Since 2021 Consulting has overtaken FinTech as the best-paying industry for senior developers in South Africa with more than ten years of experience. Here we’ll look at the average Consulting developer salaries at each stage of their careers and how they compared to the averages in 2021.
Junior consulting developer salary trends
Average salaries for entry-level developers working in consulting start at R21 875 per month, 15.% less than they earned in 2021 but roughly on par with those of entry-level FinTech and cloud developers.
However, entry-level Consulting developers are not alone in experiencing a salary decrease. Our 2022 State of the Software Developer Nation data shows that average salaries for developers with fewer than two years of experience have decreased since 2021.
The shift to remote work can explain this decrease: As more companies embrace remote, they’re hiring and onboarding fewer junior and entry-level developers than before the pandemic. Why? It feels harder to train junior developers when they’re siloed at home.
Despite entry-level developers’ challenges, Consulting developers can look forward to a 41.5% increase after they’ve been in the profession for at least two years. This gives them an average monthly salary of R30 954.
Despite their increase, they’re now earning 12.3% and 7.8% less than their FinTech and cloud counterparts. But, on the other hand, they’re making 22.2% more than the average junior SaaS developer.
Mid-level developers working in Consulting can expect another 43% increase after they’ve acquired between four to six years of experience, giving them an average monthly salary of R44 269.
By this stage of their careers, they’re earning 8.2% more than they were in 2021 and have narrowed the gap between them and mid-level FinTech developers to 7.9%.
Average Consulting Developer Salaries by Experience
| Years of Experience | 25th Percentile | Average | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | R12,500 | R21,875 | R27,500 |
| 2-4 | R22,500 | R30,954 | R37,500 |
| 4-6 | R32,500 | R44,269 | R52,500 |
| 6-10 | R47,500 | R64,448 | R72,500 |
| 10+ | R67,500 | R88,242 | R105,000 |
Senior consulting developer salary trends
Consulting developers see their most significant pay increase once they become seniors. This puts them among those working in SaaS and Data analytics, who also see significant pay rises at this level.
By contrast, senior developers working in FinTech and cloud technology start to see their salary growth slow once they pass the six-year mark.
Consulting developers with six to ten years of experience can look forward to a 45.6% pay increase for an average monthly salary of R64 448, 15.1% more than 2021’s average for seniors in Consulting.
They can expect an additional 36.9% pay bump once they’ve been in the profession for more than ten years. This gives them an average monthly salary of R88 242. Senior developers in this experience bracket earn 3.9% and 3% more than their counterparts working in FinTech and Cloud, respectively.
This makes Consulting the best-paying industry for developers with more than ten years of experience in South Africa.
Average Consulting Developer Salaries in 2022 vs 2021
| Years of Experience | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | R21,875 | R25,975 |
| 2-4 | R30,954 | R33,772 |
| 4-6 | R44,269 | R40,909 |
| 6-10 | R64,448 | R55,983 |
| 10+ | R88,242 | R79,062 |
Keep in mind
The data in this article is taken from OfferZen’s 2022 State of the Software Developer Nation Report. In this article, ‘salary’ refers to the gross monthly salary (before tax) provided by more than 3 200 survey respondents.
Average salaries are single data points and only one part of a bigger story. It’s expected that many respondents may earn significantly more or less than these averages. However, we hope to map underlying trends by keeping track of the average salaries for different experience levels.
These averages should not be used to estimate what your actual salary will or should be.
Salaries depend on the industry, individual, perks and nature of work. These factors all influence the salary a company will offer to a prospective hire. In addition, most developers are “fluent” in several languages, which will affect the final figures.
It’s also important to remember that every individual’s context is different. Ultimately, salary is a personal conversation that should take place between employee and employer.
Related resources:
- State of South Africa’s Software Developer Nation
- How to Negotiate a Job Offer That’s More Than Just the Money
- How to Negotiate when Hiring Developers
- Developer Salaries 2021: Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria
- FinTech Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- Cloud Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- SaaS Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- Data Analytics Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- eCommerce Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- Why South African Junior Software Developers’ Salaries Have Decreased Since 2021
