Top 20 Highest Paying Jobs in Kenya
A large salary is important to a lot of people currently working in Kenya. A high-paying job covers the basic needs of most of life’s more basic costs (food, shopping, rent or mortgage, travel, etc.), while still leaving a surplus of funds to spend on some of the finer things in life.
Even though the cost of living in Kenya –– especially in major cities like the capital, Nairobi, Mombassa, and Nakuru –– tends to run on the lower side (even when considering the value of the Kenyan Shilling) compared to areas in the Western world, the massive region, with an estimated 55 million residents, has one of the strongest outlooks for economic growth in Africa, due mostly to the area natural resources and advanced infrastructure.
According to a recent Cost of Living survey, Nairobi was ranked 145 out of 209 countries, making it very low, yet still more affordable than cities like Doha and Cairo. The highest expenses for Kenyan residents are typically accommodation (on average: KSH 115,000 per month for a 3-bedroom apartment in a city center), groceries, and transportation. So, while the overall cost of living in Kenya is low, amenities tend to drive up spending. As such, it’s very important to have a well-paying job –– and, ideally, two high-paying salaries per family. The best way to achieve this is to see what high-paying jobs are available.
Thinking of taking your career to the next level? Here is our list of the highest-paying jobs in Kenya:
1. Politician / Member of Parliament
Average salary: KSH. 425,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH 300,000 – 700,000 per month
Job description: Depending on which type of politician you wish to become, those with an in-depth knowledge of the local and federal Kenyan government, in addition to having a solid understanding of teamwork, communication, and business policy negotiation skills, are considered prime candidates for MP jobs. As a result of the significant roles politicians play to the Kenyan people, these types of roles are extremely well paid.
2. Medical Doctor
Average salary: KSH. 360,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 200,000 – 800,000 per month
Job description: Medical doctors in Kenya are not only in high demand, but they are some of the most well-paying jobs available. But this shouldn’t be a surprise owing to the extensive schooling and training required. Doctors know how to diagnose, treat, and cure those with short or long-term illnesses. Despite typically working extensive hours, especially those who work in private practices or hospitals, doctors have some of the most financially rewarding careers.
3. Judge
Average salary: KSH. 350,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 180,000 – 760,000 per month
Job description: Judges make some of the most important decisions that affect individuals and society as a whole. Their rulings, which they make based on extensive reading, researching, and experience, are incredibly important and they bear the weight of all their actions. Also, you can’t just leave law school and decide to become a judge –– you have to put in the work articling and clerking before you can rise to such a prestigious role. The compensation is justifiably higher.
4. Lawyer
Average salary: KSH. 305,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 150,000 – 700,000 per month
Job description: Whatever your feelings are about lawyers, they provide a necessary service to people in need. And they are typically compensated based on how valuable they are to their clients –– the more serious the trouble people find themselves in, the higher they’ll pay to have a more experienced and knowledgeable attorney to represent them in court. Even lawyers who specialize in reading wills, buying/selling a property, or putting together contracts are well-paid because of the importance of the work involved.
5. Chief Executive Officer
Average salary: KSH. 340,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 200,000 – 600,000 per month
Job description: CEO positions are just about as high as you can get in most companies. And they carry the most responsibilities.
Because the job of the CEO is so important to the overall function of an organization, and because they absorb so much of the risk, the compensation is typically the highest of anyone else on the payroll.
6. Chief Financial Officer
Average salary: KSH. 320,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 180,000 – 560,000 per month
Job description: Second only to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, or CFO, is responsible for managing the company’s money –– including scheduling, overseeing budgets, determining a department’s spend vs. costs figures, and so on.
So that should tell you how important and highly demanding they are. As a result, they are paid very well.
7. Pilot
Average salary: KSH. 200,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 130,000 – 410,000 per month
Job description: As unique as a high-paying job as you can find, pilots are some of the most in-demand positions in Kenya and beyond. Commercial airline pilots who fly to international destinations are typically paid more than continental or local-haul pilots, but the training required for all flights is the same. And it’s very intensive, so the rewards are usually worth it in the end.
8. University Professor / Lecturer
Average salary: KSH. 140,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 100,000 – 360,000 per month
Job description: The years of experience required to become a University Professor in Kenya, like anywhere, is extensive and demanding. But once a university student graduates to the level of professor, especially a tenured professor, they can start teaching their own students in their chosen field of education –– and their salaries will eventually become commensurate with all their hard work.
9. Marketing Director
Average salary: KSH. 130,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 65,000 – 310,000 per month
Job description: Marketing Directors are responsible for using industry research and market trends to forecast growth opportunities for their companies, increasing revenue wherever possible. These captains of the industry typically generate a lot of business so, as a result, their salaries are on the higher end.
As the world continues to emerge from the weight of COVID-19 restrictions, there is likely to be an increase in growth for well-paying marketing jobs –– especially at the senior level.
