Graphic design services in Kenya have increasingly changed. Due to the digital explosion, graphic design companies in Kenya have seen a rise in demand. More businesses are looking to boost their digital interaction with audiences and prospects.
As such, creative agencies in Kenya are witnessing increased
interest from organizations looking to enhance their digital
presence. Graphic design is a vital part of digital strategy. This is due
to the fact that each graphic serves as a lens through which stakeholders view
you and your products/services.
What Can You Do With A Graphic Design Certificate in Kenya
We all have different career paths that we want to take.
Graphic design is among the marketable courses that are often overlooked. We
are currently living in digital times. As a result, companies are shifting to
doing things digitally. Due to this shift, graphic design has become a skill
needed in the job market.
For you to enter the market quickly, you must acquire graphic design skills.
With certification, you will be at an advantage compared to this with no
certificate.
What is Graphic Design?
Graphic design is the skill of combining text and pictures
in advertisements. You can also use it in magazines, or books to communicate.
Types of Graphic Design
- Marketing
and Advertising
Great marketing is engaging people based on their needs and
wants. People find visual content more engaging. As a result, companies use
graphic designers to create content that will promote their products.
Example of Marketing and Advertising graphic design
- Posters
- Magazines
- Menus
- Vehicle
wraps
- Images
for blogs and websites
- Visual
Identity
A brand is a relationship between a business or organisation
and its audience. A brand is the emotional connection people have with the
company. This makes them want to do business with you, recommend you to others,
and return again and again.
Colour, shape and design are the visual elements of a brand
identity. It acts as the face of a brand to communicate those intangible
qualities through images, shapes, and colour.
- Publication
Graphic Design
Graphic designers range from large, publicly traded
corporations to small independent agencies and individuals. Their primary focus
is on the design of print materials (including advertising, magazines and
books), Web content, and user interfaces.
- Motion
Graphic Design
Motion graphics are simply graphics in motion. It can
include videos, animations, audio and other effects used in online media.
Examples include animated logos, promotional videos, trailers, tutorial videos,
etc.
There are many more types of graphic designers. Graphic
artists are creative people who use any combination of media and techniques to
create their work. They collaborate with writers, editors, marketers and art
directors across all types of design.
Taking a graphic design course will expose you to the job
market. Additionally, with continuous digital growth, graphic design also
continues to grow. Having graphic design skills gives you an upper hand in the
job market.
How much does a graphic designer in Kenya Earn?
Are you looking to start a career in graphic design or just
curious about how much one earns?
A graphic designer in Kenya with 1-4 years of experience
earns KSh 40,000 per month on average or approximately KSh 480,000 annually.
One with 5-9 years of experience will earn above KSh 42,000 per month or KSh
508,000 annually. This number varies depending on the experience of the
designer, their skill level, and whether they are permanently or self-employed.
Below is a detailed breakdown of these factors.
Experience
How long a graphic designer has worked in the industry
determines their pay. A newbie with zero working experience and a senior
graphic designer with up to a decade or more will have a wide gap in pay
between them.
An entry-level designer whether self-taught or fresh from
college will earn a minimum of KSh 25,000 monthly up to KSh 35,000. Some Kenyan
companies and government agencies will offer internships at lower pay with the
promise of an increase in 6 months or so. Others will pay you a daily stipend
for your food and transport or nothing in the name of gaining experience. This
is a horrible exploitative practice that goes against labor laws and should not
be accepted by any self-respecting graphic designer. Not only is it bad for the
industry, but ironically, they will burden the designer with the most work, and
will probably make them hate their work which is not a great place to start a
creative career. Don’t work for free.
An early-career graphic designer with 1-4 years of experience earns on average KSh 40,000 per month or KSh 479,320 annually according to payscale.com. This could range from KSh 30,000 to KSh 50,000 depending on the other factors listed in this article. Contrary to popular opinion, the level of education isn’t very significant in terms of salary. Don’t get me wrong, a certificate or degree is important in learning a lot of the skills you’ll require especially workflow; however, many employers are more interested in your portfolio. A self-taught graphic designer could have a better quality body of work compared to a graduate and vice-versa. Some employers, especially government agencies will ask for papers, maybe even your KCSE certificate, but ironically again, these agencies’ pay offers are often on the lower end of the scale.
A mid-career graphic designer with 5-9 years of experience
earns an average of KSh 42,000 or KSh 508,000 annually. Not much difference
from the previous group, but often the minimum stands at KSh 40,000. This is
also the range where promotions and higher positions come in such as Senior
graphic designer and brand manager. These positions attract salaries up to KSh
250,000 per month or 3 million annually in the top ranks. Of course, this group
sits at the top of the pyramid often there’ll be only one position available
per company, and only the large corporations e.g. Safaricom, Banks, etc
offering that seven-figure amount.
An experienced Graphic Designer with 10-19 years of
experience earns an average salary of KSh 65,000 per month or KSh 780,000
annually. Again, depending on the rank they acquire, senior, brand manager, art
director, they are looking at a very high (breakable) ceiling of 3m.
|
Entry Level (no experience) |
25,000-35,000 |
|
Early Career (1-4 yrs) |
30,000-50,000 |
|
Mid Career (5-9 yrs) |
40,000- 250,000 |
|
Experienced (10-20 yrs) |
65,000-250,000 |
Table showing salary ranges in each experience group in
Graphic Design. Data obtained from payscale.com
Skills
Most graphic design jobs in Kenya require proficiency in
Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. A few will require Adobe InDesign especially
those requiring publications like books, newsletters, and magazines. A graphic
designer’s level of proficiency in these programs will be tested before they
are hired and will determine their salary. The better they are the higher the
compensation.
