The Economic Survey 2018 has named financial services as the best paying sector in Kenya last year.
The survey, which was released on Wednesday shows that employees in the water supply, sewerage and waste management earned the lowest average wages.
The survey found out that workers in the finance and insurance sectors took home an average monthly salary of Sh146,630, about one percent increase from the previous year.
Employees in electricity, gas and air-conditioning companies were second best paid, pocketing an average Sh134,442 monthly, up from Sh121,998 in 2016- a 10.2 per cent jump. This include workers in firms like Kenya Power, Geothermal Development Corporation and KenGen.
Sectors that contribute the lion’s share of the country’s economy such as agriculture, manufacturing and real estate paid the least, fueling the growing pay inequality in Kenya.
Firms in administrative and support services space were the third-best paying sectors, their employees taking home average wages of Sh123, 685 per month up from Sh116,156, a 6.4 per cent growth.
Workers in the hospitality industry pocketed an average pay of Sh108,748 per month, joining those in the electricity, financial and administrative services in earning over Sh100,000 monthly.
Domestic workers had an average monthly remuneration of Sh19,469 last year. This include gardeners and nannies.
Those in the water supply, sewerage and waste management earned an average of Sh19,615 per month, making them the lowest paid among private sector workers.
Workers in the agriculture sector —the single largest employer — earned an average monthly wage of Sh25,283 up from Sh22,837, reflecting a 10.7 per cent increase.
The average monthly salary in the private sector stood at Sh56,624, which is lower in comparison to civil servants, who take home Sh57,915.
