A legal secretary is an administrative assistant trained exclusively in the field of law. Through a comprehensive and specialized training program, legal secretaries are proficient at handling all administrative duties within a law office or legal department setting.
Below are the salaries earned by the Legal Secretary In South Africa
A person working as a Legal Secretary in Johannesburg typically earns around 17,600 ZAR per month. Salaries range from 9,330 ZAR (lowest) to 26,800 ZAR (highest).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Legal Secretary salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Legal Secretary Salary Distribution In South Africa
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
Salary Range
Legal Secretary salaries In South Africa range from 9,330 ZAR per month (minimum salary) to 26,800 ZAR per month (maximum salary).
Median Salary
The median salary is 16,500 ZAR per month, which means that half (50%) of people working as Legal Secretary(s) are earning less than 16,500 ZAR while the other half are earning more than 16,500 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
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Legal Secretary(s) are earning less than 11,600 ZAR while 75% of them are earning more than 11,600 ZAR. Also from the diagram, 75% of Legal Secretary(s) are earning less than 20,400 ZAR while 25% are earning more than 20,400 ZAR.
Legal Secretary Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How do experience and age affect your pay?
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 Legal Secretary salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
A Legal Secretary with less than two years of experience makes approximately 10,700 ZAR per month.
While someone with an experience level of between two and five years is expected to earn 13,200 ZAR per month, 23% more than someone with less than two years of experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 18,700 ZAR per month, 42% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Legal Secretary(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 21,800 ZAR per month, 17% 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 24,000 ZAR per month, 10% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 25,400 ZAR per month, 6% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Legal Secretary average salary change by experience In South Africa
| 0 – 2 Years | 10,700 ZAR | |
| 2 – 5 Years | +23% | 13,200 ZAR |
| 5 – 10 Years | +42% | 18,700 ZAR |
| 10 – 15 Years | +17% | 21,800 ZAR |
| 15 – 20 Years | +10% | 24,000 ZAR |
| 20+ Years | +6% | 25,400 ZAR |
Legal Secretary Salary Comparison By Education
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 Legal Secretary salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is High School, the average salary of a Legal Secretary is 13,200 ZAR per month.
While someone with a Certificate or Diploma gets a salary of 18,400 ZAR per month, 40% more than someone having a High School degree.
A Bachelor’s Degree gets its holder an average salary of 26,100 ZAR per month, 42% more than someone with a Certificate or Diploma.
Legal Secretary average salary difference by education level In South Africa
| High School | 13,200 ZAR | |
| Certificate or Diploma | +40% | 18,400 ZAR |
| Bachelor’s Degree | +42% | 26,100 ZAR |
Legal Secretary Salary Comparison By Gender
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male Legal Secretary employees in South Africa earn 7% less than their female counterparts on average.
| Male | 16,200 ZAR | |
| Female | +8% | 17,500 ZAR |
Legal Secretary Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in South Africa
How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for Legal Secretary(s)?
How often do employees get salary raises?
Legal Secretary
Legal Secretary(s) in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 9% every 20 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 18 months.
Legal Secretary Bonus and Incentive Rates in South Africa
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
A Legal Secretary is considered to be a low bonus-based job due to the generally limited involvement in direct revenue generation, with exceptions of course. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.
74% of surveyed staff reported that they haven’t received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 26% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 1% to 3% of their annual salary.
Received Bonus
26%
No Bonus
74%
Legal Secretary Average Hourly Wage In South Africa
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Johannesburg is 100 ZAR. This means that the average Legal Secretary in Johannesburg earns approximately 100 ZAR for every worked hour.
What does a legal secretary do in South Africa?
Legal Secretaries file, scan and copy legal documents on a daily basis. They schedule the hearings, meetings, and court depositions for the Lawyers they work with.
What does a secretary earn in South Africa?
R 230 449 per year
The average secretary salary in South Africa is R 230 449 per year or R 118 per hour. Entry-level positions start at R 178 008 per year, while most experienced workers make up to R 1 541 963 per year.
How do I become a legal secretary in South Africa?
You’ll need to have a Grade 12 Certificate as a minimum entrance requirement for the relevant courses. The South African School of Paralegal Studies offers a Paralegal Diploma course which takes five months to complete and includes practical experience gained in the Magistrates Courts, Dees Office, and a law firm.
Can a legal secretary set fees in South Africa?
Although they can screen potential clients and gather information regarding a case, only attorneys can decide whether or not to accept a particular case. Set legal fees. But they can prepare the retainer agreement according to the specifications of their supervising attorney.
Where can I study legal secretary in South Africa?
Find out more on the Legal Secretary courses offered by Bellview Institute right here!
Legal Secretary: NATED N4 National Certificate. N4 Legal Secretary Certificate.
Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate. N5 Legal Secretary Certificate.
Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate. N6 Legal Secretary Certificate.
How long does it take to become a legal secretary in South Africa?
The National N Diploma includes four (4) years of theory and 18 months of in-service training. All examinations are set and administered by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The National N Diploma is issued by the DHET.