SalaryScope South Africa logo
2026 comparison

Project Manager vs Network Engineer salary in South Africa

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

Quick answer

Project Manager vs Network Engineer in South Africa

Higher paying career
Project Manager
Monthly difference
R10 000
Easier to enter
Project Manager
Better long-term
Project Manager

Winner summary

Winner for salary
Project Manager (+R10 000/month)
Easier entry
Project Manager
Best long-term
Project Manager
Verdict

Choose Project Manager if your goal is higher income and long-term growth.

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

Career overview

Project Manager

Demand: 8/10

Salary guide
Requirements

Degree in business, engineering or IT; PMP/Prince2 advantage.

  • PMP or Prince2
  • MS Project / Jira
  • Communication
Salary
EntryR28 000
MidR65 000
SeniorR100 000
Top 20%R160 000

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

Salary breakdown

Entry
Project ManagerR28 000
Network EngineerR22 000
Mid
Project ManagerR65 000
Network EngineerR58 000
Senior
Project ManagerR100 000
Network EngineerR90 000
Top 20%
Project ManagerR160 000
Network EngineerR135 000

Demand and difficulty

Demand

Project Manager (8/10)8/10
Network Engineer (8/10)8/10

Difficulty

Project Manager (6/10)6/10
Network Engineer (7/10)7/10
Salary difference
+R10 000/month

The salary gap at senior level is about R10 000 per month. Project Manager earns more due to higher demand and stronger salary growth at senior level.

See full Project Manager salary in South Africa →

Key questions

Which pays more in South Africa?

Project Manager pays more, with senior salaries around R100 000 per month compared to R90 000 for Network Engineer.

Which is easier to enter?

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

Which is better long-term?

Project Manager offers stronger long-term potential based on higher salary ceilings and demand.

Detailed comparison

When comparing Project Manager vs Network Engineer in South Africa, the senior-level salary difference is R10 000 per month.

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

Skills and requirements

Project Manager

Core skills
  • Project planningHigh
  • Risk managementHigh
  • Stakeholder managementHigh
  • BudgetingMedium

Network Engineer

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

Side by side

Project planning
Project Manager needs this
Less central
Risk management
Project Manager needs this
Less central
Stakeholder management
Project Manager needs this
Less central
Budgeting
Project Manager needs this
Less central
Routing / switching
Less central
Network Engineer needs this
Firewalls
Less central
Network Engineer needs this

Career progression

Project Manager

Project CoordinatorR35 000
Project ManagerR65 000
Senior Project ManagerR100 000
Programme ManagerR160 000

Network Engineer

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

Related insights

Compare more careersExplore related comparisonsFind higher paying jobs

More Project Manager salary comparisons

Other careers people compare with Project Manager salary in South Africa.

See full Project Manager salary guide →

More Network Engineer salary comparisons

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

See full Network Engineer salary guide →

Explore related salary guides

Related careers
Scrum Master salaryR95 000Business Analyst salaryR95 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: Data Engineer salaryTechnology career: Mobile App Developer 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 Web Developers earn in South Africahow much Data Analysts earn in South Africahow much Frontend Developers earn in South Africahow much QA Engineers earn in South Africahow much UX Designers earn in South Africahow much Cybersecurity Analysts earn in South Africa
Compare Related Share