Civil servant salary in Kenya, grade by grade
Civil servants are paid on the SRC's civil service grades (CSG). A clerical officer on CSG 15 earns 23,130 to 28,260 basic since July 2026. With the Nairobi house and commuter allowances the first point is Ksh 31,255 gross, Ksh 27,039 take-home.
Rules as of October 2026. Updated .
Can you afford it?
Left at the end of the monthKsh 118 to 3,118living in Umoja
It works, just. One bad month and you are on the overdraft.
| Take-home payAfter PAYE, SHIF, NSSF and the Housing Levy. | Ksh 27,039 |
|---|---|
| Rent (bedsitter)The usual range in this estate. | Ksh 7,000 to 10,000 |
| Power tokens | Ksh 1,258 |
| Water | Ksh 500 |
| Data and airtime | Ksh 1,300 |
| Cooking gas | Ksh 1,235 |
| FoodCooking at home, plus lunch at a kibanda on work days. | Ksh 6,996 |
| Matatu faresTwo rides a work day at the rush-hour fare, about Ksh 128 a ride. | Ksh 5,632 |
| Left over | Ksh 118 to 3,118 |
On this pay you can cover: bedsitter in Umoja (up to Ksh 10,000); bedsitter in Donholm (up to Ksh 10,000); bedsitter in Buruburu (up to Ksh 10,000).
One person, cooking at home. Rents are the usual range for the estate, not one listing.
Play a civil servant in Nairobi: Ksh 27,039 a month, files, the PSC portal and a go-slow. Free in GrindLife.
Play free GrindLife is a free life game on real Nairobi streets. Every job pays what its real scale pays.Civil servant pay scale 2026
Inside a grade you move up one point a year: CSG 15 runs from Ksh 31,255 to Ksh 36,385 gross in Nairobi, CSG 12 from Ksh 44,160 to Ksh 54,030.
Ksh a month. Basic ranges from the SRC review of July 2026 as reported; Nairobi house allowances from the SRC cluster table; commuter allowances are estimates.
| Grade | Published basic | Gross in Nairobi | Take-home | Gross is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clerical Officer (CSG 15) | CSG 15: 23,130 to 28,260 | 31,255 to 36,385 | 27,039 | an estimate |
| Assistant Officer III (CSG 12) | CSG 12: 32,410 to 42,280 | 44,160 to 54,030 | 35,360 | an estimate |
| Programme Officer II (CSG 10) | CSG 10: 45,210 to 61,020 | 61,210 to 77,020 | 46,072 | an estimate |
| Officer I (CSG 9) | CSG 9: 49,910 to 73,050 | 72,410 to 95,550 | 53,108 | an estimate |
The payslip at each grade
Ksh a month at the first point of each grade, after NSSF, SHIF, the Housing Levy and PAYE. Union dues and loans are not taken off.
| CSG 15 | CSG 12 | CSG 10 | CSG 9 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | 31,255 | 44,160 | 61,210 | 72,410 |
| NSSF Tier I | 540 | 540 | 540 | 540 |
| NSSF Tier II | 1,335 | 2,110 | 3,133 | 3,805 |
| SHIF | 860 | 1,214 | 1,683 | 1,991 |
| Housing Levy | 469 | 662 | 918 | 1,086 |
| PAYE | 1,013 | 4,273 | 8,864 | 11,880 |
| Take-home | 27,039 | 35,360 | 46,072 | 53,108 |
How you move up
Jobs and promotions come by Public Service Commission advert, shortlisting and interview. Most promotion adverts are open to serving officers with three years in grade.
- Clerical Officer (CSG 15): Ksh 31,255 gross, Ksh 27,039 take-home.
- Assistant Officer III (CSG 12): Ksh 44,160 gross, Ksh 35,360 take-home. Needs 3 years in the grade below and Diploma in Records and Information Management (24 months).
- Programme Officer II (CSG 10): Ksh 61,210 gross, Ksh 46,072 take-home. Needs 3 years in the grade below and Bachelor of Public Administration (evening) (48 months).
- Officer I (CSG 9): Ksh 72,410 gross, Ksh 53,108 take-home. Needs 3 years in the grade below and Supervisory Skills Development Course (KSG) (1 months).
What a Clerical Officer (CSG 15) can rent in Nairobi
On Ksh 27,039 take-home, after bills, food and matatu fares, the most that fits at the top of the rent range: a bedsitter in Umoja (up to Ksh 10,000); a bedsitter in Donholm (up to Ksh 10,000); a bedsitter in Buruburu (up to Ksh 10,000).
A bedsitter in Umoja leaves Ksh 118 to Ksh 3,118 a month.
Questions people ask
What is the salary of CSG 15?
Basic 23,130 to 28,260 a month. In Nairobi with allowances the first point is Ksh 31,255 gross, Ksh 27,039 take-home.
How much does a CSG 10 officer earn?
Basic 45,210 to 61,020. With allowances about Ksh 61,210 gross to start, Ksh 46,072 take-home.
How much does a Clerical Officer (CSG 15) take home?
Ksh 27,039 a month from Ksh 31,255 gross. Ksh 4,216 comes off for NSSF, SHIF, the Housing Levy and PAYE.
Sources
- SRC Phase II civil service grades from 1 July 2026, as reported by Education News Hub and Pulse, July 2026
- Kenya Times, SRC civil service grades from 1 July 2025
- Public Service Commission adverts (Nairobi house allowance, CSG 12)
- KRA, Pay As You Earn guide, Jan 2025
- KNBS, 2023/24 Kenya Housing Survey (average Nairobi rent by unit, tenancy norms)