paid on both days from 16h00 to Midnight at the end of the holiday period.

Factors Affecting Nurse Salaries

These are some of the factors affecting nurse salaries:

1. Experience: The more years a nurse has worked, the more they usually earn. Experienced nurses get higher pay because they have better skills and knowledge.
2. Qualifications: Nurses with extra certificates, diplomas, or degrees often earn more. Special training in areas like critical care or midwifery can increase salary, too.
3. Location: Where a nurse works matters. Nurses in cities or urban areas usually earn more to match the higher living costs. Rural areas often have lower salaries.
4. Employer Type: Salaries differ depending on the employer. Nurses working in private hospitals tend to earn more than those in public hospitals or non-profit organizations.
5. Specialization: Nurses working in special fields like intensive care or pediatrics can earn more because their work is more demanding and requires special skills.