10. Civil Engineer
Average salary: KSH. 120,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 95,000 – 320,000 per month
Job description: Engineering jobs are highly paid throughout various industries in Kenya –– but especially within the infrastructure and environmental sectors, owing to the area’s abundant natural resources.
While Civil Engineer work is rewarding and fascinating, the training required, and the extensive years of education needed to fulfill some of the top-tiered positions available across Kenya mean that they are also handsomely rewarded in the form of big salaries.
11. Pharmacist
Average salary: KSH. 100,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 92,000 – 290,000 per month
Job description: There are different health crises affecting many of Africa’s most populous nations at any given time. Following healthcare at the hospital/doctor-level, post-care medical providers like Pharmacists are relied upon to provide a secondary form of at-home assistance in the way of dispensing pharmaceuticals to patients and customers, as well as providing knowledge of side effects, dosages, and potential allergies or drug interactions. Because the training and education required to become a Pharmacist in Kenya are so extensive, these positions pay very well.
12. Software Developer
Average salary: KSH. 100,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 86,000 – 250,000 per month
Job description: The demand for Software Developers (also known as Software Specialists or Software Engineers) has steadily grown since the early 2000s –– especially in burgeoning tech-based hubs like Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu. Software Developers typically work long hours but they also have adaptable schedules that offer growth opportunities and great pay.
13. Accountant
Average salary: KSH. 100,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 56,000 – 180,000 per month
Job description: Kenya’s many business hubs include some of the continent’s most prominent financial firms. And despite the damage to key global business markets throughout Africa and the world in 2020, the recovery has shifted resulting in a surge of available positions for jobseekers with top-notch accounting skills. Because the demand is so high, salaries are also extremely well-paid.
14. Architect
Average salary: KSH. 98,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 76,000 – 230,000 per month
Job description: In addition to solid creative and design skills, Architects in Kenya –– and around the world –– are expected to have an exceptional grasp of subjects like mathematics, sciences, and engineering. Whether working for a government agency that erects public offices or skyscrapers, or for private clients in need of a new home, architects are not only in-demand throughout some of Kenya’s largest and most developing regions, but they also pay well above the average wage.
15. Journalist
Average salary: KSH. 95,000 per month
Salary range: from KSH. 40,000 – 100,000 per month
Job description: Working with media companies in Kenya can be an exciting and fulfilling job opportunity with plenty of room for personal and professional growth. Journalists in particular have an important responsibility to research, write, and edit news stories or feature articles –– whether working for a local newspaper or a national news agency. Due to the sheer volume of work expected of journalists in Kenya’s bustling media industry, they can expect to have a lot of flexibility and prestige, not to mention a hefty paycheck.
How to Find a High-Paying Job Opening in Kenya?
1. Online Job Boards
Using an online job board is one of the most effective tools for sourcing a high-paying job in Kenya. And there are plenty of options available for those looking to grow their career –– or start from the very beginning.
Some great online job boards in Kenya include:
2. Recruitment Agencies
Sometimes, you need a bit of help getting your foot in the door when looking for a high-paying job. Recruitment agencies in Kenya are readily available to assist job candidates while providing benefits like:
- Faster hiring. Recruitment agencies find candidates to match with available positions much faster than most people can do on their own.
- High-quality candidates. What’s more, the quality of the jobs that agencies source is typically higher than those found via word of mouth or by open calls. Jobseekers are pre-screened and interviewed by recruiters so that everyone’s time is treated valuably.
- Specialist recruitment knowledge. Recruitment agencies employ staff who are extremely knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the local job markets. They also have keen insights that are useful in matching the right candidate with the right role.
Some of the top recruitment agencies servicing all parts of Kenya include:
3. Networking Events
Networking is a vital component of advancing your career. One single connection can potentially lead to a new, exciting position with a much higher salary. It’s all about who you know. Some of the benefits of attending networking events include:
- You can define your expectations. Attending networking events allows you to meet many like-minded people at one time. If you’ve never participated in an event before, they are a great place for introducing yourself and sharing your professional goals and ambitions in an honest and open environment.
- You get to make a great first impression. Grab as many business cards and shake as many hands as you can during a networking event so that when it comes time to reach out to new contacts, you’ll have made a great first impression and you’re that much likelier to land a job interview.
- They encourage you to get out of the house. Job searching involves a lot of rejection –– and it’s easy to feel defeated from behind a computer screen. Network events force you out of your comfort zone. And in doing so, people get to see the real you.
Apply for the Highest Paying Jobs in Kenya today!
There you have it! The highest-paying jobs in Kenya right now. There are plenty of resources available to help you find a high-paying job of your own, wherever you live in Kenya. Use these resources and tools to your advantage to help land the career of your dreams.
Photo by Yonko Kilasi on Unsplash
