Average Salary in Zambia

Table of Contents

How much money does a person who works in Zambia make?

Zambians generally earn roughly 6,000 ZMK each month as a result of their employment. Salaries start with 1,520 ZMK and go up from there.

Some high-level managers make as much as 74,000 ZMK a month. These workers are often those with higher education levels and more experience.

The average salary in Zambia is roughly 25,000 ZMK a month as of 2018. This number includes salaries from part-time work and other jobs on the side of your primary job.

Salary Distribution in Zambia

Salary Scale

Approximately 1,520 ZMK per month is the starting salary in Zambia. For example, a secretary with ten years experience will take between 200 and 1045 ZMK per month. An experienced general manager can make anywhere from 4,100 to 4,800 ZMK per month.

Average salaries range around 700-800 ZMK per month for unskilled labor, 1,000-1,200 ZMK per month for skilled labor, 1300-1700 ZMK per month for middle management positions, and 1800+ ZMK per month for upper management positions.

These are only averages; individual companies determine their own pay scales according to the qualifications of employees they seek to hire or retain.

Salary on the Median Scale

The median monthly wage is 6,360 ZMK, which implies that half of the population (50%) earns less than 6,360 ZMK and the other half earns more than 6,360 ZMK. The median income is based on a monthly wage of 6,360 ZMK.

On the salary median scale, a population earning an income of 3,000 ZMK to 6,500 ZMK is not uncommon. In fact, 37% of the population earn from 3,001 ZMK to 6,500 ZMK.

The percentage increases when narrowing down on smaller groups of the population such as women and young people between 15-24 years old. For instance, approximately 45%of young women have a monthly income that lies within this range.

Percentiles

25% of the population earns less than 3,550 ZMK, while 75% earn more than 3,550 ZMK, according to the most recent data available. Additionally, according to the graphic, 75% of the population earns less than 17,600 ZMK, while 25% earns more than 17,600 ZMK every year.

Difference between average salary and median

The main difference between the two is that average salary is found by adding all the money earned together and then dividing it by the number of people who have earned that money while the median salary is found by ordering all the salaries from lowest to highest and taking the salary in the exact middle.

Salary by Experience

How does a person’s pay increase in Zambia?

In Zambia, a person’s salary grows by years of experience. For every year of work, they receive a pay increase depending on the amount of time an individual has served in their current position if not more often than yearly.

Promotions are usually granted following at least one full year of service, but some companies promote once 6 months have passed which is typically sufficient for individuals to learn the ropes and become effective in handling their job responsibilities.

The average salary is around ZMK 1,520 ZMK per month. That salary can double within five years for those who work hard and are able to demonstrate the necessary competencies required to be promoted.

Salary By Degree

What effect does education have on pay?

Education has many benefits other than the act of learning itself. It can lead to better social standing, more job opportunity and even higher salaries.

Depending on what level of degree one obtains, it can directly affect their career path and future earning potential.

Higher educational achievement is associated with numerous positive outcomes in individuals’ lives. However, there are still debates about whether or how much a college degree affects labor market outcomes for graduates, especially when it comes to income.

In Zambia, a university degree would increase an individual’s income by 300%.

In essence, more education equals better job opportunities and a higher salary. Education has positive returns across all levels but there are diminishing returns to additional years invested beyond a certain point.

Gender Pay Gap in Zambia

Across all sectors, male workers in Zambia earn 13% more than female employees. The largest discrepancy is in the mining industry, where men earn 33% more than women. While this may seem relatively low compared to other countries around the world, it reflects a larger social issue—that of equal opportunity for men and women.

In Zambia, male employees are far more likely to be employed full-time than their female counterparts. Full-time employment allows workers to receive benefits such as health insurance, sick leave, annual leave and pension contributions.

This makes it difficult for women to advance in their careers when they cannot access these benefits due to their part-time status or lower pay levels.

Zambian Annual Salary Increment Percentage

Zambia’s yearly pay increases: How frequently do workers receive raises?

