By Metridata Editorial Team · Updated October 2026 · 5 min read · Data Analysis
Ask three salary websites what a data analyst earns in Kenya and you will get three very different answers. That is the first thing worth knowing before you plan a career around any single figure.
What the sources say
Salary figures built from Kenyan job listings put entry-level data analyst pay at roughly KES 50,000 to KES 80,000 a month. A Kenyan career guide for analysts puts mid-level roles, with two to four years of experience, at about KES 120,000 to KES 250,000 a month, and data engineers higher still.
Other sources disagree sharply. One aggregator puts the average at around KES 139,000 a month. Self-reported salaries on Glassdoor show much lower averages from a small number of submissions, and some of those look too low to be a full-time salary. When the numbers are this far apart, the honest reading is a wide range, not a single answer.
Why pay varies so much
The employer. Banks, telecoms, insurers and multinationals generally pay more than small businesses and many NGOs. A start-up may pay less in salary and more in responsibility.
The tools you can use. Adverts that ask for SQL, Power BI and Python together sit at the higher end. Someone who only knows Excel is competing with a much larger pool.
What you know about the business. An analyst who understands retail margins, loan portfolios or programme budgets can answer questions a generalist cannot. Domain knowledge is often what moves a person from reporting numbers to advising on decisions.
Your evidence. A review of 100 entry-level Kenyan adverts found that 62% asked for prior experience. Candidates with portfolio projects have something to show in place of a job history, and that tends to show in the offer.
How to use these numbers
- Treat any single salary figure as a rough guide. Check live adverts for the roles you want and note the ranges they state.
- Ask people already working in the field at the kind of employer you are targeting. A short conversation is worth more than an average.
- Compare the whole offer, including medical cover, transport and training, not only the basic salary.
- Plan for growth. Starting pay matters less than how quickly your skills and responsibilities increase over the first two or three years.
None of this is a promise of what you will earn. Pay depends on the employer, the market and how well you show your skills.
Build the skills employers pay for
Our data analysis training teaches Excel, SQL, Power BI and Python on real datasets and ends in a portfolio project. Students can apply for a scholarship place through the Student Access Programme. If you are still deciding where to begin, read what to learn first as a data analyst in Kenya.
