Salary guide · South Africa
Public service salary levels 2026: Level 1 to 12 per year and per month
From 1 April 2026, Level 5 starts at R237,453 a year (R19,787.75 a month), Level 7 at R338,106 and Level 9 at R487,197. Here is every level from 1 to 12.
These are the official scales for public servants on Levels 1 to 12 who aren't on a special occupational scale. The Department of Public Service and Administration raised every level by 4% from 1 April 2026. A level has 12 notches (Level 1 has 5), and adverts usually state the first notch. The table gives the first and top notch, per year and before tax, and how many adverts in our own catalogue stated that first notch on 1 November 2026.
| Level | First notch a year | Top notch a year | First notch a month | Open adverts we counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | R134,910 | R143,190 | R11,242.50 | 0 |
| Level 2 | R144,024 | R169,656 | R12,002.00 | 1 |
| Level 3 | R170,226 | R200,523 | R14,185.50 | 4 |
| Level 4 | R201,093 | R236,877 | R16,757.75 | 9 |
| Level 5 | R237,453 | R279,708 | R19,787.75 | 18 |
| Level 6 | R280,278 | R330,162 | R23,356.50 | 17 |
| Level 7 | R338,106 | R398,277 | R28,175.50 | 22 |
| Level 8 | R413,001 | R486,501 | R34,416.75 | 25 |
| Level 9 | R487,197 | R573,897 | R40,599.75 | 38 |
| Level 10 | R605,742 | R713,535 | R50,478.50 | 11 |
| Level 11 | R932,292 | R1,098,195 | R77,691.00 | 28 |
| Level 12 | R1,101,468 | R1,297,476 | R91,789.00 | 1 |
Yearly figures: DPSA Circular 15 of 2026, Appendix A. The monthly figure is our sum: the yearly figure divided by 12. Advert counts come from our catalogue on 1 November 2026, where 401 adverts state pay, all from 14 public employers, and 174 of them open with one of these first notches. So they show who advertises with us, not the whole public service.
What will I take home on each level?
On Level 5's first notch you'd take home about R17,710.95 a month, before your pension contribution. That's R19,787.75 less R2,076.80 PAYE. On Level 7 it's about R23,968.87: R28,175.50 less R4,206.63 PAYE. SARS lists national and provincial government employees as not covered by UIF, so no UIF comes off.
Public servants also pay 7.5% of pensionable salary to the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), and the employer adds 13%, or 16% for services such as SAPS and the SANDF. Your pensionable salary can differ from your full pay, so we don't print a final net figure. Use our take-home pay calculator, tick the public servant box and type your pension amount.
Which jobs are on which level?
The level belongs to the post, and the advert states it. In Public Service Vacancy Circular 39 of 30 October 2026, general workers, cleaners and groundsmen are advertised at R144,024 (Level 2). Office aids, drivers and security officers appear at R170,226 (Level 3), and data capturers, receptionists and typists at R201,093 (Level 4). Registry, administration and accounting clerks appear at R237,453 (Level 5).
Higher up, labour inspectors appear at R280,278 (Level 6), HR practitioners and communications officers at R338,106 (Level 7), and senior internal auditors and senior state accountants at R413,001 (Level 8). Assistant director posts appear at R487,197 or R605,742 (Levels 9 and 10), and deputy directors at R932,292 (Level 11, as a package). The same job title can sit on a different level in another department, so go by your advert.
What does plus benefits or all-inclusive package mean?
Most adverts on Levels 1 to 10 say plus benefits, or plus service benefits. The figure is your basic salary and the benefits come on top: some adverts name a 13th cheque, a housing allowance and optional medical aid, and you must meet the conditions for each.
Levels 11 and 12 are usually advertised as an all-inclusive package, which means the benefits are already inside the figure. So a Level 11 package of R932,292 can't be compared directly with a Level 10 basic salary of R605,742.
Who is not on this table?
Circular 15 says it doesn't apply to the Senior Management Service (Levels 13 to 16), or to people employed under the laws for educators, SAPS, the Defence Force and Correctional Services, or the National Prosecuting Authority. Those groups have their own scales.
Nurses, doctors, social workers, engineers and others on an Occupation Specific Dispensation also have their own tables, under the same 4% increase. See our nurse salary page. Municipalities and state companies such as Eskom set their own pay too, so this table doesn't cover them.
When is the next increase?
The bargaining council deal, PSCBC Resolution 1 of 2025, ties the 2027/28 increase to Treasury's projected inflation, with a floor of 4% and a ceiling of 6%. For 2026/27, Treasury's projection was 3.4%, so the 4% floor applied. New scales take effect on 1 April, and we'll update this page when the next circular is out. We won't guess the figure before then.
How do I apply for a post on these levels?
Most national and provincial posts are in the Public Service Vacancy Circular, which comes out weekly except in December. Each post has a reference number, a closing date and a stated salary. You usually apply with a Z83 form and a CV, and our Z83 guide takes you through it section by section. Gauteng posts run through jobs.gauteng.gov.za.
If a post pays this much and someone asks you for money to get it, that's not a real offer. Applying is free. We're an independent job site, not part of government.
Sources
Checked 2 November 2026. Each figure keeps the period and scope of its source.
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