Career advice · Updated November 2026
Public Sector Salaries in Kenya: Ministries, TSC, Counties and Parastatals Compared (KNBS 2026)
Public sector salaries in Kenya averaged KSh 874,273 a year in 2025, or about KSh 72,900 a month, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Economic Survey 2026. That was 1.5% more than in 2024 and below the private sector average of KSh 1,042,467. Pay differs widely by employer: corporations controlled by the government averaged KSh 1.47 million, wholly state-owned parastatals KSh 1.11 million, the Teachers Service Commission KSh 812,644, ministries KSh 792,379 and county governments KSh 844,292.
Source: KNBS Economic Survey 2026, Table 3.7 and its public sector memorandum items, read on 7 November 2026. The 2025 figures are provisional and are annualised June earnings, before tax. Monthly figures are the annual figure divided by 12 and rounded.
Public sector salaries by employer type
| Employer type | 2024 average (KSh) | 2025 average (KSh) | About per month, 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corporations controlled by the government (over 50% state-owned) | 1,434,259 | 1,471,652 | 122,600 | +2.6% |
| Parastatal bodies (wholly state-owned) | 1,084,986 | 1,113,274 | 92,800 | +2.6% |
| County governments | 926,172 | 844,292 | 70,400 | −8.8% |
| Teachers Service Commission | 743,490 | 812,644 | 67,700 | +9.3% |
| Ministries and other extra-budgetary institutions | 790,297 | 792,379 | 66,000 | +0.3% |
| All public sector | 861,389 | 874,273 | 72,900 | +1.5% |
Percentage changes are calculated by JobInKenya from the KNBS figures.
What the numbers show
State corporations pay the most. Companies where the government holds a majority stake, and wholly owned parastatals, pay well above ministries. Many set their own pay scales within guidelines from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), and they employ more technical and professional staff.
Teachers had the biggest rise. Average TSC earnings rose 9.3% in 2025. KNBS does not give the reason in the table. TSC’s average was still below parastatal pay.
County averages fell 8.8%. KNBS does not explain the fall in the table. A falling average can come from adding many lower-paid workers, such as health or early-childhood staff on new terms, rather than from pay cuts. Do not read it as counties cutting salaries without checking the county’s own payroll reports.
Ministries barely moved. Civil servants in ministries saw a 0.3% rise in average earnings, the smallest of any public employer type.
Public vs private sector salaries
The private sector average of KSh 1,042,467 is about 19% higher than the public average. The gap varies by industry: public health workers averaged more than private ones (KSh 1.88 million against KSh 1.39 million), while public education averaged less than private education (KSh 731,648 against KSh 1.14 million).
Public jobs often have benefits the averages do not fully show: pension schemes, medical cover, house allowances and job security. Private jobs in finance, energy and professional services pay more on average but vary much more between employers. Our breakdown of salary negotiation in Kenya covers how to compare total packages, not just basic pay.
Highest-paying public sector industries
Within the public sector, KNBS also reports average earnings by industry. The highest 2025 averages were in accommodation and food services (KSh 3,041,690), transport and storage (KSh 2,652,302), and financial and insurance activities (KSh 2,357,099), followed by health and social work (KSh 1,879,755) and electricity supply (KSh 1,616,669). These industries contain relatively few public employees, often in state corporations with professional staff, so a small group can push the average up. The largest groups of public workers, in education and public administration, sit well below them at KSh 731,648 and KSh 695,346.
How public pay is set
Public salaries are not negotiated job by job. The SRC advises on pay for state officers and public officers, and each employer applies a grading structure:
- Civil service: job groups with fixed pay points and annual increments.
- Teachers: TSC grades set out in the collective bargaining agreement with teachers’ unions.
- Counties: county public service boards use scales aligned with SRC advice, plus allowances.
- State corporations: grades approved under SRC guidance for each corporation.
Because adverts usually state the grade or job group, you can often estimate the salary before you apply. Our guide on how to apply for government jobs in Kenya explains where adverts appear and how to read them.
What this means if you want a government job
- If pay is your priority, state corporations and regulators generally pay more than ministries.
- Check the job group or grade in the advert and look up the scale for that grade before you interview.
- Count allowances separately. House, commuter and hardship allowances can be a large share of pay and are taxed.
- Read the advert for the terms of service: permanent and pensionable, contract, or internship. Contract roles may pay a consolidated salary without the pension benefits of permanent posts.
- Expect slower pay growth than in fast-growing private sectors, in exchange for security and pension benefits.
From gross pay to take-home pay
The KNBS averages are gross earnings. A public servant’s payslip shows deductions for PAYE, the Social Health Insurance Fund, the Affordable Housing Levy and NSSF, plus pension contributions where the scheme is contributory, and any loans or SACCO deductions. Two officers on the same job group can take home very different amounts because of loans and voluntary deductions. Before you compare a public and a private offer, work out the net pay for both and add the value of the pension and medical cover.
Where to find official salary scales
For the pay attached to a specific grade, look beyond the averages. The SRC publishes circulars on remuneration for state and public officers. TSC publishes salary scales under its collective bargaining agreements. State corporations state the grade in their adverts, and county public service boards publish adverts with job groups on their websites. Use these alongside the KNBS figures, which show how each type of employer pays overall.
Limits of the data
These are averages for all employees of each employer type, from support staff to senior officers. They do not show the salary for a specific job group or county. KNBS marks 2025 as provisional, so the figures may change in next year’s Economic Survey.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average public sector salary in Kenya?
KNBS puts it at KSh 874,273 a year in 2025, about KSh 72,900 a month before tax.
Which public employers pay the most?
Corporations controlled by the government averaged KSh 1.47 million, ahead of parastatals at KSh 1.11 million.
Do teachers earn more than civil servants?
On average yes in 2025: TSC averaged KSh 812,644, against KSh 792,379 for ministries.
Is private sector pay higher than public pay?
On average yes. The private sector averaged KSh 1,042,467 in 2025, about 19% more.