2026 comparison
Electrician vs Data Scientist salary in South Africa
Higher paying career: Data Scientist. Approximate monthly difference: R62 000.
Entry, mid, senior pay, demand, difficulty and long-term career upside.
Electrician
High demand · N3 + Trade Test (Red Seal)
EntryR12 000
MidR32 000
SeniorR48 000
Top 20%R80 000
Data Scientist
High demand · Degree in Stats, Maths, CS or related
EntryR30 000
MidR70 000
SeniorR110 000
Top 20%R180 000
Salary breakdown
Entry
R12 000
R30 000
Mid
R32 000
R70 000
Senior
R48 000
R110 000
Top 20%
R80 000
R180 000
Demand
Electrician9/10
Data Scientist9/10
Difficulty
Electrician6/10
Data Scientist8/10
Salary difference
+R62 000
Compare the Data Scientist salary in South Africa with how much Electricians earn at senior level.
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Higher paying career: Data Scientist. The senior-level gap is about R62 000 per month, based on R110 000 for Data Scientist compared with R48 000 for Electrician.
Career alternatives
Higher earning
Data Scientist
Easier entry
Electrician
Better long-term
Data Scientist
Skills / requirements
Wireman's licence
Electrician needs this
Less central
Industrial / PLC
Electrician needs this
Less central
Solar PV install
Electrician needs this
Less central
Fault finding
Electrician needs this
Less central
Python / Pandas
Less central
Data Scientist needs this
Machine learning
Less central
Data Scientist needs this
Career progression
Electrician
ApprenticeR8 000
Qualified ElectricianR25 000
Senior / WiremanR40 000
ForemanR55 000
Data Scientist
Junior Data ScientistR38 000
Data ScientistR70 000
Senior Data ScientistR110 000
Lead / ML EngineerR140 000
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