The Zambian government provides public service employees with annual salary increases.

These increases are given in accordance with the Ministry of Local Government and Housing’s Annual Wage Review Committee, which evaluates the living conditions of Zambians across all provinces to determine how much of an increase should be provided each year.

The government has found that by increasing wages at different times, it is able to help people who live in regions that suffer from poverty while avoiding inflation. To ensure this goal is met, there are two separate pay review processes: one for civil servants and another for other workers in the private sector.

Annual Industrial Growth Rate

Banking – 8%
Travel – 4%
Education – 2%
Energy – 7%
Healthcare – 6%
Retail – 5%
Construction – 6%

Local government spending is expected to increase by 3.6%, but there are concerns that the increased demand for public services may put pressure on quality which could adversely affect the recreational activities of Zambians.

Average Pay Increase Rates by Level of Experience in Zambia

The inflation rate in Zambia has fluctuated over the past few years. While the inflation rate is an important economic indicator, it does not tell the whole story of what is happening to average salaries in the country.

To get a better idea of what is happening to salaries and how fast they are increasing or decreasing, one can look at data on pay increases by the level of experience within companies.

Over time, for most countries, there has been little difference between the average increase rates for higher levels of experience compared to lower levels of experience (for example, someone who had no prior work experience vs. someone with 10+ years of prior work experience).

Zambian workers with more than 10 years of prior work experience also saw their average incomes decline in recent years, while this group’s average income increased or remained unchanged in most other countries that we surveyed.

Furthermore, salaries for Zambian workers with 10+ years of prior work experience dipped in 2014 but remained higher than salaries for workers with no prior work experience.

Rates of Bonus and Reward in Zambia

How much and how frequently do you get bonuses in Zambia?

The answer to this question will be directly connected with the type of job one has and how long he or she has been working in it. It is also influenced by the company’s policies, rules and regulations set for employees.

Zambian workers get bonuses every year as a means of rewarding their hard work and commitment to the company.

There are various ways in which one can expect to be rewarded. In case an employee holds a leadership position for more than 3 years, it is likely that he or she will get a reward for being at that position.

The percentage of the bonus tends to increase as an individual moves higher up the ladder from being just a staff member to being a manager then finally ending up as a team leader. Usually, they enjoy bonuses once every year but there have been cases where some companies give out twice a year bonuses.

Bonuses & Rewards

Individualized Performance Bonuses

These are monetary compensation given to employees upon successful completion of specific tasks. Each task is assigned a financial value, and the employee directly responsible for the completion of that task is then financially rewarded proportionately to the value of the completed task.

The more difficult or challenging a particular job or task may be, the greater individual financial yield should be awarded in return.

The primary benefit to employers having well-established Individualized Performance Bonuses is that it provides an accurate, quantifiable measure of the value of individual employees.

This allows for easier future task assignment based on merit – essentially allowing employers to more “precisely” determine which employees are most germane to their organizational goals and objectives, while simultaneously increasing motivation by rewarding higher financial returns with greater compensation.

Performance-based pay

This is a common approach to pay out employees. It can be seen in large corporations where managers are given bonuses for reaching certain objectives and sometimes even forced to meet revenue targets or risk losing their job.

Performance-based pay is also sometimes used in schools and businesses to try and motivate employees or staff members.

Bonuses for achieving goals

Goal-based bonuses are for people who do their job well and get regular payment.

Goal-based bonuses are also used to motivate employees, students and others to achieve certain tasks. This type of bonus is usually meant for workers or people in a certain position where they can get objectives met such as managers, teachers etc.

Overall, the purpose of goal-based bonuses is to reward someone for meeting a specific target or completing an objective given by someone else such as a boss or manager at work.

Holiday/Year-End Bonuses

In the United States, year-end bonuses are a common practice for many companies.

