The total number of PhD holders as of 2019 stands at 12,355, according to a reliable source at the Ministry of Education. Based on the data obtained by Venas News most PhD holders pursued their studies at the University of Nairobi, followed by JKUAT, KU, Moi and Egerton respectively. A total of 2,310 PHD’s are from outside Kenya, namely UK, USA, Canada, Belgium, Australia etc.
The PhDs are distributed as follows:
| UNIVERSITY | NUMBER OF PHDs |
| University of Nairobi | 4,610 |
| JKUAT | 2,110 |
| Kenyatta University | 1,910 |
| Moi University | 1,610 |
| Egerton University | 1,010 |
| Others | Over 1,000 |
We have excluded data for PhD holders who are deceased. It’s estimated that 53 PhD holders die each year in Kenya. However, death to live ratio is low.
Research shows that more than half of PhD holders work in training institutions and several others in NGOs and government institutions. Banking institution absorb a few especially at Senior Management level.
