By Dickens Luvanda
Finding a career that pays well in Kenya can be a little daunting due to the dynamism in the job market.
There are many cases where a person is gainfully employed but still has a side hustle to boost his/her income.
This article looks at the top ten well-paying professions in Kenya starting with:
Persons in the aviation industry, especially pilots and the cabin crew members are some of the best paid professionals across the world.
Maybe this could be linked to how expensive aviation course is.
At one time, former Kenya Airways (KQ)CEO Sebastian Mikosz, told a parliamentary committee that senior KQ staff in the rank of captain earned an average monthly salary of Ksh1.6 million.
However, salaries of pilots vary according to the type of aircraft they fly and the hours they have flown. The median annual salary for the pilot of a large jet is impressive.
Media personalities especially news anchors and radio presenters are taking home good money.
It is believed that some take home between Ksh350,000 to Ksh1 million salary a month.
Even though journalism is one of the most coveted and high income generating careers, one has to make their name before starting to pocket good cash.
Information Technology
Each day, more companies in Kenya are embracing technology, thus the need to employ IT experts.
This has broadened the industry, therefore accomodating more professions in this field.
An experienced IT expert in a good paying organization in Kenya can earn upto Ksh500,000 salary a month.
CEOs of Blue Chip Companies
Chief executive officers (CEOs) of blue chip companies earn million of shillings in salaries and bonuses. A good example is Co-operative Bank CEO Gideon Muriuki whose bonus in 2020 was a staggering Sh260.3 million.
Engineering
Employed Software Engineering Bachelor’s Degree holders in Kenya earn up to Ksh142,500 per month while some Civil Engineers earn between Ksh130,000 and Ksh180,000 a month
Oil and Gas engineering which is only offered at the University of Nairobi and Mount Kenya University also pays handsomely.
The starting salary of an engineer at the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) is above Ksh120,000 and mostly, the Kenya Airways majorly recruits mechanical, electrical and aeronautical engineers.
An engineer’s salary depends on the type of company one is employed.
Marketing
Even though the marketing field can be unpredictable, established marketers undoubtedly make fortunes out of their careers.
Marketers enjoying their careers are majorly those in insurance firms, advertisement industries and banks.
Accounting, Finance
Accountants and Finance managers are the custodians of an organization’s funds.
A person working in Accounting and Finance in Kenya typically earns around Kah143,327 per month with an Auditing Manager pocketing approximately Ksh209,276 a month, inclusive of housing, transport, and other benefits.
However, salaries differ drastically between different Accounting and Finance jobs.
NGO and Civil Society groups
Non-governmental organizations are some of the employers who offer some of the most competitive salaries in the job market depending on their budgets.
For example, you will find a position requiring little experience paying at least Ksh60,000 a month in an NGO, with others going upto Ksh100,000 at entry level.
Some of the well paying NGOs in Kenya include Oxfam, UN, USAID, Care International, Amnesty International, Amref among others.
Medicine
It is a field that only accommodes the bright students in schools.
An entry salary for a medical intern may be not lower than Ksh45,000. This increases as one progresses with the career with employed medical doctors heading home in smiles each month.
Politics
Many politicians enter politics for money and power due to a culture that it is one of the fastest avenues to riches.
In Kenya, an MCA pockets Ksh150,000 a month minus allowances, governors earn Ksh924,000, MPs earn Ksh710,000 per month while the President takes home Ksh1 million a month, all these minus allowances.
Those who earn good cash in the political scene also include political analysts, political lawyers, political activists, scholars, commentators, and political advisors.
