Highest Paying Jobs in Kenya | 2020
Money motivates, when one is well paid, the possibility of going overboard to get the job done is high. Every gainfully employed person wants to be able to afford the basic things of life- Shelter, Food and Clothing, take care of loved ones and have savings against unexpected occurrences. But it seems salaries or wages as the case may be is never enough. This is not a one-country thing, it is experienced everywhere, even in advanced countries not to talk of a developing country like Kenya.
One of the things people google the most in developing countries, Kenya included is – high paying jobs. The reason for this is crystal clear.
We all strive for a better life, prestige and peace that comes with high- paying job and for many, living above the poverty line is the reason for their quest for jobs like this.
The fact that you are here might mean many things – you are about to decide a college degree and the future pay is one of your priorities, it might as well be that you are weighing your options and what it takes to become a high earner. You may be a proactive parent or guardian going above the board to consider a career for your child(ren) or ward(s). You might also be considering a career change because you’re tired of that meagre salary and you can’t wait to be smiling to the bank every month. No matter what your reason is, this article poses to unveil highest paying jobs in Kenya.
So take a deep breath and let’s go on this journey together.
Whether in Kenya or not, some jobs have high remuneration. A master degree can give you a better pay edge over your co-workers but a bachelor degree is a good start to get some of the highest paying jobs in Kenya. The best-paying sectors in Kenya are finance and investment, federal jobs, media and marketing, telecommunication companies, and manufacturing sector companies.
LIST OF HIGHEST PAYING JOBS IN KENYA
There are many well-paying jobs in Kenya, but here are the top ones:
1. Medical doctors (Medicine)
Like many countries, medicine tops the list of jobs that make the pocket heavy in Kenya. It will be good to know that medical doctors start earning during their internship not even after graduation, the pay only becomes fatter upon graduation. Another interesting fact about this lucrative job is the fact that hardly will you see any doctor, not only in Kenya but everywhere, jobless. Statistics showed that in 2020 and 2021, there would be no doctors in Kenya without a job. They are highly in demand year in, year out. Whether you choose to work in the private or public sector the pay will always make you smile. Most doctors even work regular jobs or consult for more than one hospital while still running their private clinics. The earning potential as a medical doctor could be high, but one must consider the nitty-gritty of becoming one. It is a course of study preserve for high flying students with strong wills. While in medical school, medical students face late-night calls, bulky text-books, practicals and tough examinations and they spend longer years than most students in other departments. So before you let the pay excite you, be sure you can do what it takes to become one. Even after school, the pay doesn’t come on a platter of gold, you to have to work long hours, contend with odd emergency calls. Moreover, the entry salary for a medical intern may be as low as Ksh 45,000 but with progression in the career, chances of hitting more than ten times that amount are high.
Surgeons beat the list of the highest paying careers under medicine due to the critical nature of their job. A surgeon’s profession involves high risk and requires extensive knowledge and a long learning path; the necessary ingredients for a high paying career. The salary of a fresh graduate doctor is Ksh150,000 to Ksh 180,000. Those Doctors with more than 5 five years’ of experience earn more than Ksh 250,000 per month.
2. Accounting, Actuaries, Finance Experts
Finance Experts
These are the guardians of an organization’s funds. Experts in this profession exercise a lot of financial power as their income makes a reasonable statement. The type of organization, their work volume and the revenue they make determine the pay. If you are a type who likes number and does well with figures, you might want to consider this lucrative figure-inclined job. This job has a lot of professional bodies, one of the most well-sought after is the prestigious Certified Financial Analyst Examination. Before you can take CFA, you must have attained a certain level of experience, and you cannot become a financial analyst without CFA. Minimum salary for a financial analyst with CFA in Kenya is Ksh 400,000 per month.
Estimates from Salaryexplorer.com place the highest-paid financial director in Kenya at Ksh 805,000 per month. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics 2013, estimated the average financial services pay at KSH 100,000. Those working for Nairobi Securities Exchange, CMA, RBA, IRA and other government financial institutions earn above Ksh150,000. The downside of this job is the associated risk. Being the custodian of hundreds of millions in funds and investments is not a walk-over task. News flash- every penny must be accounted for!
