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Job Group K Salary in Kenya: Everything You Need to Know

  • BY waceke
  • March 20, 2025
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Comprehensive Guide to Job Group K Salary in Kenya: Earnings, Allowances, and Insights for 2025

In Kenya’s public sector, Job Group K represents a key entry point for graduate-level civil servants, encompassing professionals with degrees who undertake technical, administrative, and supervisory roles across ministries, counties, and parastatals. For Kenyan business professionals, understanding the Job Group K salary in Kenya provides critical insights into public sector compensation, workforce development, and the economic implications of a well-supported cadre of young professionals—essential for a skilled labor pool and stable business environment. This article offers a detailed, data-driven analysis of Job Group K salaries as of March 20, 2025, covering earnings, allowances, benefits, and their significance for businesses reliant on effective governance and economic activity.

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Job Groups in Kenya: Context and Framework

Kenya’s civil service operates under a structured job group system, originally labeled A to T, now harmonized by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) into grades B1 to E4 for national roles and CPSB 17 to CPSB 01 for county roles. Established under the SRC Act of 2011, the commission classifies roles based on education, skills, experience, and responsibility, ensuring equitable pay across over 700,000 public servants (SRC, 2024). Job Group K, mapped to CPSB 10, is the entry-level classification for degree holders, typically occupying roles such as accountants, engineers, procurement officers, and administrative assistants in government institutions.

For businesses, Job Group K personnel are the operational backbone—handling tasks like revenue collection, public health inspections, and project coordination that support trade, infrastructure, and market stability. The Job Group K salary in Kenya, regulated by SRC’s Third Remuneration and Benefits Review Cycle (2021/2025), reflects their foundational role and the government’s investment in attracting graduate talent.

Job Group K Salary Structure: The Breakdown

The salary for Job Group K in Kenya comprises basic pay, allowances, and market adjustments, as outlined by SRC Circulars (e.g., July 2024 Gazette Notice). Below is the 2025 structure, based on 2024 data adjusted for inflation (5-7%, KNBS 2024) and pending the 2025/2026 SRC review.

Current Salary Components (2025 Estimates)

  • Basic Salary: Ksh. 38,270 – Ksh. 51,170 per month
    • Minimum reflects entry into Job Group K; maximum accounts for years of service (up to 6 notches).
  • House Allowance:
    • Cluster 1 (Nairobi): Ksh. 28,000
    • Cluster 2 (Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru): Ksh. 20,000
    • Cluster 3 (County HQs e.g., Nyeri, Eldoret): Ksh. 15,000
    • Cluster 4 (Other areas): Ksh. 10,000
  • Commuter Allowance: Ksh. 5,000
  • Salary Market Adjustment: Ksh. 5,000 – Ksh. 8,000
    • Aligns pay with private sector benchmarks for graduates.
  • Gross Monthly Salary: Ksh. 56,270 – Ksh. 84,170
    • Total before deductions (PAYE at 25-30%, NSSF, SHA).

Net Salary After Deductions

  • Taxable Income: Ksh. 46,270 – Ksh. 74,170 (post-NSSF/SHA).
  • Net Take-Home: Ksh. 38,000 – Ksh. 58,000 monthly, depending on tax brackets and location-specific allowances.

Note: Figures are estimates based on SRC’s 2024/2025 scales, with modest increments from the July 2024 review (reversed then reinstated post-Finance Bill 2024 protests). Exact pay may shift with the 2025 review or experience-based increments.

Additional Allowances and Benefits for Job Group K

Job Group K personnel receive allowances and benefits that enhance their compensation, reflecting their professional status and operational demands:

  1. Hardship Allowance: Ksh. 10,900
    • For postings in arid/remote areas (e.g., Mandera, Tana River), per SRC Circular 12/2024.
  2. Per Diem/Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA):
    • Local Travel: Ksh. 4,200 – Ksh. 6,300 daily.
    • Foreign Travel: Ksh. 8,000 – Ksh. 12,000 daily.
    • Reviewed in February 2022, paid for official duties away from stations.
  3. Leave Allowance: Ksh. 4,000 annually, paid in January.
  4. Risk Allowance: Ksh. 3,000 – Ksh. 5,000
    • For roles with operational hazards (e.g., field engineers, health inspectors).
  5. Medical Benefits:
    • Inpatient: Ksh. 1.5 million annually.
    • Outpatient: Ksh. 150,000.
    • Maternity: Ksh. 80,000.
    • Dental/Optical: Ksh. 40,000 each.
  6. Car Loan: Up to Ksh. 4 million (3% interest, 5-year term).
  7. Mortgage: Up to Ksh. 15 million (3% interest, 20-year term).
  8. Retirement Benefits: Gratuity of 31% annual basic salary per year served (e.g., Ksh. 142,000 – Ksh. 190,000/year; Ksh. 710,000 – Ksh. 950,000/5-year term).

These benefits can push total monthly earnings above Ksh. 90,000 for Job Group K officers in hardship zones or with frequent fieldwork.

