Civil engineering is not just a noble career path, but also a tough one that requires great expertise. This is a professional career path, however, and it is understandable when folks are usually concerned about the reward attached to it. When you work expertly to ensure things are done the way they should be in your job, you should be rewarded nicely too
Well, while Civil engineers are not the highest paid professionals in South Africa (even in the world), they still earn better than several others that are working in other fields.
Civil Engineer Salary In South Africa
| S/N | Experience | Salary |
| 1. | Average Annual | R356,315 |
| 2. | 1 Year | R243,633 |
| 3. | 1-4 years | R309,937 |
| 4. | 5-9 years | R439,323 |
| 5. | 10-19 years | R664,203 |
Talking about how many civil engineers earn as salary in South Africa, it should be noted that it is not constant, due to several factors. However, the annual salary for civil engineers in the country is around R356,315.
As stated earlier, every civil engineer in South Africa can’t earn the same thing as a salary. For instance, it was made known that an entry-level Civil Engineer in the country who is with less than 1-year experience should earn around R243,633 each year. You should note that bonuses and overtime pay have been added to make up that number.
If you are an early career Civil Engineer and you have 1-4 years of experience in the field, you should earn up to R309,937 each year (total compensation). This, of course, is still better than the salary of some others in several other fields.
As a mid-career Civil Engineer with 5-9 years of experience, it was made known that you should expect to earn up to R439,323 in South Africa (total compensation). At this point, you should discover already that experience is one of the major factors that determine how much you will earn as salary as a civil engineer in South Africa.
For experienced Civil Engineers who have 10-19 years of experience in the field, they can expect to earn up to R664,203 annually in the country (total compensation).
Also, for very senior civil engineers who are in their late-career with 20 years and above of experience in the field, they can earn up to R887,911 (total compensation).
So, as you should now know, civil engineering is not just an exciting job, but it is also a well-paying one.
What Do Civil Engineers Do?
Having examined how much civil engineers are paid in South Africa, let’s now explore what civil engineers are expected to do (the job description). This will be useful for very young folks who are considering a career in the field and need more information that will give them a clearer picture of what they will likely experience when they eventually jumped onto the ship.
Well, basically, civil engineers are professionals whose job is to design, plan, and/or manage construction projects in different capacities.
A civil engineer can work on small-scale projects (like repairing a bridge) or very large-scale projects (like building a large edifice). You might decide on the area you want to focus on, or simply be versatile.
In the 21st century, it is expected that a civil engineer has a working knowledge of auto computer-aided design (CAD) software as well as engineering design software since things have changed with innovative methods, just like in several other fields.
Additionally, you are expected to be someone who can work with the right people to bring about the realization of the project – from having a right understanding of what the clients are in need of, to partnering with other professionals like architects.
Civil engineers have the duty of analyzing surveys that are brought about by professional surveyors. Such things are very important. Of course, you should realise already that civil engineers are expected to be smart and brilliant to ensure effectiveness.
This is not about having merely theoretical knowledge, but knowing how to do actual things with your hands when necessary. So, civil engineers are properly trained folks. To start the journey, you should go to the University where you should get a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (there are several Universities in South Africa offering the course).
In fact, if you can, it is cool if you can proceed to get a master’s degree in Civil engineering once you are done with your undergraduate studies. It should also be added that asides from these certificates, civil engineers in South Africa may be required to possess professional engineers (P.E.) licenses.
These training will get you properly skilled and equipped to have what it takes to work expertly in the field, which will differentiate you from those who are not in the field. And of course, as a civil engineer, learning doesn’t stop for you as soon as you graduate from University. Rather, you should keep your technical skills up to date by attending various workshops and training centers. You should also familiarize yourself with relevant journals that will benefit civil engineers.
You get equipped with skills that will enable you to know how to properly assess environmental impacts related to your projects. You know as a professional in this field that you should find out if projects are workable by analyzing related labor as well as material costs.
It should also be added that as a civil engineer, there may be times when you have to prepare bids for tenders and generate reports for clients and even your employers. Well, these are some of the things you will get equipped with via training to know how to appropriately handle. As a good civil engineer, you will know how to handle all that concerns meeting deadlines.
Good civil engineers are expected to know how to work in a team environment. This is very important, as there are usually projects that one single person can’t handle all alone. So, it is even advisable that as you grow in the field, you should train and mentor the upcoming ones.
In conclusion, as you should have seen, this is a lucrative field with vast opportunities. The pay is reasonable too. You can even decide to work independently or join the team of an established organization.