Psychology is rapidly emerging as one of the most popular courses among university students, reflecting a shift in career interests and a growing mental health awareness.
The latest Economic Survey report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics indicates that the number of psychology graduates increased 660 percent to reach 1,338 in the 2025/26 academic year, up from 176 in the 2024/25 academic year.
Only 146 students graduated from both public and private universities in the previous year, with fewer numbers in 2022/23 and 2021/22, at 38 and 42 graduates, respectively.
The more than sevenfold jump, experts say, is attributed to a growing demand for qualified mental health professionals, forcing even psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers to return for higher education to improve their understanding of conditions such as depression, stress and burnout, low self-esteem, and identity crisis, which previously received less attention.
At Daystar University, for instance, growth in psychology training is evident at the diploma, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels. In 2023, a total of 143 students graduated from psychology-related courses, increasing to 184 in 2024 and 240 in 2025. Of these, 146 were female, and 30 were male.
Prof Alice Munene, Dean of the School of Psychology at Daystar University, tells BDLife that the courses have been running since 2001, but the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic six years ago was the turning point for psychology careers.
‘During the pandemic, there were many problems within institutions, hospitals and families. People even had to turn to churches and hospitals because they did not know how to cope emotionally,’ she says.
‘Mental health problems are becoming increasingly common in Kenya, and people are becoming more aware of the need to seek help, particularly from psychologists,’ she adds. She anticipates an even stronger growth in the years to come.
‘With the growing need for mental health workers and an increasing number of people experiencing depression, anxiety and other psychological disorders, psychology will continue to grow.’
Available jobs
The profession is also drawing students because of its strong job-creation potential and the promise of better pay compared with many other fields.
‘Once they graduate, there are several ways of taking care of their financial needs. Some start their own clinics, which are becoming quite economically viable. Others are getting employed in universities, and even the Ministry of Education is hiring nowadays,’ shares Prof Munene.
As part of efforts to professionalise counselling, religious institutions have also emerged as a key source of demand for psychologists.
‘These days, churches are sending their employees to universities to train as psychologists,’ she notes.
In terms of pay, Prof Munene says an undergraduate degree holder can earn as much as Sh100,000, while those with a master’s earn upwards of Sh200,000.
Male psychologists
Women continue to dominate the psychology field, the Economic Survey data shows. Last academic year alone, 843 of the graduates were female compared to 495 male graduates.
Regarding gender, Prof Munene notes the profession aligns with roles traditionally associated with women. ‘Women are nurturers. Naturally, they are caregivers. As a result, when there is a course that provides knowledge in that area, they tend to rush to it.’
The high demand from students has seen universities scrambling to offer the course, some without adequate preparation or resources.
At the United States International University Africa (USIU), psychology programmes start from undergraduate to doctoral levels. These include three master’s programmes: clinical psychology, counselling psychology and marriage and family therapy, as well as a Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology.
The number of psychology graduates at the university increased from 112 in 2023 to 146 in 2024 and then to 140 in 2025, with female students outnumbering their male counterparts. At the Master’s level alone, enrolment doubled to 60 students in 2024.
Dr Charity Waithima, who oversees the university’s psychology programmes, says that demand has grown, particularly at the postgraduate level, over the past three years.
‘Our Bachelor of Arts in Psychology has remained steady with high enrolment over the years, with an observable increase post-Covid-19,’ she says.
She attributes this growth to expanded infrastructure, rising mental health awareness, and broader demand across sectors.
‘In addition to post-Covid-19, economic stress, family instability, substance use, and rising cases of mental health issues, suicide cases are also on a high, contributing to this growth in demand for psychologists,’ she says, adding, ‘More people now want to understand themselves and others in terms of human behaviour. Technology, especially AI, has allowed people to self-diagnose.’
Retirees and second careers
Dr Waithima adds that psychology is also attracting professionals seeking second careers or transitioning into retirement.
Also, those who were not certified have had to return to school, following the introduction of registration and licensing requirements for psychologists and counsellors in 2024 by the Counsellors and Psychologists Board, to restore credibility to the field.
‘This has eliminated quacks from the field and restored dignity to the profession,’ she says.
Public institutions have also seen the rush for psychology courses.
At the University of Nairobi, 65 students graduated with either a diploma, a bachelor’s degree, a master’s, or a PhD in psychology in 2023. In 2024, the total number of graduates nearly doubled to 129. By last year, the total number of psychology graduates had risen further to 143.
The gender disparity seen in private universities was also reflected at the public institution, with female students continuing to dominate the field. The number of female graduates rose from 47 in earlier cohorts to 108 in 2025, outnumbering their male counterparts.