Comparative Analysis: Job Group K vs. Other Groups

To contextualize the Job Group K salary in Kenya, here’s how it compares:

  • Job Group J (CPSB 11): Ksh. 43,260 – Ksh. 62,040 gross (diploma holders).
  • Job Group L (CPSB 09): Ksh. 62,040 – Ksh. 90,600 gross.
  • Job Group N (CPSB 06): Ksh. 89,770 – Ksh. 135,360 gross.
  • TSC Secondary Teacher II (C2): Ksh. 50,614 – Ksh. 64,412 gross.
  • Police Constable: Ksh. 35,645 – Ksh. 47,880 gross.
  • National Average: Ksh. 30,000 (KNBS, 2024).

Job Group K earns 1.9-2.8 times the national average, reflecting its graduate entry status, but lags behind mid-tier groups (N, P), aligning with its junior professional scope.

Data Insights: The Cost of Job Group K

  • Annual Salary per Job Group K Officer: Ksh. 675,240 – Ksh. 1.010 million (Ksh. 56,270 – Ksh. 84,170 x 12).
  • Five-Year Term: Ksh. 3.376 million – Ksh. 5.05 million, plus Ksh. 710,000 – Ksh. 950,000 gratuity = Ksh. 4.086 million – Ksh. 6 million.
  • Estimated Job Group K Personnel: Approximately 50,000-70,000 (entry-level graduates across sectors, per PSC 2024 estimates).
  • Total Cost: Ksh. 33.76 billion – Ksh. 70.7 billion annually.
  • Budget Context: The 2024/2025 public wage bill is Ksh. 900 billion (Treasury), with Job Group K comprising 3.75%-7.85%.

This cost reflects Job Group K’s scale as a significant entry point for public sector professionals.

Factors Influencing Job Group K Salary

Several dynamics shape Job Group K earnings:

  1. SRC Oversight: Reviews every four years (next: 2025/2026) adjust pay for inflation and equity.
  2. Fiscal Constraints: A 4.3% GDP deficit (Treasury, 2024) limits raises, despite a Ksh. 1.2 trillion budget.
  3. Qualifications: Requires a bachelor’s degree, per PSC guidelines, with notches earned over time.
  4. Public Sentiment: Finance Bill 2024 protests reversed initial hikes, reflecting taxpayer influence.
  5. Market Competition: Private sector graduate pay (Ksh. 50,000 – Ksh. 80,000) pressures public scales.

For businesses, these factors highlight the challenge of attracting talent while managing costs—a parallel to private sector recruitment.

Implications for Kenyan Businesses

The Job Group K salary in Kenya has tangible business impacts:

  • Workforce Pipeline: Well-paid Job Group K officers build skills (e.g., accounting, engineering) that transition to private roles, enhancing labor quality.
  • Economic Activity: Their spending power (Ksh. 38,000 – Ksh. 58,000 net) supports local markets—retail, housing, and services.
  • Service Delivery: Job Group K staff manage public projects (e.g., Ksh. 400 billion county allocation, 2024/2025), impacting trade and infrastructure.
  • Tax Burden: A Ksh. 900 billion wage bill may raise business taxes, offset by governance-driven stability.

A 2024 KEPSA report notes public sector efficiency underpins 15% of economic activity—Job Group K salaries contribute significantly.

Challenges in Job Group K Compensation

Despite its importance, Job Group K faces hurdles:

  1. Pay Gaps: Job Group L earns 50% more, while Job Group J is 20-30% less, raising equity concerns.
  2. Inflation Pressure: Rising costs (6% CPI, 2024) erode real income, especially at the lower end.
  3. Public Criticism: Salaries 2x the national average amid poverty (33%, World Bank 2024) spark debate, per X posts (March 2025).
  4. Promotion Delays: Over 15,000 officers awaited upgrades in 2024 (PSC data), stalling income growth.

These issues echo private sector challenges over entry-level pay versus career progression.

Future Outlook for Job Group K Salaries in 2025 and Beyond

Trends suggest potential shifts:

  • 2025 SRC Review: A 5-10% hike could raise basic pay to Ksh. 40,183 – Ksh. 53,728, grossing Ksh. 59,083 – Ksh. 88,378.
  • Fiscal Policy: A proposed Ksh. 1.25 trillion budget (2025/2026) may fund increments, per Treasury projections.
  • Specialization: Emerging roles (e.g., ICT, data analysis) in Job Group K could command premiums.
  • Retention Focus: Competitive private sector pay may push SRC to enhance entry-level scales.

For businesses, a better-compensated Job Group K promises a skilled, stable workforce—a long-term economic asset.

How to Reach Job Group K in Kenya

Aspiring to Job Group K requires:

  • Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree, 0-3 years’ experience, professional certification (e.g., CPA, if applicable).
  • Recruitment: PSC or county government vacancies (www.psckjobs.go.ke; annual intake ~20,000 graduate roles).
  • Career Path: Entry at Job Group K, with promotions to L, M, etc., based on merit and tenure.
  • Application: Online portals or county HR offices, with CV, degree, and clearance forms.

The Job Group K salary in Kenya of Ksh. 56,270 – Ksh. 84,170 monthly awaits those who secure this tier.