Despite the rising rate of unemployment in Kenya, there are jobs that attract huge perks across various sectors of the economy.
In Kenya, the government remains one of the largest employers, both national and county. The private sector is the single biggest in the formal sector, with the majority of the population believed to be in the informal sector which is largely untaxed.
According to the Economic Survey 2023 published by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) employees from the private sector earn more than their counterparts in the public sector.
Graduate and diploma holders who are lucky in Kenya can land jobs that pay over Ksh 100,000 but remain upwards of Ksh1 million. Top executives and managers in blue-chip companies attract these high salaries as well as some top State officials and politicians.
This demonstrates that despite the challenges in the job market, there are people who laugh all the way to the bank and at the end of every month.
Kenyans.co.ke compiled some of the top jobs that attract good salaries in the country.
Medics
Medics including nurses, doctors, and other specialists in the medical field earn decent salaries more than average Kenyans.
According to the Economic Survey report released by KNBS, employees in the nursing sector earn from Ksh100,000 exclusive of allowances in the private sector. Doctors earn more than Ksh150,000, with some netting in close to Ksh1,000,000.
Medics who work in private hospitals earn more than their public counterparts. In some instances, government medics go for months without salaries as the role is devolved and depends on revenues collected by counties or money allocated by the treasury.
Medical courses are offered by select universities including the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, Moi University, JKUAT, Maseno University, Egerton University, and Kisii University to name but a few.
Other middle-level colleges such as Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) also offer medical training such as nursing and clinical medicine among others.
Construction related jobs
Architects, engineers, and interior designers top list of professionals in the construction industry who pocket six-figure salaries at the end of every month. Some of these experts take home an average of Ksh500,000 a month.
According to Payscale, an interior designer with an average of 5-9 years of experience earns Ksh750,000 inclusive of allowances, tips, bonuses, and overtime pay.
Architects earn between Ksh100,000 and Ksh800,000 based on experience and the complexity of the job, the same as engineers. Depending on experience and other factors, the amount can breach a million, making them some of the highest-paid earners in the country.
Some institutions that offer construction-related courses include the University of Nairobi, Technical University of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), and Moi University.
National polytechnics and middle-level colleges such as Kabete National Polytechnic, Nairobi Institute of Technology, and Kiambu Technical Institute among others also have training.
ICT sector
As digital technologies and the internet continue to permeate people's lives, so is the demand for professionals in the ICT field.
Web Developers, programmers, data analysts, and cybersecurity experts are some of the highest-paid people in Kenya today.
With many big tech firms such as Microsoft setting a base in Kenya, the demand for talent has seen multinationals outcompete local companies.
The professionals in the field earn from Ksh170,000, according to KNBS. Some experts earn even more than Ksh1,000,000.
Nearly every Kenyan university has an IT-related course.
Finance And Insurance
Banks and insurance also pay some of their employees handsomely. According to KNBS, finance, and insurance experts earn from Ksh152,000, putting them above the average salary of a Kenyan.
Some of the professions in the sector include accountants, credit officers, financial brokers, insurance agents, auditors, risk managers, and others.
The University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, Cooperative University, and Strathmore University are some of the learning institutions with finance and insurance-related training.