Actuaries
With a degree in Actuary, you can go on to work for prestigious insurance companies in Kenya like RBA, Alexander Forbes, IRA, Banks. Audit firms are some of the employing companies too. Just like financial analyst, an actuarial science or insurance degree may not avail you an Actuary position. Your degree must be backed up with a professional qualification from institutions like The Society of Actuaries. Being a fellow of this recognized body places your monthly salary in Kenya more than Ksh 200,000.
Auditors
To become an auditor, a degree in accounting and a professional certification in CIA, ACCA, CFE Or CPA is required. Auditors are among the top earners in finance-related jobs. The entry salary of an Auditor in Kenya is Ksh 120,000.
Accountants
The salary of accountants is dependent on the companies they work for. A valuable company like Safaricom or EABC pays more than Ksh 200,000 per month. And like doctors, Accountants can earn extra pay from outside gigs. Though one must be careful not to fault the conflict of interest policy of the main job.
3. Politics
Generally in Africa, politics is regarded as one of the fastest tracks to wealth. Over 90% of offices in politics is attained by vote. The list of the offices is long- Councillors, Local Government Chairman, Governors, Senators, Parliament Member, County Assembly offices and so on. MCAs, MPs, Senators, Governors and other Senior government employees who were elected by the people are among the richest Kenyans.
MCAs earn Ksh 800,000 per month, Members of Parliament, Ksh 1.2 million per month, same as Senators, Governors who earn over Ksh 1.5 million per month. These money bags also increase their wealth by their dealings in many personal businesses.
But did you know politicians are not the only beneficiaries anymore; political activists, analysts, scholars, commentators, advisors and writers are some of the latest class of workers to make a career out of politics. These people have also come to enjoy the honey in politics.
4. Marketing
Throughout the world, marketing jobs are unpredictable, but fortune can be made out of this career. As the men and women consigned with a company’s brand, sales and market share, the growth of the company image can translate to high incomes and commissions for these professionals.
Marketers can earn as much as their sales can stretch with some in the leading banks and insurance companies are known, millionaires. Marketing directors are in charge of increasing the revenue of their organizations. They are directly responsible for generating business and they are well paid for that reason.
5. NGO and Civil Societies
This is where graduates of law school, social workers and social scientists are often found. Non- Governmental organizations pay are usually competitive.
The average monthly payment for an employee in NGO’s was Sh 194, 000 in 2012 according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, 2013 Economic Survey. That was the highest amount in both the private and public sector that year and by now the pay would have stretched up.
These organizations top the list of the most-sought after NGOs in Kenya: USAID, Oxfam, the United Nations and its subsidiary bodies such as UNEP and UNHCR. Did you know NGOs pay higher than some government institutions? Those with degree courses makeover Ksh 120,000 per month. If you succeed to secure a place in the United Nations, you won’t earn less than Ksh 500,000 per month.
6. Information Technology
We live in a technology era where mundane old century tasks have been digitalized. This makes this profession an increasingly growing one. The field has expanded alongside technological strides, and newer careers are being born from time to time. More organizations are shifting from the traditional work approach to digital, hence the rising need for IT experts.
IT specialists oftentimes earn from more than one company as the demand for IT professionals often exceeds their supply. According to an IT expert, the elite of the profession in Kenya can earn over Ksh 500,000 a month. Safaricom, Airtel, IBM, MultiChoice, Google and Facebook are some of the companies employing Software Engineers.
7. Lecturers
A lecturing job does not only command prestige, it is flexible too. The flexibility nature affords lecturers the ability to alternate between some of the increasing numbers of universities with ease. To command higher pay in the teaching career, you need to become a doctorate holder, and the end goal is to become a professor.
Professors in universities earn close to Ksh 500,000 per month. The field of knowledge will also determine the demand and remuneration for your services.
