TSC teacher salary 2026, grade by grade
A newly posted primary teacher (B5) earns 26,225 to 33,444 basic from July 2026 under the 2025 to 2029 CBA. Add the Nairobi house and commuter allowances and the first point is Ksh 36,975 gross, Ksh 30,846 take-home.
Rules as of October 2026. Updated .
Can you afford it?
Left at the end of the month−Ksh 8,971 to −5,971living in Umoja
This does not add up. Something has to give.
| Take-home payAfter PAYE, SHIF, NSSF and the Housing Levy. | Ksh 17,950 |
|---|---|
| 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 8,971 to −5,971 |
On this pay nothing here fits once bills are paid. Sharing a room or living with family is how most people start.
One person, cooking at home. Rents are the usual range for the estate, not one listing.
Play a teacher in Nairobi: a class of fifty-five, Ksh 17,950 a month, rent in Umoja. Free in GrindLife.
Play free GrindLife is a free life game on real Nairobi streets. Every job pays what its real scale pays.TSC teacher pay scale 2026
Inside a grade you move up one point a year. B5 runs from Ksh 36,975 to Ksh 44,194 gross in Nairobi; C1 from Ksh 46,423 to Ksh 55,072.
Ksh a month. Basic from the CBA (B5 from Kenya News Agency, the rest as reported); gross adds the Nairobi house and commuter allowances. A grade's range is its yearly points.
| Grade | Published basic | Gross in Nairobi | Take-home | Gross is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Intern | Intern stipend: 20,000 | 20,000 | 17,950 | from the scale |
| Primary Teacher II (B5) | B5: 26,225 to 33,444 | 36,975 to 44,194 | 30,846 | from the scale |
| Primary Teacher I (C1) | C1: 32,423 to 41,072 | 46,423 to 55,072 | 36,782 | from the scale |
| Senior Teacher II (C2) | C2: 41,100 to 50,287 | 62,600 to 71,787 | 46,945 | from the scale |
| Headteacher (C5) | C5: 68,948 to 82,160 | 111,948 to 125,160 | 78,114 | from the scale |
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.
| Intern | B5 | C1 | C2 | C5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | 20,000 | 36,975 | 46,423 | 62,600 | 111,948 |
| NSSF Tier I | 540 | 540 | 540 | 540 | 540 |
| NSSF Tier II | 660 | 1,679 | 2,245 | 3,216 | 5,940 |
| SHIF | 550 | 1,017 | 1,277 | 1,722 | 3,079 |
| Housing Levy | 300 | 555 | 696 | 939 | 1,679 |
| PAYE | 0 | 2,339 | 4,883 | 9,238 | 22,596 |
| Take-home | 17,950 | 30,846 | 36,782 | 46,945 | 78,114 |
How you move up
Most new teachers start as interns on a stipend, waiting in the TSC pool for a permanent posting. After that, each promotion is by advert and interview, with at least three years in grade and your TPAD appraisal counting toward the score.
- Teacher Intern: Ksh 20,000 gross, Ksh 17,950 take-home. Needs TSC registration (1 months).
- Primary Teacher II (B5): Ksh 36,975 gross, Ksh 30,846 take-home.
- Primary Teacher I (C1): Ksh 46,423 gross, Ksh 36,782 take-home. Needs 3 years in the grade below.
- Senior Teacher II (C2): Ksh 62,600 gross, Ksh 46,945 take-home. Needs 3 years in the grade below.
- Headteacher (C5): Ksh 111,948 gross, Ksh 78,114 take-home. Needs 4 years in the grade below and Diploma in Education Management (KEMI) (12 months).
What a Teacher Intern can rent in Nairobi
On Ksh 17,950 take-home, after bills, food and matatu fares, the most that fits at the top of the rent range: nothing on its own; most people at this pay share a room or live with family.
A bedsitter in Umoja leaves −Ksh 8,971 to −Ksh 5,971 a month.
Questions people ask
How much does a TSC intern earn?
A 20,000 stipend a month. After deductions it takes home Ksh 17,950.
What is the salary of a B5 teacher in Nairobi?
Basic 26,225 to 33,444. With the Nairobi house allowance (6,750) and commuter allowance (4,000), the first point is Ksh 36,975 gross and Ksh 30,846 take-home.
How much does a headteacher earn?
A C5 headteacher has a basic of 68,948 rising to 82,160. With the Nairobi house and commuter allowances GrindLife puts it at about Ksh 111,948 gross, Ksh 78,114 take-home.
How much does a Teacher Intern take home?
Ksh 17,950 a month from Ksh 20,000 gross. Ksh 2,050 comes off for NSSF, SHIF, the Housing Levy and PAYE.
Sources
- Kenya News Agency, "Teachers set for salary boost as government implements CBA phase two", 19 Jul 2026
- TSC basic salaries by grade, CBA 2025 to 2029, as reported by Tuko, Aug 2026
- TSC house and commuter allowances by job group and station, as reported by Kenya Times, 2026
- KRA, Pay As You Earn guide, Jan 2025
- KNBS, 2023/24 Kenya Housing Survey (average Nairobi rent by unit, tenancy norms)