A person working as a Nursery Nurse in Zambia typically earns around 2,590 ZMK per month. Salaries range from 1,370 ZMK (lowest) to 3,940 ZMK (highest).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Nursery Nurse salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Nursery Nurse salaries in Zambia range from 1,370 ZMK per month (minimum salary) to 3,940 ZMK per month (maximum salary).
The median salary is 2,430 ZMK per month, which means that half (50%) of people working as Nursery Nurse(s) are earning less than 2,430 ZMK while the other half are earning more than 2,430 ZMK. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Nursery Nurse(s) are earning less than 1,710 ZMK while 75% of them are earning more than 1,710 ZMK. Also from the diagram, 75% of Nursery Nurse(s) are earning less than 2,990 ZMK while 25% are earning more than 2,990 ZMK.
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher your wage. We broke down Nursery Nurse salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
A Nursery Nurse with less than two years of experience makes approximately 1,580 ZMK per month.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 1,940 ZMK per month, 23% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 2,740 ZMK per month, 42% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Nursery Nurse(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 3,210 ZMK per month, 17% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 3,530 ZMK per month, 10% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 3,730 ZMK per month, 6% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
0 - 2 Years | 1,580 ZMK | |
2 - 5 Years | +23% | 1,940 ZMK |
5 - 10 Years | +42% | 2,740 ZMK |
10 - 15 Years | +17% | 3,210 ZMK |
15 - 20 Years | +10% | 3,530 ZMK |
20+ Years | +6% | 3,730 ZMK |
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down Nursery Nurse salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is Certificate or Diploma, the average salary of a Nursery Nurse is 2,090 ZMK per month.
While someone with a Bachelor's Degree gets a salary of 3,060 ZMK per month, 47% more than someone having a Certificate or Diploma degree.
Certificate or Diploma | 2,090 ZMK | |
Bachelor's Degree | +47% | 3,060 ZMK |
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male Nursery Nurse employees in Zambia earn 11% less than their female counterparts on average.
Male | 2,400 ZMK | |
Female | +13% | 2,710 ZMK |
Nursery Nurse(s) in Zambia are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 7% every 28 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 5% granted to employees every 28 months.
The term 'Annual Salary Increase' usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rarely that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
Banking | 8% | |
Energy | 7% | |
Information Technology | 6% | |
Healthcare | 5% | |
Travel | 4% | |
Construction | 3% | |
Education | 2% |
Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in Zambia for the year 2022. Companies within thriving industries tend to provide higher and more frequent raises. Exceptions do exist, but generally speaking, the situation of any company is closely related to the economic situation in the country or region. These figures tend to change frequently.
A Nursery Nurse is considered to be a low bonus-based job due to the generally limited involvement in direct revenue generation, with exceptions of course. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.
92% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 8% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 1% to 3% of their annual salary.
Received Bonus | 8% | |
No Bonus | 92% |
The most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
The main two types of jobs | |
Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fix amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
The average salary for Nursery Nurse is 43% less than that of Care Giving and Child Care. Also, Care Giving and Child Care salaries are 25% less than those of All Jobs.
Job Title | Average Salary |
Activity Assistant | 2,150 ZMK | ![]() |
Advice Worker | 2,510 ZMK | ![]() |
Care Manager | 7,260 ZMK | ![]() |
Care Worker | 1,970 ZMK | ![]() |
Child Care Assistant Director | 5,660 ZMK | ![]() |
Child Care Specialist | 8,130 ZMK | ![]() |
Child Care Teacher | 2,580 ZMK | ![]() |
Child Development Center Assistant | 3,340 ZMK | ![]() |
Child Development Specialist | 8,450 ZMK | ![]() |
Child Life Specialist | 7,970 ZMK | ![]() |
Child Protection Officer | 2,800 ZMK | ![]() |
Child Psychotherapist | 9,540 ZMK | ![]() |
Clinical Care Coordinator | 2,610 ZMK | ![]() |
Custodian | 3,920 ZMK | ![]() |
Day Care Director | 9,980 ZMK | ![]() |
Elderly Care Giver | 2,090 ZMK | ![]() |
Group Home Manager | 10,600 ZMK | ![]() |
Kids Activity Assistant | 1,900 ZMK | ![]() |
Live In Carer | 2,440 ZMK | ![]() |
Nanny | 2,390 ZMK | ![]() |
Nursery Nurse | 2,590 ZMK | ![]() |
Nursery Teacher | 2,330 ZMK | ![]() |
Nursing Home Administrator | 3,250 ZMK | ![]() |
Personal Assistant | 1,950 ZMK | ![]() |
Physical Health and Wellness Specialist | 9,270 ZMK | ![]() |
Preschool Education Coordinator | 3,780 ZMK | ![]() |
Primary Therapist | 6,690 ZMK | ![]() |
Psychiatric Aide | 2,970 ZMK | ![]() |
Rehabilitation Counselor | 7,700 ZMK | ![]() |
City | Average Salary |
Lusaka | 2,850 ZMK |
Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in Zambia earn 17% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Private Sector | 5,580 ZMK | |
Public Sector | +17% | 6,540 ZMK |