Are you looking for a high-paying job without a degree in South Africa? Well, Don’t fret! Just because you did not pursue your undergraduate studies or never attended a college or university for reasons known to you, like time, money, or unmet qualifications, it doesn’t mean you cannot take a big cheque home.
Many ‘new collar jobs’ with high earning potential are available today in the South African job market. These jobs require no degree as they emphasize skills over education and vast work experience.
You only have to possess background knowledge, which may be inborn as in talent or acquired through apprenticeship, to get these jobs.
10 best jobs without a college degree in South Africa
Which jobs can I get without having a degree in South Africa? Find the right career path for you and see the top 10 well-paying jobs that don’t require a degree and their average salaries:
1. Flight attendant
Flight attendants are members of the cabin crew who play a critical role in guaranteeing the success of flights.
Some of their responsibilities include ensuring the passengers observe all the safety protocols before boarding a plane, helping them find their seats, and serving drinks and food to them, among others.
South Africa is a renowned tourist destination and an operational base for many international and domestic airlines such as Airlink, Federal Air, FlySafair, Eswatini Air, British Airways, Kenya Airways, and many others.
These companies provide hundreds of flight attendant jobs if not thousands, and it doesn’t require a university degree.
Flight attendants in South Africa earn a monthly salary of R15,000 to R40,000. Their compensation is determined by the number of flight hours and, of course, the airliner. International airlines with massive airbuses pay more than local chartered planes.
2. Digital/SEO marketer
A precise knowledge of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and marketing skills can see you earn above R24,000 per month as an SEO specialist in digital marketing in South Africa.
With rapid technological advancement, many companies are taking over the digital space to engage their customers, increase reach, and sell their products.
Search engine specialists are responsible for enhancing companies’ digital presence through several website techniques for raising availability upon search.
On the other hand, digital marketers write and dispatch marketing emails and liaise with business administrators through reports that demonstrate effective return on investment, for example. They can be owners of blogs that produce content targeting specific advertisers in the market through niche crafting.
3. Sales representative
South Africa is still one of the countries with the biggest economies in Africa, and this is upbeat for sales representatives’ jobs, which largely depend on economic growth as its key driver.
Sales reps partner with companies and businesses, assisting them in assessing potential clients and new markets because they are involved throughout the sales process.
The critical traits of a successful sales representative are rapport-building, time management, and social media skills for marketing, and the job needs no degree.
Sales representatives in big companies, like those in manufacturing, aid in determining pricing schedules for quotes and promotions, negotiating contracts, and preparing reports for the companies.
In South Africa, their monthly base pay is R11,667, according to Indeed, and Sandton, Gauteng, is the highest paying city for sales reps, with companies paying them a high R14,930 every month, exclusive of commissions when sales exceed set targets.
4. DJ and music producer
These careers can take you to places! Even abroad, if you have the required skills to set up audio equipment, the talent to play entertaining music, and the ability to operate various sound equipment during a concert.
To become a DJ in South Africa is simple: you can take online courses or enroll in apprenticeship training with your DJ friend.
DJs and music producers are usually paid per hour, with the most established, like DJ Maphorisa, taking an average pay of even R10,000 within 60 minutes. Those who perform in clubs are paid a monthly salary of about R8,000 to R15,000.
5. Project managers
Project managers align projects with business objectives for maximum profits by ensuring they beat client expectations and are completed on time.
To be a project manager, you must have strong analytical skills to analyze and understand project risks and come up with defined work plans, as the ability to evaluate the performance of the projects before submission will see you succeed in the field where the most competent take home huge salaries.
Project managers at the entry level of their careers in South Africa can earn more than R25,000 month after month.
6. Real estate agent
A bachelor’s degree is not required here, but leveraging some industry connection and using your brain to strike a good deal. Real estate agents work with investors, buyers, sellers, and mortgage brokers during home purchases and sales.
You start by working as an intern or volunteer at a real estate firm, then feed on the knowledge of the experts there. Their base salaries might be merely R102,544 per year, but after getting some experience, real estate agents can broker a deal worth over R100,000 a month.
7. Assistant supervisors
You don’t need to go to a university and study for four years to learn how to monitor employees to comply with operational standards in a particular work environment. Being a forward planner and a strategic thinker with mentoring skills will help you start your career as an assistant supervisor.
Assistant supervisors earn a median salary of R192,000 per year in South Africa. They work in places like supermarkets and factories.
8. Police officer
Being a member of the South African Police Service (SAPS) involves a tedium of tasks that rotates around law enforcement and public safety in general.
“Over the past five years, the South African Police Service headcount has declined from above 192,000 to 172,000,” the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) had said in 2022, meaning there are a lot of vacancies to be filled in the South African police service.
In their latest report, SAPS said it targets to recruit over 10,000 youth in the 2024/2025 window after increasing the age limit of trainees to 35 to open up opportunities for a wider demographic and enrich the workforce with diverse experiences.
“We are embarking on this process to ensure more boots on the ground in an effort to maximize our crime combatting efforts,” the Deputy Minister of Police, Cassel Mathale, had stated.
To become a police officer in South Africa, you must be over 18 years old and a permanent resident of South Africa, and you must pass the psychological assessment and fitness profiling administered by SAPS. The officers’ monthly earnings range between R8,550 and R29,600, depending on experience and skills.
9. Waiter/Waitress
Waiters and waitresses ensure that diners have the best experience when they visit restaurants to dine. They welcome and seat guests before taking their food and beverage orders and delivering them.
A waiter or waitress career in SA does not require a degree. But to become one, you must have good communication skills, leverage your memory to remember customers’ orders, and have multi-tasking capabilities to work in a fast-paced environment where time is a core factor.
The average monthly salary of waiters and waitresses in South Africa is R10,824, depending on the number of customers their workplace attracts.
10. Makeup artist
Makeup artistry is a creative profession whereby they employ techniques in cosmetics and prosthetics to enhance the visual representation of clients.
Makeup artists possess excellent knowledge of makeup products and technologies with a creative mindset and artistic personality. They also have exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, and in South Africa, they are employed in places like production studios, theatres, hair salons, and spas, even without a degree or a college qualification.
In 2024, the average salary of a makeup artist in South Africa is R12,500, according to Talent.com.
