Two decades ago science courses used to be hot cake in Kenya, but the appetite for these graduates has been watered down by the ever emerging arts courses, which are relevant to the needs of the modern day generation.
Some of the popular science courses in Kenya include Applied Statistics, computer science, medicine and architecture. These courses look impressive from the academic point of view but when it comes to salaries, they yield not more than 5 figures, unless one accumulates more than 3 years’ experience.
While most students in Kenya prefer studying science courses, which they believe pay well because they are tough, they end up being disappointed upon graduation. A course like actuarial science looks attractive when you look at what the curriculum and what it promises, but when a student finally joins the job market, the salary makes him cry-it’s not impressive at all. We have established that a good number of graduates with science related or mathematics background are not earning what they anticipated, in fact they take home less than Ksh100, 000 per month, yet the hell they go thorough in college is only known to themselves.
Arts courses are becoming more prominent in the job market, especially where technical services are not necessary. Journalism, sales and marketing, public relations, economics, criminology and public administration are some of the best paying arts courses. Several journalists in the country earn over Ksh500, 000 per month, which is twice the salary of Data Manager at an NGO.
Criminology is also one of the fastest growing careers in Kenya and in the world at large. Its popularity is due to ever increasing threats of terrorism and crime. These individuals earn upwards of Ksh 200,000 per month in most organizations. At the National Intelligence Service, the average salary of a forensic expert is Ksh 250,000 and at NGOs dealing with security matters no employee earns less than Ksh 150,000.
Now,the reason why arts courses pay more than science courses is because the demand for these graduates (arts) is very high and the salary paid to these professionals purely depend on individuals’ talents.Another important factor is due to increase in demand of arts professionals as opposed to science graduates who have flooded the market.There is also oversupply of engineering and science graduates,who are mostly half-baked.
From the examples given above, it’s worth enrolling for arts courses even if you are good in sciences and mathematics.
