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2026 comparison

IT Project Manager vs DevOps Engineer salary in South Africa

Compare salary, demand, difficulty, and long-term growth to choose the right career path.

Quick answer

IT Project Manager vs DevOps Engineer in South Africa

Higher paying career
DevOps Engineer
Monthly difference
R35 000
Easier to enter
IT Project Manager
Better long-term
DevOps Engineer

Winner summary

Winner for salary
DevOps Engineer (+R35 000/month)
Easier entry
IT Project Manager
Best long-term
DevOps Engineer
Verdict

Choose DevOps Engineer if your goal is higher income and long-term growth.

Choose IT Project Manager if your goal is faster entry and lower barriers.

Career overview

IT Project Manager

Demand: 6/10

Salary guide
Requirements

IT or business degree, plus PMP, PRINCE2 or Agile certification.

  • Project management certification
  • Experience in an IT environment
  • Strong written communication
Salary
EntryR28 000
MidR58 000
SeniorR85 000
Upper benchmarkR120 000

DevOps Engineer

Demand: 10/10

Salary guide
Requirements

IT, Computer Science or cloud certification route.

  • Linux administration
  • Cloud platforms
  • Scripting
Salary
EntryR30 000
MidR75 000
SeniorR120 000
Upper benchmarkR180 000

Salary breakdown

Entry
IT Project ManagerR28 000
DevOps EngineerR30 000
Mid
IT Project ManagerR58 000
DevOps EngineerR75 000
Senior
IT Project ManagerR85 000
DevOps EngineerR120 000
Upper benchmark
IT Project ManagerR120 000
DevOps EngineerR180 000

Demand and difficulty

Demand

IT Project Manager (6/10)6/10
DevOps Engineer (10/10)10/10

Difficulty

IT Project Manager (6/10)6/10
DevOps Engineer (8/10)8/10
Salary difference
+R35 000/month

The salary gap at senior level is about R35 000 per month. DevOps Engineer earns more due to higher demand and stronger salary growth at senior level.

See full DevOps Engineer salary in South Africa →
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Key questions

Which pays more in South Africa?

DevOps Engineer pays more, with senior salaries around R120 000 per month compared to R85 000 for IT Project Manager.

Which is easier to enter?

IT Project Manager is easier to enter due to lower difficulty and more accessible requirements.

Which is better long-term?

DevOps Engineer offers stronger long-term potential based on higher salary ceilings and demand.

Detailed comparison

When comparing IT Project Manager vs DevOps Engineer in South Africa, the senior-level salary difference is R35 000 per month.

IT Project Manager is better for quicker entry into the workforce. DevOps Engineer is better for long-term earnings and career growth.

Skills and requirements

IT Project Manager

Core skills
  • Project planningHigh
  • Agile and WaterfallHigh
  • Stakeholder managementHigh
  • BudgetingMedium
  • Vendor managementMedium

DevOps Engineer

Core skills
  • Cloud (AWS / Azure)High
  • Docker / KubernetesHigh
  • LinuxHigh
  • CI/CDHigh

Side by side

Project planning
IT Project Manager needs this
Not used by DevOps Engineer
Agile and Waterfall
IT Project Manager needs this
Not used by DevOps Engineer
Stakeholder management
IT Project Manager needs this
Not used by DevOps Engineer
Budgeting
IT Project Manager needs this
Not used by DevOps Engineer
Vendor management
IT Project Manager needs this
Not used by DevOps Engineer
Cloud (AWS / Azure)
Not used by IT Project Manager
DevOps Engineer needs this

Career progression

IT Project Manager

Project CoordinatorR32 000
IT Project ManagerR58 000
Senior IT Project ManagerR85 000
Programme ManagerR110 000

DevOps Engineer

Junior DevOps EngineerR40 000
DevOps EngineerR75 000
Senior DevOps EngineerR120 000
Platform LeadR150 000

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