SalaryScope South Africa logo
2026 comparison

Quantity Surveyor vs Data Scientist salary in South Africa

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

Quick answer

Quantity Surveyor vs Data Scientist in South Africa

Higher paying career
Data Scientist
Monthly difference
R25 000
Easier to enter
Quantity Surveyor
Better long-term
Data Scientist

Winner summary

Winner for salary
Data Scientist (+R25 000/month)
Easier entry
Quantity Surveyor
Best long-term
Data Scientist
Verdict

Choose Data Scientist if your goal is higher income and long-term growth.

Choose Quantity Surveyor if your goal is faster entry and lower barriers.

Career overview

Quantity Surveyor

Demand: 7/10

Salary guide
Requirements

BSc Quantity Surveying + SACQSP.

  • BSc QS
  • SACQSP registration
Salary
EntryR25 000
MidR55 000
SeniorR85 000
Top 20%R130 000

Data Scientist

Demand: 9/10

Salary guide
Requirements

Degree in Stats, Maths, CS or related.

  • Quantitative degree
  • Strong Python
  • Statistics fundamentals
Salary
EntryR30 000
MidR70 000
SeniorR110 000
Top 20%R180 000

Salary breakdown

Entry
Quantity SurveyorR25 000
Data ScientistR30 000
Mid
Quantity SurveyorR55 000
Data ScientistR70 000
Senior
Quantity SurveyorR85 000
Data ScientistR110 000
Top 20%
Quantity SurveyorR130 000
Data ScientistR180 000

Demand and difficulty

Demand

Quantity Surveyor (7/10)7/10
Data Scientist (9/10)9/10

Difficulty

Quantity Surveyor (7/10)7/10
Data Scientist (8/10)8/10
Salary difference
+R25 000/month

The salary gap at senior level is about R25 000 per month. Data Scientist earns more due to higher demand and stronger salary growth at senior level.

See full Data Scientist salary in South Africa →

Key questions

Which pays more in South Africa?

Data Scientist pays more, with senior salaries around R110 000 per month compared to R85 000 for Quantity Surveyor.

Which is easier to enter?

Quantity Surveyor is easier to enter due to lower difficulty and more accessible requirements.

Which is better long-term?

Data Scientist offers stronger long-term potential based on higher salary ceilings and demand.

Detailed comparison

When comparing Quantity Surveyor vs Data Scientist in South Africa, the senior-level salary difference is R25 000 per month.

Quantity Surveyor is better for quicker entry into the workforce. Data Scientist is better for long-term earnings and career growth.

Skills and requirements

Quantity Surveyor

Core skills
  • Cost estimationHigh
  • Contract managementHigh
  • Bills of quantitiesHigh

Data Scientist

Core skills
  • Python / PandasHigh
  • Machine learningHigh
  • SQLHigh
  • Cloud ML platformsMedium

Side by side

Cost estimation
Quantity Surveyor needs this
Less central
Contract management
Quantity Surveyor needs this
Less central
Bills of quantities
Quantity Surveyor needs this
Less central
Python / Pandas
Less central
Data Scientist needs this
Machine learning
Less central
Data Scientist needs this
SQL
Less central
Data Scientist needs this

Career progression

Quantity Surveyor

Junior QSR30 000
Quantity SurveyorR55 000
Senior QSR85 000
Commercial ManagerR130 000

Data Scientist

Junior Data ScientistR38 000
Data ScientistR70 000
Senior Data ScientistR110 000
Lead / ML EngineerR140 000

Related insights

Compare more careersExplore related comparisonsFind higher paying jobs

More Quantity Surveyor salary comparisons

Other careers people compare with Quantity Surveyor salary in South Africa.

See full Quantity Surveyor salary guide →

More Data Scientist salary comparisons

Other careers people compare with Data Scientist salary in South Africa.

See full Data Scientist salary guide →

Explore related salary guides

Related careers
Construction Manager salaryR100 000Civil Engineer 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
Engineering career: Industrial Engineer salaryEngineering career: Backend 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 Developers earn in South Africahow much Data Analysts earn in South Africahow much Machine Learning Engineers earn in South Africahow much Product Managers earn in South Africahow much Data Engineers earn in South Africahow much Electrical Engineers earn in South Africa
Compare Related Share