8. Media Jobs.
The gateway of this field is wide-open even when you don’t have a communication degree. It is highly infiltrated that you could see a Zoologist cast the news on TV. The truth is, this sector is more of personal branding, ability, personality and orientation and not solely on communication degree.
Influencers with the ability to draw viewership or mass audiences have found solace in the media and other related jobs. These range from comedians, talk shows hosts and star presenters, voice-over artistes, advertisers- the list is endless.
The pay may vary base on the personality’s level of influence but no matter the level, the pay is always pocket heavy – the reason for the luxurious life of media personalities. Endorsements with reputable brands also come easily to the media guys and ladies. It should never be thought that a communication degree is useless, it could give you an edge over other applicants.
9. Engineering.
Kenya as a developing country is striving to fill the technology wide gap with the developed worlds. This gap cannot be filled without engineers. The need to invest in engineering development has always been the top priority of most government regimes, coupled with the recent discoveries of oil which will surely favour geospatial and energy engineers. The extensive infrastructural advancements are also beneficial to civil and structural engineers. No matter what area of engineering you specialize in, it is always lucrative. Though one might be higher than the other, the minimum pay in engineering is still enviable.
Salaryexplorer.com pegs the income of a project engineer at Ksh 550,000, although this figure is not fixed.
10. Pilot/ Aviation Industry
This is not a career for the feeble-minded. The training cost is relatively expensive for an average Kenyan, and the training itself is rigorous. Training as a pilot in Kenya will cost you nothing less than Ksh 5.5 million and the course takes up to 4 years. A Wall Street Journal in March 2013 published that it takes Kenya Airways about Ksh 8.5 million to train a pilot.
No matter how costly and arduous the training might be; when one finally becomes a pilot, the pay will worth it. Pilots are some of the best-paid experts not only in Kenya but around the globe.
A senior captain receives nothing less than 1.1 million Kenyan shillings per month. An experienced pilot makes a minimum of Ksh 400,000 monthly.
Career Guide.
It is sweet hearing those big figures people make as experts in one field or the other. One might want to jump one of them but it is not as easy as it seems. Before you make a choice there are factors to be rationally considered if one must record success.
1. Passion.
Are you passionate enough to go through what is required for your chosen field? You need to differentiate between admiring a career and being truthfully passionate to become an expert in that career. If you don’t like it enough, you might not do well or go far enough. Passion is the foundation of success.
2. Academic Ability
I have seen students switch from a more tasking department to allegedly easier departments while in school. Not because they had a change of passion but because they could not cope with the chosen course. Know your strength before diving into any field. A person that detests number has nothing to do with finance and other numbers-inclined jobs. You might consider some preparatory courses to make you more fit should you be a die-hard enthusiast of that career.
3. Cost
A lucrative course like medicine requires a lot of money. How rich are your parents/guardian or you, if you are a self-sponsored student? Can you afford it? If you don’t have the capacity to study a course, you might have to contemplate a not so expensive related course. It will be sad to start a course and drop out due to financial constraint. The pay that the course will bring in the long-run might be great and admirable, but you cannot become certified in it if you don’t go through the necessary learning path.
4. Strength
Some of these well-paying jobs require physical strength, for example – engineering and piloting. These are not jobs for fragile people as they entail physical tasks and training. most especially- piloting. Engineering as well requires working on sites, fields and heavy machine, and you must as well be ready to get yourself dirty.
5. Flexibility
High pay should not be the only reason you choose a career. What comfort does the job afford you? No doubt the money you get from a well- paying job might get you a certain amount of comfort. But you might want to have a rethink, cross your Is and Ts, balance the pros and cons before delving into that career.
CONCLUSION
In as much as the aforementioned careers attract good pay. There are determinants that also help in getting fatter pay. These are your level of education, certifications, being a member of prestigious career-related bodies, years of experience, personal and inherent qualities, attitude, versatility, technological savvy and computing ability. These factors can add a few notes to your salary. It is also eminent to know that the aforementioned careers are not exclusive, there are other jobs that bring high pay. The listed are just the most noticeable, populated and highly sought after ones.
