A microbiologist is a scientist who studies microscopic life forms and processes. This includes the study of the growth, interactions, and characteristics of microscopic organisms such as bacteria, algae, fungi, and some types of parasites and their vectors.
Below are salaries earned by Microbiologist In South Africa
A person working as a Microbiologist in South Africa typically earns around 74,300 ZAR per month. Salaries range from 34,200 ZAR (lowest) to 118,000 ZAR (highest).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Microbiologist salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Microbiologist Salary Distribution in South Africa
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
Salary Range
Microbiologists’ Salaries in South Africa range from 34,200 ZAR per month (minimum salary) to 118,000 ZAR per month (maximum salary).
Median Salary
The median salary is 80,200 ZAR per month, which means that half (50%) of people working as Microbiologists (s) are earning less than 80,200 ZAR while the other half are earning more than 80,200 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 microbiologists (s) are earning less than 51,500 ZAR while 75% of them are earning more than 51,500 ZAR. Also from the diagram, 75% of microbiologists (s) are earning less than 107,000 ZAR while 25% are earning more than 107,000 ZAR.
Microbiologist 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 Microbiologist salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
A Microbiologist with less than two years of experience makes approximately 38,800 ZAR per month.
While someone with an experience level of between two and five years is expected to earn 51,800 ZAR per month, 34% more than someone with less than two years of experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 76,600 ZAR per month, 48% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Microbiologist(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 93,300 ZAR per month, 22% 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 102,000 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 110,000 ZAR per month, 8% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Microbiologists’ average salary changes by experience in South Africa
| 0 – 2 Years | 38,800 ZAR | |
| 2 – 5 Years | +34% | 51,800 ZAR |
| 5 – 10 Years | +48% | 76,600 ZAR |
| 10 – 15 Years | +22% | 93,300 ZAR |
| 15 – 20 Years | +9% | 102,000 ZAR |
| 20+ Years | +8% | 110,000 ZAR |
Microbiologist 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 Microbiologist salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is Bachelor’s Degree, the average salary of a Microbiologist is 44,200 ZAR per month.
While someone with a Master’s Degree gets a salary of 69,400 ZAR per month, 57% more than someone having a Bachelor’s Degree degree.
A Ph.D. gets its holder an average salary of 116,000 ZAR per month, 68% more than someone with a Master’s Degree.
Microbiologists’ average salary difference by education level in South Africa
| Bachelor’s Degree | 44,200 ZAR | |
| Master’s Degree | +57% | 69,400 ZAR |
| PhD | +68% | 116,000 ZAR |
Microbiologist 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 Microbiologist employees in South Africa earn 12% more than their female counterparts on average
| Male | 78,400 ZAR | |
| Female | -11% | 70,100 ZAR |
Microbiologist Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in South Africa
How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for microbiologists (s)?
How often do employees get salary raises?
Microbiologist
Microbiologists (s) in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 13% every 20 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 18 months.
Microbiologist Bonus and Incentive Rates in South Africa
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
A Microbiologist is considered to be a moderate 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.
39% of surveyed staff reported that they haven’t received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 61% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 2% to 7% of their annual salary.
Received Bonus
61%
No Bonus
39%
Microbiologist Average Hourly Wage in South Africa
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in South Africa is 430 ZAR. This means that the average Microbiologist in South Africa earns approximately 430 ZAR for every worked hour.
How much money does a microbiologist make in South Africa?
Microbiologist – Pay by Experience Level
A mid-career Microbiologist with 4-9 years of experience earns an average salary of R 14 000, while a Senior Microbiologist with 10-20 years of experience makes on average R 20 000. Microbiologists with more than 20 years of experience may earn more than R 22 000 a month.
How do I become a microbiologist in South Africa?
In South Africa, you can only study for a Bachelor’s degree in Science to be able to become qualified in microbiology. There are no diplomas available. You will need to complete a three-year Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. Some universities may have microbiology fall under the Biotechnology degree.
Where do microbiologists work in South Africa?
Microbiologists work in almost every possible industry with a range of different employment opportunities, including human health care and veterinary sciences, agriculture sectors, manufacturing of food, beverages, pharmaceutical, and medicinal products, industrial microbiology and biotechnology, public health, and forensic.
What does a microbiologist do in a hospital in South Africa?
Microbiologists are essential in helping us to treat diseases. Many work as biomedical scientists in hospitals and laboratories: testing samples of body tissue, blood, and fluids to diagnose infections, monitor treatments, or track disease outbreaks.
How many years does it take to become a microbiologist in South Africa?
Depending on the level of employment you are aiming for, it can take anywhere between 8 and 16 years to become a microbiologist.
Is it hard to be a microbiologist in South Africa?
Microbiology is a hard subject to study. It’s very detailed and heavy; requiring you to remember a lot of facts about microscopic organisms, morphologies, and modes of action. Without some basic knowledge of biology and chemistry, or the ability to memorize things easily, it’s likely you’ll struggle.