Giving out holiday or year-end bonuses is a way to reward employees for their efforts throughout the whole year. In some cases, these bonuses make up part of an employee’s total pay for the year. In other instances, they are given in addition to an employee’s regular income.

Year-end bonuses can vary greatly depending on factors such as job performance and company policy.

Some companies use holiday or year-end bonus checks to compensate for salaries that may seem modest when spread across twelve months, while others hand them out in addition to normal salary checks.

Bonus Rates by Career

What certifies a profession for good bonuses and high pay in Zambia?

There are many professions that you can choose from in Zambia. However, there are some that earn more than the rest. This is not because they work harder or have better skills or talent than anyone else, but it’s just because of the bonuses and high pay rates that come with such jobs.

Not all careers in Zambia, however, will qualify for good bonuses and high pay rates. Jobs like finance, sales, business development, and architecture earn high pay rates. While jobs like healthcare, human resources, and customer service earn a modest rate of pay.

Bonuses by Seniority

For many years, the Zambian government has been giving out bonuses to employees who have reached a certain length of service. The longer you work for the government, the bigger your bonus will be.

Top management usually get bonuses of around four months salary, then the bonus gets smaller the further down you work.

If you are young then this can be a great incentive to work for longer in order to get that big payoff after all those years of service.

Salaries For Popular Jobs in Zambia

Administration / Reception / Secretarial

Administrative Assistant – 3,140 ZMK
Office Manager – 5,440 ZMK
Receptionist – 2,290 ZMK
Secretary – 2,730 ZMK

Automotive

Mechanic – 2,310 ZMK
Service Advisor – 4,190 ZMK

Bus / Coach / Truck

Bus Driver – 3,500 ZMK
Driver – 2,810 ZMK
Project Manager – 5,430 ZMK
Production Assistant (Vehicle Manufacturing) – 4,360 ZMK
Warehouse Assistant (Vehicle Manufacturing) – 3,630 ZMK

Construction & Building Services

Carpenter – 2,660 ZMK
Bricklayer – 3,140 ZMK
Electrician – 3,710 ZMK
Painter – 2,780 ZMK
Plumber – 3,840 ZMK
Civil & Structural Engineer – 5,610 ZMK

Legal Services

Lawyer – 2,770 ZMK
Legal Assistant / Executive Assistant – 4,320 ZMK
Office Administrator / Personal Assistant – 3,760 ZMK

Medical Field

Nursing Officer – 4,770 ZMK
Medical Laboratory Technician – 5,400 ZMK
Pharmacist Assistant – 2,330 ZMK
Resident Medical Officer – 10,500ZMK

Average Hourly Wage in Zambia

Zambia’s average hourly earnings are 35 ZMK. This indicates that for every hour worked, the ordinary Zambian earns about 35 ZMK. Zambia’s minimum wage is also 35 ZMK.

Some sectors are reported to have much higher wages, however, it should be noted that these jobs may require specific skills which not all individuals possess.

Zambian men report an average hourly rate of 45 ZMK compared to the 32 ZMK reported by women in 2010/2011. Other jobs also have different hourly wages which depend on the job you do.

Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison in Zambia

The government and private sectors in Zambia both offer many opportunities for those seeking employment, but each sector has its own unique perks as well as drawbacks.

Those who are looking for secure jobs with good benefits should consider working in the government sector, while those who seek to advance their careers quickly and work on different projects every few years may want to consider working in the private sector.

Both sectors offer competitive salaries and great benefits, and the difference in salaries is actually relatively slight. However, there are a few factors that can heavily influence how much an employee makes.

For example, those working for privately-owned companies often receive higher compensation than individuals who work for government agencies; however, employees at state-owned companies are almost guaranteed to make more money because they cannot be fired.

Government employees generally receive much better benefits, including retirement funds and free healthcare for themselves and their families.

Because government jobs are secure, the workplace environment tends to be highly pressurized in order to meet strict deadlines in an effort to avoid losing one’s job.

Private sector employees, on the other hand, are under much less pressure and can work at their own pace.