Some job ads will ask for a multitude of skills from
Photoshop to web design and photography. My advice: Avoid them. Unless they are
paying you what they would pay a graphic designer, web designer and
photographer combined (which they probably aren’t) keep off. Next, they’ll ask
you to clean the office furniture in the evening. It will be a lot of thankless
exhausting work and you’ll never be able to improve your skillset since you’re
stretched out so thin.
Naturally, the more experience one has the more proficient
they will have. However, these programs develop new features on a yearly basis,
trends come and go and new tech like 4k and 8k screens and different printing
technologies push designers to adapt. In this aspect, younger designers in
early careers are better able to adapt and execute these new methods and could
receive bonuses based on this. Experienced designers are forced to move to less
technical, supervisory functions.
Employment group
Whether the graphic designer is permanently employed or
self-employed (freelance) affects their monthly income. A designer working for
a company or government agency will have a regular income payed monthly or per
the terms of the contract. In Kenya, private companies are known to pay better
than the government and one is more likely to climb up the ranks and get salary
increases. On the other hand, government work is more permanent, secure and
pensionable. However, creatives working for government will often be left
dissatisfied with the work environment, the incompetency especially in
promotions and your seniors will probably not know what you do or respect your
job description. Hii serikali hii!
Freelance graphic designers are independent contractors
working with clients on a wide range of projects. Most work from home with more
flexible hours, but just as much if not more work. A freelancer only gets paid
when they have a project with a client, which could be done in a day, or 6
months. For this reason, their income is unstable. To be clear, a freelancer
could earn more or less what an employed designer would, but it depends on
their hourly rate, the type of project and how much work are they getting and how
often.
A freelancer could charge KSh2,000 per logo, another will
charge KSh100,000. And no, I didn’t add an extra zero. And again, the other
factors in this article as well as the self-worth of the designer contribute to
that amount. Whichever path the designer takes, they can still find
fulfillment, both in income and happiness, in permanent employment or freelance
work.
Gender pay gap
As in every other field, social factors affect pay. Racial
discrimination, nepotism, and mainly gender discrimination. Female graphic
designers on average earn 14% less than men in Kenya according to
salaryexplorer.com. It’s just unacceptable to pay two different groups of
people different wages for the same amount of work. And that argument about
agreeability the maternity narratives from your favorite YouTube philosopher
apply in extremely specific situations, and countries if any. An employer,
that’s not focused on how they’ll exploit their new hire, but is genuinely
concerned for their workers’ needs and resulting productivity would give the
same offers to male and female graphic designer applying for the same position.
It’s just that simple and actually a very common concept.
In summary
The average graphic designer’s salary in Kenya is KSh 40,000
per month, but many factors will influence what one takes home including
experience, skills and the place of work. And no, college education isn’t as
significant a factor as discussed above. Good luck on your creative and
prosperous graphic design career if you’re just starting out.
Why do you need graphic design services for your business?
From logo designers, graphic designers in Kenya to eCommerce website
design companies, professionals in these fields are in high demand. With this
level of saturation, it’s becoming more imperative to work with competent and
trusted professionals who can deliver the highest standards.
If you’re looking to reposition yourself in the new normal,
we’ve rounded up some of the top graphic design companies in Kenya with a look
at their offerings.
How to identify great graphic design companies in Kenya
When it comes to design never take due diligence for
granted, ensure you confirm the following:
- Experience
level
Request for past work and client references to confirm the
experience.
- Past
client references
Request for client references or links to reviews of their
work.
- Team
structure
It’s best to work with a team rather than an individual,
unless your budget is too limited, working with teams gives you diversity on
the creative side.
Full list of leading graphic design companies in Kenya
1. Growthpad Digital Consulting
Over the last couple of years, Growthpad Digital Consulting has
emerged as a trailblazer in the creative space. More than a graphic design
firm, Growthpad has an integrated service offering.
Additionally, the firm combines a data-driven approach with
extensive experience. The result? Clients benefit from an exceptional
experience.
2. Image Quest
Image Quest specializes in the design and branding of
promotional items. These are primarily for small and medium businesses.
3. Green Expose Digital
Founded in 2016, Green Expose is a digital-oriented agency.
A self-described “team of geeks”, the team also offers SEO and advertising as
part of its service lines.
4. Wyse Graphics Kenya
Wyse Graphics Kenya is a graphic design company in Nairobi
with a focus on signage. The company also does printing and displays.
5. Sketchers Design Promoters
Sketchers Design Promoters provides graphic design services
with a focus on:
- Vehicle
branding
- Promotional
giveaways
- Printing
Graphic design prices in Kenya
The cost of graphic design in Kenya varies from service
to service and
depends on the company or consultant you will work with. Below is some
indicative logo design cost in Kenya, poster design prices, banner design cost, and more:
|
ITEM |
AVERAGE MARKET COST |
|
20,000 – 50,000Kes |
|
5,000- 10,000Kes |
|
2,500 – 5,000Kes |
|
30,000-50,0000Kes |
Note: The cost of graphic design services in
Nairobi is largely dependent on the agency you chose to work with and they can
either go lower or higher depending on their level of competence, experience,
and market demand.