The average teaching assistant salary is R4,984.00 a month. In government schools, a teaching assistant’s base salary is R3,500.00 per month. Private schools tend to pay more for teacher assistants than government schools.
The city in which one works has a significant impact on the teacher assistant’s salary. Teacher assistant salaries in South African urbanized cities are higher than those in rural townships. Here is an example of the cities in South Africa with the highest average salaries for teacher assistants:
| # | City | Average Monthly Salary |
| 1 | Midrand, Gauteng | R5,479.00 |
| 2 | Kyalami, Gauteng | R5,244.00 |
| 3 | Pretoria, Gauteng | R5,218.00 |
| 4 | Kempton Park, Gauteng | R5,000.00 |
| 5 | Cape Town, Western Cape | R4,722.00 |
| 6 | Johannesburg, Gauteng | R4,046.00 |
| 7 | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal | R3,883.00 |
| 8 | East Rand, Gauteng | R3,770.00 |
| 9 | Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal | R3,283.00 |
Teacher assistants can expect to earn more money in an urban setting, and even more so if they work in a private school. The fact that all of the locations listed above are urban suggests that teacher assistant salaries are highest in South Africa’s developed cities.
A bonus, in addition to the city in which a teacher assistant works, can raise a teacher assistant’s salary. Performance bonuses for teacher assistants range from R517.00 to R20,000.00 yearly.
The salary of a teacher assistant is also influenced by their level of experience in the position. Below, we look at the different salaries of teacher assistants based on their level of experience.
Average Teaching Assistant salary with 1 year of work experience in 2024
A Teacher Assistant with 1 year of experience earns, on average, R42,000.00 yearly. The salary of a teacher assistant with 1 year of experience includes bonuses. 39 incomes from the job search website Payscale were used to calculate the average salary.
With only 1 year of experience, a teacher assistant is unlikely to receive big bonuses. A bonus of R2,500.00 is the average for a Teacher Assistant with 1 year of work experience. Receiving company contributions for retirement or medical insurance is also unlikely.
With 1 year of experience, a teacher assistant can earn up to R4,000.00 per month. A Teacher Assistant with 1 year of work experience can earn as little as R3,250.00 per month.
Average Teaching Assistant salary with 2 – 4 years of work experience in 2024
A teacher assistant with 2 to 4 years of experience earns an average salary of R47,000. The average salary for teacher assistants with 2 to 4 years of work experience is 11% more than the average salary for teacher assistants with only 1 year of experience.
Teacher assistants with 2 years of work experience receive the lowest salary in this range. The average monthly salary for teacher assistants with 2 years of work experience is R3,690.00.
The highest paid Teacher Assistants in this range are those with 4 years of work experience. The average salary of a Teacher Assistant with 4 years of work experience is R4,200.00 per month.
Average Teaching Assistant salary with 5 – 9 years of work experience in 2024
A teacher assistant with 5 to 9 years of work experience earns an average salary of R5,200 per month. From the average income of teacher assistants with 2 to 4 years of work experience, the salary for those with 5 to 9 years of work experience reflects an average salary increase of 10%.
Teacher assistants with 9 years of experience earn the most in this group. A teacher assistant with 9 years of work experience earns an average salary of R4,500.00 a month. With 5 to 6 years of work experience, Teacher Assistants in this category earn the least income, with an average salary of R4,000.00.
A Teacher Assistant with 5 to 9 years of work experience can be paid a performance bonus at this stage. Bonus can average R9,500.00 per year for a Teacher Assistant with 5 to 9 years of work experience.
With 10 – 19 years of work experience in 2024
An average salary of a Teacher Assistant with 10 to 19 years of work experience is R63,000.00 per year. In comparison to Teacher Assistants with 5 to 9 years of work experience, the salary represents a 21% average salary increase.
The maximum monthly salary that falls under this category is R7,200.00. 19 years of experience is required to get this income. The lowest salary in this range is R4,800.00 per month, which is what a teacher assistant with 10 years of experience in the workforce can earn.
Individuals who have worked as teacher assistants for more than 20 years can earn over R8,000 per month. Bonuses are also significantly greater for those with 10+ years of work experience and might reach R20,000.00 annually.
Conclusion
Teacher Assistants do not get many employer benefits from their employers, as such, planning for one’s medical insurance and retirement is important. Working at a private school can increase a Teacher Assistant salary and also gives them the opportunity to earn more through bonuses. Working for employers such as Curro Academy can upscale one’s salary.
Even with more than 10 years of professional experience, the salary of a teacher assistant doesn’t increase significantly. Average annual salary growth for a teacher assistant is 2.5%. Due to this, the field is less financially lucrative than the majority of professions, which have average yearly salary growth of over 5%.
