An Enrolled Nurse on U7 earns UGX 1,421,634 a month in 2026/27. See every government nurse salary scale in Uganda, what you take home after PAYE, and which allowances still apply.
If you are a nurse or midwife in Uganda, or you are about to finish your certificate, diploma or degree, the first money question is simple: what will the government actually pay me? Searching “nurse salary Uganda” usually gives you old figures from 2021, private clinic rumours, or numbers that mix up doctors and nurses.
This guide fixes that. It sets out the 2026/27 government nurse salary for each grade, from Nursing Assistant (U8) to Assistant Commissioner, Nursing (U1E), using Schedule 6 of the Ministry of Public Service salary structure that took effect on 1 July 2026.
It matters right now because the Health Service Commission is recruiting more than 1,000 health workers, including 115 Assistant Nursing Officers, with applications closing on Monday 16 November 2026. Before you apply, you should know what each post pays.
You will learn the monthly and yearly pay at each scale, what lands on your account after PAYE, what happened to the old health worker allowances, how to confirm your grade on an advert, how private and NGO pay differs, and how to keep your UNMC licence valid so your salary is never stopped.
Last checked: 6 November 2026 against the Ministry of Public Service salary structures.
Table of Contents
How Much Do Nurses Earn in Uganda?
In 2026/27, a government Enrolled Nurse (U7) earns UGX 1,421,634 a month gross. A diploma-level Assistant Nursing Officer (U5) earns UGX 2,608,476, and a degree-level Nursing Officer (U4) earns UGX 4,408,476. Nursing Assistants (U8) earn UGX 596,000. Private hospitals and NGOs set their own pay.
These figures are gross monthly salary before PAYE. They come from Schedule 6 of Circular Standing Instruction No. 6 of 2026, the salary structure for medical workers and health tutors in the public service.
Schedule 6 is consolidated. That means each health scale pays one flat figure rather than a range of salary points, so two Enrolled Nurses on U7 in Arua and Kampala earn the same basic pay.
Government Nurse Salary Scales 2026/27
The job titles below come from the Ministry of Health Scheme of Service for the Nursing and Midwifery Cadre, which links each title to a salary scale. The pay comes from Schedule 6 for 2026/27.
| Post (typical qualification) | Scale | Gross per month (UGX) | Gross per year (UGX) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing Assistant (support level) | U8 (Med) | 596,000 | 7,152,000 |
| Enrolled Nurse / Enrolled Midwife / Enrolled Psychiatric Nurse (certificate) | U7 (Med) | 1,421,634 | 17,059,608 |
| Senior Enrolled Nurse / Midwife | U6 (Med) | 1,558,476 | 18,701,712 |
| Assistant Nursing Officer, Nursing or Midwifery (diploma) | U5 (Med) | 2,608,476 | 31,301,712 |
| Nursing Officer, Nursing or Midwifery (degree) | U4 (Med-2) | 4,408,476 | 52,901,712 |
| Senior Nursing Officer | U3 (Med-2) | 4,658,476 | 55,901,712 |
| Principal Nursing Officer | U2 (Med-2) | 4,921,555 | 59,058,660 |
| Assistant Commissioner, Nursing | U1E (Med-2) | 6,500,000 | 78,000,000 |
Why nurses earn less than doctors on the same scale
From U4 upwards, Schedule 6 has two rows. Medical Officers, dentists and pharmacists are paid the higher “Medical 1” rate. Nursing Officers and other medical staff are paid “Medical 2”. So a Medical Officer on U4 earns UGX 5,408,476 while a Nursing Officer on U4 earns UGX 4,408,476.
Diploma nurses already in service
The Scheme of Service renamed diploma holders who were called “Nursing Officer” as “Assistant Nursing Officer”. Those already in post keep their old salary level on a “personal to holder” basis. If your title changed but your pay did not drop, this is why.
Nurse Take-Home Pay After PAYE
Gross pay is not what reaches your account. For a government nurse on permanent and pensionable terms, the main deduction is PAYE. Pensionable public servants are not on NSSF, and the new Public Service Pension Fund 5% contribution only starts on 1 July 2027.
We worked out the examples below using the URA resident PAYE bands in force from 1 July 2026: nil up to UGX 335,000, then 20%, 25% and 30%, with an extra 10% above UGX 10 million.
| Scale | Gross (UGX) | PAYE (UGX) | Net before LST and loans (UGX) |
|---|---|---|---|
| U8 (Med) | 596,000 | 67,050 | 528,950 |
| U7 (Med) | 1,421,634 | 314,740 | 1,106,894 |
| U6 (Med) | 1,558,476 | 355,793 | 1,202,683 |
| U5 (Med) | 2,608,476 | 670,793 | 1,937,683 |
| U4 (Med-2) | 4,408,476 | 1,210,793 | 3,197,683 |
| U3 (Med-2) | 4,658,476 | 1,285,793 | 3,372,683 |
| U2 (Med-2) | 4,921,555 | 1,364,716 | 3,556,839 |
Worked example: a new Enrolled Nurse on U7
- Gross salary: UGX 1,421,634.
- First UGX 335,000 is tax-free.
