1. Information Technology

You would have had to be living under a rock not to realise that having IT skills can launch your earning potential through the stratosphere. The starting salary in 2022 in Kenya for an IT entrant is $26,000 per annum and up to $72,000 for an IT specialist.

There are so many IT specializations that companies are just crying out for. The list is pretty exhaustive and includes; IT managers who are in charge of planning, coordinating, and directing activities using computers and information systems, among other things. There is also demand for Software Engineers, Web Designers/Developers, Business Analysts, Computer Service Technicians, Cyber Security Specialists, Data Analysts, Data Scientists, Hardware Engineers, and others.

2. Sales and Marketing

Everyone needs sales people to peddle their goods and services and everyone needs marketeers to get the message to the right people, at the right time. Kenya is no different. This professional path includes positions such as digital marketers, sales managers, sales supervisors, sales representatives, marketing managers, social media managers, SEO experts, content marketing, and so on. If these individuals are good at what they do, the earning potential is good.

Sales and marketing managers typically make between $400 and $1,265 after taxes per month at the start of their careers, rising to an average of $600 to $2,122 after taxes per month after 5 years of service for a 45-hour workweek.

3. Medicine

Even from an early age, many kids dream of becoming doctors or pilots. Being able to heal the masses is always going to be a highly sort after skill and one that even though hard work and dedication, about 7 years in fact, the rewards are well worth it. Physicians, nurses, paediatricians, dentists, opticians, surgeons, pharmacists, gynaecologists, and other medical professionals are among those who work in this field.

The average salary in 2022 for people working in the medical field ranges from nett salaries of $341 per month to $4,167.

4. Mechanical Engineering

Combining engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, mechanical engineering is one of the oldest and broadest of engineering branches, and as such, a very marketable and sought-after technical discipline. The university courses to get into it are highly scalable and offer a variety of job opportunities post-graduation.

Based on 12 incomes, a mid-career Mechanical Engineer with 5-9 years of experience makes an average total salary of $10,000 nett per month. A Mechanical Engineer’s average pay is $5,100 nett per month.

5. Graphic and web design

They say that a picture tells a thousand words and marketing collateral needs to be aesthetically pleasing to draw in an audience. This is why the demand for graphic designers is increasing in Kenya.

Graphic and web designer salaries range from $501 to $1598 nett per month and they are generally expected to be in charge of producing logos, websites, animation, flyers, product illustrations, and other materials.

6. Architecture

There is a line from the movie ‘Field of Dreams’ where the expression ‘If you build it, they will come.’ In order though for that to happen, builders need architects to draw up the plans.

People working as an Architect in Kenya typically earn around an average of $1507 nett per month, whilst salaries in this field range from $739 to $2356 nett per month. Architects mix technical knowledge with artistic flair to create projects that are both functional and visually appealing. Among the positions available in this field are Building surveyors, town planners, structural engineers, and historic building inspectors.

7. Software Engineering

Technology is not changing month by month, it’s virtually changing week by week, which is why software developers will always be in high demand.

Salaries in this industry range from $622 to a high of $1981 nett per month. Software engineers are computer science specialists who use engineering concepts and programming languages to create software products, create computer games, and administer network control systems.

8. Quantity Surveying

Building don’t just happen by chance and they of course cost money to construct. Companies don’t want any unexpected surprises during the process and so they employ Quantity Surveyor’s to oversee all of the costs associated with a construction project.

A person working as a Quantity Surveyor in Kenya typically earns an average of £1248 nett per month.

NXU Insights

Nexford University alumni survey shows graduate career success for third consecutive year

Stories

Stories

Discover

Skills supply and skills demand in the Kenyan economy

Nexford completes $8 million series A fund raise

Richard Yeboah: Manager, dreamer and global forwarding expert

The skills, networks & strategies needed to advance a social impact career

Ryan Marais: Proud Capetonian and up and coming marketeer

Top 10 in-demand jobs in the Philippines

Join our newsletter and be the first to receive news about our programs, events and articles.