Auctioneering can be a genuinely good career in South Africa — but it rewards skill and hustle rather than paying a comfortable fixed salary. Income is mostly commission-based, so the better you call and the more you sell, the more you earn. For confident, well-trained people, that's the appeal: your ceiling isn't set by a pay grade.
How do auctioneers get paid?
Most auctioneer income is tied to what you sell, not the hours you work. Broadly, there are two paths:
- Working for an auction house — often a modest base plus commission on sales. Lower risk, steady deal flow, and a great way to build experience and a reputation.
- Going independent — you build your own auction business and earn on the value and volume you move. Higher risk, higher ceiling, and you keep more of what you sell.
Because it's commission-driven, honest ranges are hard to quote — earnings depend on your sector, your region, and how much business you attract. What's consistent is that a skilled caller who can lift the final price directly increases their own income.
Which sectors pay?
The same core skills carry across every sector, but the economics differ:
- Property — high individual sale values; a single successful auction can be significant.
- Livestock & agriculture — steady, high-volume, relationship-driven work in farming regions.
- Vehicles & machinery — regular fleet, bank-repossession and plant sales.
- Estate, insolvency & general goods — consistent demand from deceased estates and business wind-ups.
Our guide to the different types of auctioneering breaks each one down.
Is there demand for auctioneers?
Yes. Auctions remain a core way that assets change hands in South Africa and across Southern Africa, and the auctioneer is not interchangeable — a better caller literally lifts the price a seller achieves. That keeps skilled, properly trained auctioneers in demand, especially those with real rostrum experience and SAIA accreditation.
Thinking about it seriously?
Our 4-day course takes you from the fundamentals to calling a live auction.
See the courseWhat the job is really like
It's performance work. You're on your feet, commanding a room, doing quick mental arithmetic under pressure, and holding buyers' trust — all at once. It can be demanding and the income is variable, especially early on. But for the right person it's fast-moving, sociable and uncapped. One of our graduates, retrenched after nearly a decade in the industry, trained with us, went independent, and within months had sold a farm for R3.8 million and a guest house for R880,000.
How to get in
There's no single national exam, but the profession expects professional training and SAIA accreditation — see our article on whether you need a licence. The standard route is a recognised course: read the full how to become an auctioneer in South Africa guide, or go straight to the Professional Auctioneer Course.