A teacher’s pay at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) comes down to three things: their T-Scale grade, where they sit within that grade, and which allowances they qualify for.
The 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) covers teachers from Grade B5 (T-Scale 5) up to Grade D5 (T-Scale 15). Phase 1 took effect on July 1, 2025, and TSC has listed the implementation circular among its official updates. The figures below are Phase 1 rates only. Later phases are not reflected here.
Each grade has a minimum and a maximum basic salary, and teachers move up through the salary points in their grade as their terms of service allow.
Basic salary by grade
| Grade | T-Scale | Minimum (Ksh) | Maximum (Ksh) |
| B5 | 5 | 28,620 | 37,100 |
| C1 | 6 | 35,336 | 47,261 |
| C2 | 7 | 41,420 | 57,230 |
| C3 | 8 | 49,781 | 66,233 |
| C4 | 9 | 58,585 | 77,120 |
| C5 | 10 | 69,745 | 96,130 |
| D1 | 11 | 80,984 | 99,272 |
| D2 | 12 | 95,271 | 116,012 |
| D3 | 13 | 109,224 | 133,347 |
| D4 | 14 | 121,789 | 150,675 |
| D5 | 15 | 135,321 | 167,415 |
Commuter allowance
Every teacher gets a monthly commuter allowance to help with the cost of getting to their duty station. It starts at Ksh4,000 for B5 and rises to Ksh16,000 for D5.
Grade and Monthly commuter allowance
| B5 | 4,000 |
| C1 | 4,000 |
| C2 | 5,000 |
| C3 | 6,000 |
| C4 | 8,000 |
| C5 | 8,000 |
| D1 | 12,000 |
| D2 | 12,000 |
| D3 | 14,000 |
| D4 | 14,000 |
| D5 | 16,000 |
House allowance
House allowance is where location matters. Unlike the commuter allowance, it differs across the country, depending on both the teacher’s grade and the cluster their school falls under. A B5 teacher in Nairobi gets Ksh6,750, while a D5 teacher in the same city gets Ksh50,000. Elsewhere in the country, the rates are lower.
| Grade | Nairobi (Ksh) | Major municipalities (Ksh) | Other areas (Ksh) |
| B5 | 6,750 | 4,500 | 3,850 |
| C1 | 10,000 | 7,500 | 5,800 |
| C2 | 16,500 | 12,800 | 9,600 |
| C3 | 28,000 | 22,000 | 16,500 |
| C4 | 28,000 | 22,000 | 16,500 |
| C5 | 35,000 | 25,500 | 18,000 |
| D1 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 |
| D2 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 |
| D3 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 |
| D4 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 |
| D5 | 50,000 | 35,000 | 25,000 |
The full TSC table splits “other areas” into a further category with even lower rates. Major municipalities include Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Eldoret, Thika, Kisii and Kitale, along with other towns TSC has designated.
Hardship allowance
Teachers posted to areas TSC has officially designated as hardship zones get an extra monthly allowance that grows with grade. It is not automatic for every teacher in a given grade. It depends on the posting.
| Grade | Monthly hardship allowance (Ksh) |
| B5 | 6,600 |
| C1 | 8,200 |
| C2 | 10,900 |
| C3 | 12,300 |
| C4 | 14,650 |
| C5 | 17,100 |
| D1 | 27,300 |
| D2 | 27,300 |
| D3 | 31,500 |
| D4 | 31,500 |
| D5 | 38,100 |
Annual leave and baggage allowances
Annual leave allowance is also tied to grade. B5 and C1 teachers receive Ksh4,000, while those in D1 through D5 receive Ksh10,000.
Baggage allowance, for teachers who qualify, is paid per kilometre:
| Grade | Rate per km (Ksh) |
| B5 and C1 | 43 |
| C2 to C5 | 55 |
| D1 to D4 | 68 |
| D5 | 80 |
Basic salary and take-home pay are two different things. Gross pay is the basic salary plus whatever allowances apply. The net figure on the payslip comes after statutory and other deductions.
B5 teacher starting basic is Ksh28,620, and the Ksh4,000 commuter allowance and the relevant house allowance go on top of that. At the other end, a D5 teacher earns between Ksh135,321 and Ksh167,415 in basic pay, plus Ksh16,000 in commuter allowance, and can receive up to Ksh50,000 in house allowance in Nairobi. None of these numbers is a net figure, and what actually reaches a teacher depends on deductions and on which allowances they qualify for.
Grades and career progression
The grades line up with different levels of responsibility. Recent TSC recruitment and promotion adverts show T-Scale 7 positions covering C1 to C2, while several senior administrative posts sit between C5 and D1.
A 2026 advert for Chief Principal roles places the job at T-Scale 15, covering D4 to D5. Moving from B5 to D5 is a long career path, with pay rising as teachers advance through grades and salary points.
Under Phase 1, B5 is the entry grade (T-Scale 5), with basic pay of Ksh28,620 to Ksh37,100. D5 (T-Scale 15) pays Ksh135,321 to Ksh167,415. Commuter, house, hardship, leave, and baggage allowances can push total pay higher, depending on grade, location, and eligibility.
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