Are Teachers in Kenya Underpaid? A Data-Driven Comparative Analysis (2026 Edition)

Introduction

In Kenya, talk about teacher pay always seems to stir things up. Teachers keep hitting the streets, striking for better wages because, honestly, it’s tough out there—prices keep climbing, and the work keeps piling up.

You see it everywhere in the news: teachers frustrated, feeling overlooked, even though they’re the backbone of the whole system.

But if you dig a little deeper and compare what teachers make to Kenya’s overall economy—and stack that up against other countries—things get interesting.

Our recent independent study took a hard look at this. Pulling numbers from the IMF and national education boards, the research found that Kenyan public school teachers actually earn pretty well for the country’s standards.

Their pay is much higher than the average income, and when you line up the numbers with other countries, Kenyan teachers actually come out ahead in a lot of ways.

What is the difference between GDP PPP and nominal GDP?

To fairly assess “underpaid,” we can’t just compare raw dollar amounts—$9,300 average annual salary in Kenya sounds low next to $74,200 in the US. Instead, economists use ratios to GDP per capita.

• Nominal GDP per Capita: Straight average income in USD, without adjustments.
• Purchasing Power Parity (PPP): Adjusts for what money actually buys locally. A dollar stretches further in Kenya than in New York.

The salary-to-GDP ratio reveals how much teachers earn compared to the average citizen. Ratios above 1 mean teachers earn more than the national average.

Interactive Salary to GDP Ratio Analysis

The interactive chart below compares teacher salaries across countries relative to national economic output (GDP per capita).

The Data: Where Kenya Stands

Here’s the core comparison table from the study (mid-career public teachers, including allowances, 2025 projections):

Nominal Ratios (2025)

PPP-Adjusted Ratios (2025)

Kenya’s nominal ratio of 3.65 stands out—teachers earn over three times the average Kenyan’s income. Even after PPP adjustment (1.23), they remain above parity locally, unlike in the US (0.83) or most of Europe.

Map showing salary to Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), which levels the playing field for cost-of-living differences.

How Does the Salary of Kenyan Teachers Compare With Other East African Countries?

In East Africa, Kenya leads with stronger ratios than Uganda or Tanzania. Across broader Africa (SADC and ECOWAS), only Rwanda comes close on nominal terms.

Salary of teachers to GDP per capita PPP ratio trends showing Kenya’s position relative to Africa.

Why the Perception of Being Underpaid Persists

Despite favorable ratios, challenges remain:

• Low economic base: High multiples on a small GDP yield modest absolutes.
• Cost pressures: Urban housing and family dependencies eat into pay.
• Increased cost of living
• Stagnation in the same job group for years
• Workload: Larger classes and fewer resources compared to developed countries.

Methodologies Used

Data were drawn from multiple credible sources:

• GDP (nominal and PPP): IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2024 update
• Teacher salaries (developed countries): OECD Education at a Glance 2024, verified mid-career averages
• Teacher salaries (African countries): National sources including Kenya TSC 2025–2029 CBA, Uganda Ministry of Public Service, Tanzania PayScale, Rwanda government announcements, South Africa DBE, Botswana government scales, Nigeria PayScale/state data, Ghana Education Service (GES), and Senegal government estimates.

All salaries were converted to USD using exchange rates as of December 2025 (e.g., 129 KES/USD for Kenya). PPP values are expressed in international dollars.

Data represent secondary sources, aggregated to ensure comparability. Midpoint averages were calculated for salary ranges, and PPP conversions were applied for local purchasing power insights. Only public-sector teachers are included; private and international schools are excluded.

Limitations of The Study

• Currency volatility may affect USD conversions, especially in Nigeria and Ghana.
• PPP adjustments do not fully capture urban–rural disparities or non-monetary benefits like pensions.
• Private-sector teachers are excluded; only public-sector pay is analyzed.
• Data rely on secondary sources; allowances may be underreported.
• 2025 projections assume stable macroeconomic conditions; inflation or policy shifts could alter outcomes.

Conclusion: Are Teachers in Kenya Underpaid?

In the case of teacher salaries in Kenya, it is necessary to assess salaries relative to the levels of national economic production.

• Nominal salary share of GDP (3.65) and PPP share (1.23) of the GDP indicate that teachers earn better than the average citizen, signifying their premium within the economic setup.
• Regional comparative analysis indicates that in East Africa, Kenya performs above the others.

Off these comparisons, the paradox is that Kenyan teachers are paid much less than their OECD counterparts but that they are more favorably situated within their economy.

In the end, teaching in Kenya can be said to be a high-value profession from an economic standpoint, providing relative security, purchasing power, and status.

While nominal salary scales may not be impressive from an international perspective, the information shows that teachers structurally have value within the Kenyan economy—one that needs to be realized.

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