- UGX 335,001 to 410,000 at 20%: UGX 15,000.
- UGX 410,001 to 485,000 at 25%: UGX 18,750.
- The remaining UGX 936,634 at 30%: UGX 280,990.
- Total PAYE: UGX 314,740. Net pay: UGX 1,106,894.
Local Service Tax is separate. For monthly pay above UGX 1 million it is UGX 100,000 a year, usually deducted in four parts between July and October. In those months a U7 nurse takes home about UGX 25,000 less.
If you work on contract for a private hospital or NGO, NSSF applies instead: 5% from you and 10% from the employer. Our take-home pay guide for Uganda explains NSSF step by step, and you can test any offer in the free salary calculator.
Allowances for Nurses in Government Service
Many nurses still expect separate “health worker” and lunch allowance lines on their payslip. Since July 2022 that is no longer how it works for health professionals.
- Consolidated health allowance: merged into basic salary for all health professional posts from July 2022, and the payroll code was switched off, according to CSI No. 1 of 2022.
- Lunch allowance: also consolidated into salary for health professionals. It stayed only for non-health staff on health facility establishments, such as askaris or records staff.
- Hardship allowance: paid to public officers posted in designated hard-to-reach areas. The 2022 circular kept it at 30% of the FY 2017/18 salary, not 30% of today’s salary.
- Acting and duty-related allowances: covered by the Uganda Public Service Standing Orders, for example when you act in a higher post or travel on official duty.
The hard-to-reach list was first set in Circular Standing Instruction No. 2 of 2010 and covers districts such as Kotido, Moroto, Kaabong, Kalangala, Bundibugyo, Kisoro, Buvuma and Ntoroko, plus named island areas. The list has been revised over time, so ask your district Human Resource Officer whether your station currently qualifies.
Tip: Hardship allowance is tied to the station, not the person. If you transfer from Moroto to Mbale, it stops. If you are posted to a qualifying area and it does not appear after two payroll cycles, write to the Human Resource Officer with your posting instruction attached.
How to Find the Scale on a Nursing Advert
Government adverts rarely print a salary in shillings. They print a scale code, and you turn it into money using the table above.
- Find the scale next to the job title. The Health Service Commission advert lists Assistant Nursing Officer (Nursing) at U5, as shown on our Assistant Nursing Officer 115 posts page.
- Check for “Med” or “SC”. Health posts use the medical schedule. If the advert just says U5, confirm it is a health post on Schedule 6, not the general Schedule 2, which pays far less.
- Match your qualification. Certificate holders fit U7, diploma holders U5 and degree holders U4 under the Scheme of Service.
- Read the scale on your appointment letter. That letter, not the advert or a friend’s payslip, decides your pay.
- Ask when it is unclear. Contact the District Service Commission or the Health Service Commission before accepting if the scale is missing.
Schedule 2 shows why step 2 matters. A general U5 Upper post pays UGX 472,079 to 598,822, while U5 (Med) pays UGX 2,608,476. Our government salary scales guide explains the general U1 to U8 structure.
The Health Service Commission is hiring now. Over 1,000 posts, including nurses and midwives, close on Monday 16 November 2026. Each applicant can apply for a maximum of 2 posts.
Private Hospital and NGO Nurse Salaries
Schedule 6 only binds the public service. Private hospitals, clinics, faith-based facilities and NGOs agree pay in your contract, and there is no official private-sector nurse salary scale in Uganda.
Most private adverts do not publish pay at all, and entry-level pay at small clinics can sit well below the U7 government rate. Large private hospitals and international NGOs can pay more, often with shift, overtime and medical cover. Because the figure is negotiated, compare offers on these points:
| What to compare | Government (pensionable) | Private / NGO contract |
|---|---|---|
| Basic pay | Fixed by Schedule 6 | Negotiated in the contract |
| Retirement savings | Public pension (PSPF 5% from 1 July 2027) | NSSF: 5% employee, 10% employer |
| Job security | Permanent and pensionable | Usually 1 to 3 year contracts |
| Night and shift pay | Not a separate payroll line for most health posts | Ask: may be paid per shift |
| Medical cover | Not standard | Often offered by NGOs and big hospitals |
Before you accept a private offer, get the monthly gross, every allowance and the deductions in writing. Our guide on how to negotiate salary in Uganda shows how to ask without losing the offer.
Keep Your UNMC Licence Valid
No employer can legally pay you as a nurse without a current licence. The Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council says every nurse and midwife working in Uganda must hold a general licence to practice, renewed every three years.
| Cadre | Renewal fee (every 3 years) |
|---|---|
| Registered level: Diploma, Bachelors, Masters, PhD | UGX 80,000 |
| Enrolled level: CCN, EN, EMHN, CM | UGX 50,000 |
| Non-Ugandans, or Ugandans outside Uganda | USD 50 |
To renew, take your original certificates or professional ID, your previous receipt and your Continuing Education Diary showing CPD points. You can renew at the Council offices in Kawempe or at UNMC satellite offices in regional referral hospitals such as Arua, Lira, Mbarara, Mbale and Jinja.
