The best degrees to study for a big starting salary

MyBroadband’s recent qualifications and salary survey reveals that graduates who studied medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, and engineering enjoy the highest starting salaries.

The survey was completed by 5,867 South Africans, of which the majority completed a tertiary qualification.

The starting salaries of graduates over the last 10 years were used to calculate the average salaries, which were adjusted for inflation and salary increases.

The results show that a higher qualification is directly linked to a higher starting salary.

The average salary of candidates with only a matric, for example, is around R7,000. Move up to a doctorate degree, and the average starting salary increases to R22,000.

The graphic below shows the average starting salaries per qualification level.

Highest starting salaries

Medical professionals – doctors and dentists – have by far the highest starting salaries – followed by vets and engineering graduates.

It should be noted that no distinction was made between the degree levels – standard degrees, Honours, Master’s, and Doctorate qualifications were grouped.

This means that the average salaries listed below are higher than what a graduate with only a Bachelor’s degree can expect to earn.

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