100 Best Jobs in Singapore (2009)
August 9th, 2009
I have two lists this year – one for the top jobs across all industries and a separate one specifically for the financial services industry, just to show how skewed the numbers are.
This is the 2009 edition of my annual list(s) of the best 100 jobs in terms of pay (see last year’s edition).
The lists are compiled based on data from the MOM Report on Wages in Singapore 2008.
As with previous years, the numbers reported in the MOM survey excludes performance bonuses, profit sharing and stock options. Even though it’s called a “survey”, actual CPF data is used.
To generate the first list, I look at the third-quartile monthly gross wages of the selected jobs in all industries. Explanation: if you’re at the third-quartile, or 75th-percentile, your pay is higher than 75% of the people.
Here’s the top 100 best-paying jobs across all industries (see also second list below, which is specific to the finance industry):
- Specialised surgeon – $27,977
- Managing director – $26,444
- Personal banker – $20,238
- Commodities futures broker – $19,098
- General manager – $18,068
- Foreign exchange dealer and broker – $17,383
- Company director – $16,025
- Finance sales associate professional – $15,833
- Fund manager – $12,634
- Risk management manager – $12,200
- Treasury manager – $12,000
- Financial futures dealer and broker – $11,667
- Legal service manager – $11,531
- Advocate and solicitor – $11,147
- Business management consultant – $11,000
- Operations manager (Finance) – $10,471
- Legal officer – $10,417
- Computer operations and network manager – $10,238
- Training manager – $10,100
- Corporate planning manager – $9,850
- Computer and information systems manager – $9,800
- Business development manager – $9,770
- Research and development manager – $9,627
- Engineering manager – $9,268
- Sea traffic controller – $9,088
- Marketing manager – $8,917
- Lawyer (except advocate and solicitor) – $8,800
- Budgeting and financial accounting manager – $8,727
- Customer service manager – $8,635
- Personnel / Human resource manager – $8,500
- Technical manager – $8,500
- Quality assurance manager – $8,480
- Procurement manager – $8,400
- Naval architect – $8,300
- University lecturer – $8,282
- Creative director (Advertising) – $8,050
- Sales manager – $8,050
- Chemical engineer (Petroleum) – $7,991
- Chemical engineer (Petrochemicals) – $7,939
- Manufacturing plant and production manager – $7,934
- Instrumentation engineer – $7,831
- Logistics manager – $7,745
- Structural engineer – $7,295
- Network systems and data communication analyst – $7,293
- Advertising and public relations manager – $7,282
- Premises maintenance manager – $7,260
- Information technology security specialist – $7,110
- Chinese physician – $7,043
- Aeronautical engineer – $7,022
- Shipping manager – $7,000
- Business analyst – $6,997
- Medical scientist – $6,875
- Librarian – $6,842
- Property / Estate manager – $6,780
- Financial analyst – $6,667
- Operations manager (Commerce) – $6,660
- Editor (Radio, television and video) – $6,515
- Credit analyst – $6,475
- Database administrator – $6,417
- Computer engineer – $6,407
- Marine superintendent engineer – $6,387
- Transport operations manager – $6,377
- Administration manager – $6,350
- Building and construction project manager – $6,200
- Flight operations officer – $6,157
- Sales representative (Technical) – $6,100
- General physician – $6,085
- Information technology auditor – $6,048
- Securities dealer and broker – $6,000
- Market research analyst – $5,834
- Clearing and forwarding agent – $5,800
- Power generation and distribution engineer – $5,790
- Chemical engineer – $5,708
- Industrial health, safety and environment engineer – $5,700
- Automotive engineer – $5,670
- Chemical engineering technician (Petroleum) – $5,647
- Operations research analyst – $5,611
- Chemical engineering technician (Petrochemicals) – $5,609
- Chief / executive cook – $5,600
- Warehousing manager – $5,550
- Building architect – $5,500
- Systems designer and analyst – $5,500
- Application programmer – $5,495
- Pharmacologist – $5,475
- Speech therapist – $5,407
- Semi-conductor engineer – $5,360
- Stationary plant supervisor and general foreman – $5,353
- Treasury officer – $5,350
- Ship-master – $5,301
- Software engineer – $5,281
- Industrial machinery and tools engineer – $5,250
- Sales representative – $5,237
- Hotel service manager – $5,170
- Production engineer – $5,165
- Network and computer systems administrator – $5,159
- Telecommunications engineer – $5,100
- Advertising copywriter – $5,000
- Civil engineer – $5,000
- Environment health inspector – $5,000
- Soil mechanic and piling engineer – $4,980
This second list contains the best-paying jobs in the financial industry. Compare the top numbers here with those above:
- Managing director – $48,000