Mistakes That Cost Nurses Money
- Using the general scale for a health post. Reading U5 from Schedule 2 makes a UGX 2.6 million job look like UGX 500,000.
- Quoting old figures. Pre-2022 pages show an Enrolled Nurse on about UGX 613,000. That scale was replaced in July 2022.
- Expecting a lunch allowance line. For health professionals it is already inside basic pay.
- Letting the licence lapse. Late renewal adds 50% for each year missed, and it can delay your access to payroll.
- Ignoring PAYE refunds. If July or August 2026 PAYE was taken at the old rates, you may be owed up to UGX 27,500. Our new PAYE rates guide shows how to check.
- Accepting a private offer verbally. Without a written figure, “competitive salary” can mean anything.
How Nurses Grow Their Pay in Uganda
Because Schedule 6 pays one flat figure per scale, years of service alone do not raise your basic pay. Moving up a scale does. The jumps are big at the lower levels:
- Certificate to diploma (U7 to U5): about UGX 1.19 million more gross per month.
- Diploma to degree (U5 to U4): about UGX 1.8 million more gross per month.
- Nursing Officer to Senior Nursing Officer (U4 to U3): UGX 250,000 more.
Upgrading your qualification does not automatically move you up. You still need to apply and be appointed to a post at the higher scale when it is advertised. That is why diploma and degree holders should watch every Health Service Commission and District Service Commission round.
Before you apply: commission recruitment often draws far more applicants than posts. Clean copies of your UNMC certificate, current licence and transcripts, named exactly as the online form asks, keep you from being dropped at the screening stage.
When you get shortlisted, prepare with our interview questions and answers for Uganda, and keep checking health jobs in Uganda for new openings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary of an Enrolled Nurse in Uganda?
A government Enrolled Nurse, Enrolled Midwife or Enrolled Psychiatric Nurse on scale U7 (Med) earns UGX 1,421,634 a month in 2026/27, or UGX 17,059,608 a year. After PAYE at the 2026 rates, a pensionable nurse receives about UGX 1,106,894 before Local Service Tax and loans. Private clinics set their own pay, which can be much lower.
How much does a diploma nurse earn in Uganda?
Diploma nurses and midwives are appointed as Assistant Nursing Officers on scale U5 (Med). In 2026/27 that pays UGX 2,608,476 a month gross, or UGX 31,301,712 a year. The Health Service Commission’s October 2026 advert for 115 Assistant Nursing Officer (Nursing) posts lists this U5 scale. Take-home pay after PAYE is about UGX 1,937,683.
What is the salary of a Bachelor of Nursing graduate in government?
A degree-holding Nursing Officer is on U4 (Med-2), which pays UGX 4,408,476 a month in 2026/27. Promotion to Senior Nursing Officer (U3) raises this to UGX 4,658,476, and Principal Nursing Officer (U2) to UGX 4,921,555. You must be appointed to a degree-level post to receive U4 pay; holding the degree alone is not enough.
Did nurse salaries increase in 2026/27?
No. Schedule 6 of CSI No. 6 of 2026 keeps health worker scales at the same figures as 2025/26. The big rise for health workers came in July 2022. What did change in 2026 was PAYE: the tax-free threshold rose to UGX 335,000, so nurses earning UGX 485,000 or more pay UGX 13,750 less tax each month.
Do government nurses pay NSSF?
Nurses on permanent and pensionable terms are not NSSF members. They are covered by the public service pension. The new Public Service Pension Fund will deduct 5% of salary, with government adding 10%, but the Ministry of Public Service says contributions start on 1 July 2027. Nurses on private or NGO contracts pay 5% to NSSF.
Do nurses in Uganda get a lunch allowance?
Not as a separate payroll line. From July 2022, the lunch allowance for health professionals was consolidated into basic salary under CSI No. 1 of 2022, together with the consolidated health allowance. It was kept only for non-health staff working on health facility establishments. Your U5 or U7 salary already includes that money.
Which nurses get hardship allowance in Uganda?
Public officers posted to designated hard-to-reach areas, such as parts of Karamoja and some island areas, receive hardship allowance. The 2022 salary circular kept it at 30% of the FY 2017/18 salary. The list of qualifying stations is set by the Ministry of Public Service, so confirm with your district Human Resource Officer before you rely on it.
How much is UNMC licence renewal?
UNMC charges UGX 80,000 to renew for registered-level nurses and midwives (diploma, bachelors, masters, PhD) and UGX 50,000 for enrolled level. Nurses outside Uganda pay USD 50. Licences last three years, and a 50% late charge applies for each year of default. Bring your certificates, previous receipt and CPD diary.
Know Your Scale Before You Apply
Government nurse pay in Uganda is set, public and flat per scale: UGX 1,421,634 at U7, UGX 2,608,476 at U5 and UGX 4,408,476 at U4 for 2026/27. Your appointment letter decides which one you get.
Your next steps: confirm the scale on any advert, renew your UNMC licence if it is due, and check your payslip PAYE against the 2026 bands. If you hold a diploma or degree, apply for posts at that level before the 16 November deadline.
Looking for your next nursing post? Every listing is verified and shows its real closing date.