Optometrists are healthcare professionals who provide primary vision care ranging from sight testing and correction to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of vision changes.
Below are salaries earn by Optometrist Earn In South Africa
A person working as an Optometrist in South Africa typically earns around 71,400 ZAR per month. Salaries range from 35,000 ZAR (lowest) to 111,000 ZAR (highest).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Optometrist salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Optometrist Salary Distribution in South Africa
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
Salary Range
Optometrist salaries in South Africa range from 35,000 ZAR per month (minimum salary) to 111,000 ZAR per month (maximum salary).
Median Salary
The median salary is 72,800 ZAR per month, which means that half (50%) of people working as Optometrist(s) are earning less than 72,800 ZAR while the other half are earning more than 72,800 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 Optometrist(s) are earning less than 48,500 ZAR while 75% of them are earning more than 48,500 ZAR. Also from the diagram, 75% of Optometrist(s) are earning less than 93,900 ZAR while 25% are earning more than 93,900 ZAR.
Optometrist Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does 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 Optometrist salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
An Optometrist with less than two years of experience makes approximately 41,500 ZAR per month.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 53,300 ZAR per month, 29% more than someone with less than two year’s experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 73,500 ZAR per month, 38% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Optometrist(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 91,100 ZAR per month, 24% 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 97,600 ZAR per month, 7% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 104,000 ZAR per month, 7% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience
Optometrist average salary change by experience in South Africa
| 0 – 2 Years | 41,500 ZAR | |
| 2 – 5 Years | +29% | 53,300 ZAR |
| 5 – 10 Years | +38% | 73,500 ZAR |
| 10 – 15 Years | +24% | 91,100 ZAR |
| 15 – 20 Years | +7% | 97,600 ZAR |
| 20+ Years | +7% | 104,000 ZAR |
Optometrist 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 Optometrist employees in South Africa earn 8% more than their female counterparts on average.
| Male | 73,700 ZAR | |
| Female | -7% | 68,300 ZAR |
Optometrist Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in South Africa
How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for Optometrist(s)?
How often do employees get salary raises?
Optometrist
Optometrist(s) in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 13% every 17 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 18 months.
Optometrist Bonus and Incentive Rates in South Africa
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
An Optometrist is considered to be a high 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.
17% of surveyed staff reported that they haven’t received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 83% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 5% to 9% of their annual salary.
Received Bonus
83%
No Bonus
17%
Optometrist Average Hourly Wage in South Africa
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in South Africa is 410 ZAR. This means that the average Optometrist in South Africa earns approximately 410 ZAR for every worked hour.
How much money do optometrists make in South Africa?
The average optometrist salary in South Africa is R 330 000 per year or R 169 per hour. Entry-level positions start at R 270 000 per year, while most experienced workers make up to R 486 000 per year.
How long does it take to become an optometrist in South Africa?
I went to the University of Johannesburg and studied for four years to obtain my degree in optometry. What type of personality is suited to this job? Someone who is passionate about people.
How many optometrists are there in South Africa?
Statistics by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) reveal that there are 3697 registered optometrists. On average, South Africa currently has an optometrist to patient ratio of 1:15 052.
Are optometrists in demand in SA?
Given all the points mentioned above, it is unlikely that SA has a shortage of optometrists, although it could be argued that more optometrists are required in public service. The Quarterly Employment Statistics for Q4 2019 by SA Stats, shows what workers are getting paid across the various sectors in the country.
Can optometrist prescribe medicine in South Africa?
SOUTH AFRICAN OPTOMETRISTS with the necessary qualifications can now use pharmaceutical agents to treat ocular diseases. Both the HPCSA and the Medicines Control Council have approved the use of medicines for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes by optometrists.