SalaryScope South Africa logo
2026 comparison

Network Engineer vs Cloud Engineer salary in South Africa

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

Quick answer

Network Engineer vs Cloud Engineer in South Africa

Higher paying career
Cloud Engineer
Monthly difference
R35 000
Easier to enter
Network Engineer
Better long-term
Cloud Engineer

Winner summary

Winner for salary
Cloud Engineer (+R35 000/month)
Easier entry
Network Engineer
Best long-term
Cloud Engineer
Verdict

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

Choose Network Engineer if your goal is faster entry and lower barriers.

Career overview

Network Engineer

Demand: 8/10

Salary guide
Requirements

IT networking diploma, degree or vendor certification route.

  • Networking fundamentals
  • Firewall exposure
  • Vendor certifications
Salary
EntryR22 000
MidR58 000
SeniorR90 000
Top 20%R135 000

Cloud Engineer

Demand: 10/10

Salary guide
Requirements

IT, Computer Science or cloud certification route.

  • Cloud platform experience
  • Networking fundamentals
  • Infrastructure as code
Salary
EntryR30 000
MidR78 000
SeniorR125 000
Top 20%R190 000

Salary breakdown

Entry
Network EngineerR22 000
Cloud EngineerR30 000
Mid
Network EngineerR58 000
Cloud EngineerR78 000
Senior
Network EngineerR90 000
Cloud EngineerR125 000
Top 20%
Network EngineerR135 000
Cloud EngineerR190 000

Demand and difficulty

Demand

Network Engineer (8/10)8/10
Cloud Engineer (10/10)10/10

Difficulty

Network Engineer (7/10)7/10
Cloud Engineer (8/10)8/10
Salary difference
+R35 000/month

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

See full Cloud Engineer salary in South Africa →

Key questions

Which pays more in South Africa?

Cloud Engineer pays more, with senior salaries around R125 000 per month compared to R90 000 for Network Engineer.

Which is easier to enter?

Network Engineer is easier to enter due to lower difficulty and more accessible requirements.

Which is better long-term?

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

Detailed comparison

When comparing Network Engineer vs Cloud Engineer in South Africa, the senior-level salary difference is R35 000 per month.

Network Engineer is better for quicker entry into the workforce. Cloud Engineer is better for long-term earnings and career growth.

Skills and requirements

Network Engineer

Core skills
  • Routing / switchingHigh
  • FirewallsHigh
  • Network securityHigh
  • Cisco / FortinetMedium
  • TroubleshootingHigh

Cloud Engineer

Core skills
  • AWS / AzureHigh
  • TerraformHigh
  • NetworkingHigh
  • LinuxMedium
  • Cloud securityHigh

Side by side

Routing / switching
Network Engineer needs this
Less central
Firewalls
Network Engineer needs this
Less central
Network security
Network Engineer needs this
Less central
Cisco / Fortinet
Network Engineer needs this
Less central
Troubleshooting
Network Engineer needs this
Less central
AWS / Azure
Less central
Cloud Engineer needs this

Career progression

Network Engineer

Junior Network TechnicianR28 000
Network EngineerR58 000
Senior Network EngineerR90 000
Network ArchitectR120 000

Cloud Engineer

Junior Cloud EngineerR40 000
Cloud EngineerR78 000
Senior Cloud EngineerR125 000
Cloud ArchitectR155 000

Related insights

Compare more careersExplore related comparisonsFind higher paying jobs

More Network Engineer salary comparisons

Other careers people compare with Network Engineer salary in South Africa.

See full Network Engineer salary guide →

More Cloud Engineer salary comparisons

Other careers people compare with Cloud Engineer salary in South Africa.

See full Cloud Engineer salary guide →

Explore related salary guides

Related careers
Cybersecurity Analyst salaryR95 000DevOps Engineer salaryR120 000
Higher paying alternatives
Municipal Manager salary - higher earning pathR200 000Psychiatrist salary - higher earning pathR170 000
Easier entry careers
IT Support Technician salary - easier entry option3/10Bookkeeper salary - easier entry option3/10
Similar industry salaries
Technology career: Machine Learning Engineer salaryTechnology career: Product Manager salary
Popular career comparisons
Software Engineer vs Data Scientist salary in South AfricaChartered Accountant vs Financial Analyst salary in South Africa
Explore more salary guides
how much Software Engineers earn in South Africahow much Developers earn in South Africahow much Data Engineers earn in South Africahow much Mobile App Developers earn in South Africahow much AI Engineers earn in South Africahow much Solutions Architects earn in South Africa
Compare Related Share