Typically, police SAPS salaries in South Africa range from R18 600 to R19 000. Depending on their skill set, expertise, education, and reporting station, such personnel receive a salary between R8 550 and R29 600 a month.
Keep reading this guide if you’re considering entering this field and would like to learn more about their salaries.
Police (SAPS) Salary in South Africa 2024
In South Africa, police officers or SAPS officers are paid according to the following breakdown.
Salary Range
A SAPS police officer’s monthly salary ranges between R8 550 (minimum) and R29 600 (maximum). Police officers in the country earn an average of R110 per hour.
Do keep in mind, however, that this isn’t a legally mandated salary and can vary depending on your expertise, educational qualification, and gender.
Percentile
Official statistics indicate that almost half of the police earn R17 800, which is near the average salary. Furthermore, 25% of the workforce earns around R14 300 per month, while 75% earn around R20 500 per month, which is the 75th percentile.
Thus, we can assume that more of the SA police department’s employees hold higher-paying positions.
Fringe Elements
SAPS officers receive fringe benefits in addition to their monthly salaries. A housing allowance, a transport allowance, a rent allowance, and a medical insurance policy are included.
There is, however, a great deal of variation depending on the employee’s skills, gender, experience, and location in the country where they report.
In comparison with the United States
Using the average salary of $55,023 per year, that works out to $26.45 per hour for a police officer in the USA.
According to your expertise and qualifications, cop salaries in America start at $42,587 and go up to $81,531. The United States, however, pays police officers biweekly, rather than weekly as they do in South Africa.
Also, read What To Do About Your Referred SASSA SRD Status
Police SAPS Responsibilities
SAPS officers are South African police officers hired under Sections 19 (1) and 221 (2) of the Police Act. It is their responsibility to maintain the security and safety of the residents of a community. A police SAP in South Africa is expected to perform the following professional duties.
- Safeguarding the community from safety and security threats
- The community should be protected from any risks that could pose a danger to its residents
- In accordance with the South African constitution, investigating crimes and criminals
- Ensure justice is done
- In collaboration with other departments, participates in investigations
SAPS Salary Factors in South Africa
South Africa’s police officers are paid according to a variety of factors, including their education, experience, and gender. To help you determine whether or not this career is right for you, let’s discuss them further.
Qualification/ Education
Are police officers in South Africa required to have a degree? Police jobs in SA require a minimum level of a high school diploma. Your pay scale increases as you gain qualification and start earning more.
Let’s examine the following police officer educational requirements.
High-School Certificate
An average salary of R11 000 is earned by police employees with a high-school certificate, generally subordinates.
Certificate/ Diploma
There is a perception that a criminal justice degree is better than a high school diploma. A worker with this qualification earns approximately R17 400 per month, which is 57% more than a worker with a lower qualification.
Bachelor’s Degree
In order to become a police officer, you must have a bachelor’s degree. The average salary range for people with this certification is R29 100, which is 68% higher than the previous level.
| Education/ Qualification | Salary Range |
| High-School Certificate | R11 100 |
| Certificate/ Diploma | R17 400 |
| University Degree (Bachelors) | R29 100 |
Level of Experience
The level of experience is another factor that affects the SAPS salary in South Africa. More experienced employees will obviously be paid more. The following table shows how police officers are paid based on their experience:
Experience less than 2 years
A police officer with less than two years’ experience earns between R9 700 and R9 720.
Experience between 2 and 5 years
There is a 34% increase in salary, or R13 000, for police officers with two to five years of experience.
Experience of 5-10 years
In terms of police officers with five to ten years of experience, they earn anywhere between R19 200 and R22 000, which is a 48% increase over the previous level.
Experience of 10-15 years
With ten to fifteen years of experience, police officers earn almost 22 percent more than previous categories.
Experience of 15-20 years
In the same way, police officers with 15-20 years’ experience earn approximately R25 500, which is 9% higher than their counterparts at the previous level.
Our experience spans more than 20 years
A salary of R27 600 is expected for employees with twenty years or more of experience, which is about 8% higher than for those with less experience.
Public Vs. Private Sector
It is often questioned whether going into the public sector would be more beneficial than going into the private sector for security-related jobs.
The SAPS professionals in government-run institutes earn more than those in private institutes, as is the case with other professions. The following table shows the difference in salary between police officers recruited in the public sector and those recruited in the private sector.
| Public Sector | R32 400 | 7% increase |
| Private Sector | R30 400 |
Gender
SAPS officers’ salaries are also influenced by their gender in South Africa. As a result of the criteria and working environment, this profession is dominated largely by men. Approximately 12% of male SAPS recruits get more jobs than female SAPS recruits, according to statistics.
| Male | 19, 600 | 12% increase |
| Female | 17,600 | 12% decrease |
Allocation city
In South Africa, the city of allocation plays a significant role in determining the salary of a police officer.
Statistically, remote employees get higher salaries and fringe benefits, depending on their commute, housing, and other needs. Now, let’s talk about how salaries are determined based on a person’s position.
| City Station | Average Salary (Per Month) |
| Bloemfontein | R17 900 |
| Cape Town | R20 900 |
| Durban | R20 000 |
| Johannesburg | R19 300 |
| Port Elizabeth | R18 400 |
| Pretoria | R19 000 |
You can also read Lost SASSA Reference Number
Faqs
What is the average salary of a police officer in South Africa?
In South Africa, the average salary for a police officer is R 18 600. Between R8 550 and R29 600 is the pay scale.
What is the average hourly salary of a police officer in South Africa?
Police officers and SAPS officers in South Africa earn an average of R110 per hour.
Do you need a degree to become a police officer in South Africa?
Despite South Africa’s lack of university requirements, you still need a high school diploma to become a police officer. Nevertheless, your educational background can have a significant impact on your monthly salary.
Are police officers in the public sector getting paid more than the private sector?
Certainly, police officers in the public sector earn more than their counterparts in the private sector. There is an approximate 7% difference in their pay scales, according to the stats.
Do men or women SAPS police officers get paid more in South Africa?
In police departments, men are paid about 8% more than women, according to workplace salary estimates. The level of experience and education you possess, however, are the most important factors.
What is the lowest salary of a police officer in South Africa?
There is a minimum salary of R8 550 per month for a police officer in South Africa.
What is the average salary of a police officer in America?
There is an average salary of $55,032 per year for a police officer in the United States.
Conclusion
Whether in South Africa or abroad, SAPS Police is one of the most popular and rewarding professions in the world. Moreover, it offers significant financial benefits and fringe benefits for students motivated to enter the field.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you decide if becoming a police officer in South Africa is right for you.
Also, read How SASSA Reinstate Declined Applications?
