2026 comparison
Mining Engineer vs Commercial Pilot salary in South Africa
Higher paying career: Commercial Pilot. Approximate monthly difference: R20 000.
Entry, mid, senior pay, demand, difficulty and long-term career upside.
Mining Engineer
High demand · BEng / BSc Mining Engineering
EntryR35 000
MidR85 000
SeniorR140 000
Top 20%R220 000
Commercial Pilot
Medium demand · Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL)
EntryR35 000
MidR95 000
SeniorR160 000
Top 20%R250 000
Salary breakdown
Entry
R35 000
R35 000
Mid
R85 000
R95 000
Senior
R140 000
R160 000
Top 20%
R220 000
R250 000
Demand
Mining Engineer8/10
Commercial Pilot6/10
Difficulty
Mining Engineer9/10
Commercial Pilot9/10
Salary difference
+R20 000
Compare the Commercial Pilot salary in South Africa with how much Mining Engineers earn at senior level.
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Higher paying career: Commercial Pilot. The senior-level gap is about R20 000 per month, based on R160 000 for Commercial Pilot compared with R140 000 for Mining Engineer.
Career alternatives
Higher earning
Commercial Pilot
Easier entry
Mining Engineer
Better long-term
Mining Engineer
Skills / requirements
Mine planning
Mining Engineer needs this
Less central
Safety management
Mining Engineer needs this
Less central
Pr.Eng registration
Mining Engineer needs this
Less central
Project management
Mining Engineer needs this
Less central
Instrument Rating
Less central
Commercial Pilot needs this
Multi-engine rating
Less central
Commercial Pilot needs this
Career progression
Mining Engineer
Graduate Mining EngineerR42 000
Mining EngineerR85 000
Senior Mining EngineerR140 000
Mine ManagerR180 000
Commercial Pilot
Flight InstructorR35 000
First Officer (regional)R70 000
First Officer (airline)R110 000
CaptainR180 000
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