Paralegals are professionals trained to assist lawyers in various legal capacities. Paralegal duties entail more responsibility than clerical tasks, and fall into a broad range of substantive legal work. Paralegals conduct factual and legal research, draft legal documents, work with clients, and manage cases.
Below are salaries earn by Paralegals In South Africa
A person working as a Paralegal in South Africa typically earns around 23,500 ZAR per month. Salaries range from 10,800 ZAR (lowest) to 37,400 ZAR (highest).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Paralegal salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Paralegal Salary Distribution in South Africa
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
Salary Range
Paralegal salaries in South Africa range from 10,800 ZAR per month (minimum salary) to 37,400 ZAR per month (maximum salary).
Median Salary
The median salary is 25,400 ZAR per month, which means that half (50%) of people working as Paralegal(s) are earning less than 25,400 ZAR while the other half are earning more than 25,400 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 Paralegal(s) are earning less than 16,300 ZAR while 75% of them are earning more than 16,300 ZAR. Also from the diagram, 75% of Paralegal(s) are earning less than 33,900 ZAR while 25% are earning more than 33,900 ZAR.
Paralegal 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 Paralegal salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
A Paralegal with less than two years of experience makes approximately 12,300 ZAR per month.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 16,400 ZAR per month, 34% more than someone with less than two year’s experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 24,200 ZAR per month, 48% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Paralegal(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 29,500 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 32,200 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 34,900 ZAR per month, 8% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Paralegal average salary change by experience in South Africa
| 0 – 2 Years | 12,300 ZAR | |
| 2 – 5 Years | +34% | 16,400 ZAR |
| 5 – 10 Years | +48% | 24,200 ZAR |
| 10 – 15 Years | +22% | 29,500 ZAR |
| 15 – 20 Years | +9% | 32,200 ZAR |
| 20+ Years | +8% | 34,900 ZA |
Paralegal 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 Paralegal salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is Bachelor’s Degree, the average salary of a Paralegal is 14,300 ZAR per month.
While someone with a Master’s Degree gets a salary of 27,600 ZAR per month, 93% more than someone having a Bachelor’s Degree degree.
Paralegal average salary difference by education level in South Africa
| Bachelor’s Degree | 14,300 ZAR | |
| Master’s Degree | +93% | 27,600 ZAR |
Paralegal 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 Paralegal employees in South Africa earn 11% less than their female counterparts on average.
| Male | 22,200 ZAR | |
| Female | +12% | 24,800 ZAR |
Paralegal Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in South Africa
How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for Paralegal(s)?
How often do employees get salary raises?
Paralegal
Paralegal(s) in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 10% every 17 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 18 months.
Paralegal Bonus and Incentive Rates in South Africa
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
A Paralegal 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.
42% of surveyed staff reported that they haven’t received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 58% 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
58%
No Bonus
42%
Paralegal Average Hourly Wage in South Africa
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in South Africa is 140 ZAR. This means that the average Paralegal in South Africa earns approximately 140 ZAR for every worked hour.
How much does a paralegal make in a month in South Africa?
The average paralegal salary in South Africa is R 240 000 per year or R 123 per hour. Entry-level positions start at R 180 000 per year, while most experienced workers make up to R 300 006 per year. R 240 000 a year is how much per month? R 20 000 a month is how much per hour?
How long does it take to become a paralegal in South Africa?
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. The school also helps their learners to find employment once they have successfully completed the course.
What can paralegals do in South Africa?
Paralegals perform legal-, regulatory- and business-related research for lawyers working at their organization. Most of the time, paralegals work for law offices, corporations’ legal departments or courts. These professionals also provide legal support services to attorneys.
Where can a paralegal work in South Africa?
In South Africa, paralegals can be hired by legal aids, legal firms, estate agents or government departments to offer legal support.
Are paralegals recognized in South Africa?
In a victory for legal empowerment campaigners in South Africa, the Legal Practice Bill was passed into law containing provisions for the statutory recognition of paralegals.
Can a paralegal open their own business in South Africa?
There’s a catch, of course; paralegals cannot practice law, so the most natural type of business to be in is one you can’t open. But a law practice isn’t the only sort of firm in legal services, and the alternatives are becoming more and more widespread.