- Company director – $23,500
- Legal officer – $23,033
- Personal banker – $20,238
- General manager – $19,700
- Foreign exchange dealer and broker – $17,595
- Lawyer (except advocate and solicitor) – $17,500
- Finance sales associate professional – $15,833
- Fund manager – $13,107
- Risk management manager – $13,000
- Computer operations and network manager – $12,762
- Engineering manager – $12,718
- Treasury manager – $12,000
- Financial futures dealer and broker – $11,667
- Quality assurance manager – $11,500
- Sales manager – $11,367
- Corporate planning manager – $10,969
- Training manager – $10,834
- Legal service manager – $10,797
- Operations manager (Finance) – $10,486
- Personnel / Human resource manager – $9,940
- Business development manager – $9,918
- Auditor (Accounting) – $9,750
- Market research analyst – $9,750
- Computer and information systems manager – $9,392
- Budgeting and financial accounting manager – $9,300
- Business management consultant – $9,167
- Marketing manager – $9,000
- Customer service manager – $8,342
- Software engineer – $8,309
- Database administrator – $8,300
- Premises maintenance manager – $8,175
- Operations manager (Commerce) – $8,000
- Network systems and data communication analyst – $7,762
- Administration manager – $7,711
- Credit analyst – $7,584
- Business analyst – $7,500
- Financial analyst – $7,500
- Property / Estate manager – $7,300
- Information technology security specialist – $7,084
- Network and computer systems administrator – $6,713
- Application programmer – $6,463
- Systems designer and analyst – $6,272
- Securities dealer and broker – $6,000
- Advertising and public relations manager – $5,811
- Corporate planning / affairs executive – $5,500
- Executive secretary – $5,417
- Treasury officer – $5,350
- Accountant – $4,900
- Civil engineer – $4,841
- Computer systems operator – $4,724
- Actuary – $4,590
- Training officer – $4,583
- Credit officer – $4,520
- Personnel / Human resource officer – $4,520
- Systems programmer – $4,450
- Sales and marketing executive – $4,428
- Management executive – $4,275
- Public relations officer – $4,217
- Bank officer – $4,167
- Insurance sales agent and broker – $4,063
- Graphic designer – $4,004
- Property management executive – $4,000
- Accounts executive – $3,896
- Operations executive – $3,860
- Secretary – $3,835
- Appraiser and valuer – $3,800
- Insurance underwriter – $3,666
- Clerical supervisor – $3,660
- Mechanical engineer – $3,638
- Personnel / Human resource clerk – $3,531
- Customer service executive – $3,461
- Chauffeur – $3,341
- Fire and safety officer – $3,225
- Legal clerk – $3,200
- Billing clerk – $3,042
- Data processing control clerk – $2,909
- Customer service clerk – $2,742
- Cashier – $2,643
- Ledger and accounts clerk – $2,583
- Marketing clerk – $2,550
- Office clerk – $2,481
- Bank clerk – $2,441
- Insurance / Underwriting clerk – $2,399
- Bank teller – $2,307
- Receptionist – $2,300
- Securities clerk – $2,119
- Office / Library attendant – $1,941
- Building maintenance worker – $1,901
- Storekeeper – $1,643
As noted by some people previously, pilots, military jobs, top civil service posts and political appointments are not included in the MOM survey. Does anyone know why?
junkmailbox Says:
August 10th, 2009 at 10:37 am
is this expat pay or singaporean pay?
hdb Says:
August 10th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Thankyou.Useful information for job seekers.
admin Says:
August 10th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I believe all the jobs above are for both locals and foreigners. And all salary figures here are in SGD unless otherwise stated.
Best-Paying Jobs in Singapore (2008) | Salary.sg - Your Salary in Singapore Says:
August 10th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
[...] August 2009 – See the 2009 edition of this [...]
software engineer Says:
August 10th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Wow… in the general category:
Software engineer – $5,281
But in the financial industry:
Software engineer – $8,309.
No wonder all my techie friends are working in IT in banks.
cram Says:
August 10th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
great work, guys! thanks for providing a clear picture of who makes what in this red dot. but i’m sure the figures don’t apply to expats, esp. the first world ones, who almost always make twice or thrice the listed salaries for doing the same work.
on why pilots have been excluded, let me hazard a guess:
most airlines that fly in and out of singapore are not based here, nor are their wage structures benchmarked to sia. also, pilots who fly on the singapore route are likely not residents for at least 183 days in a year; maybe mom uses that as a yardstick for the purpose of calculation.
military jobs, top civil service posts and political appointments are all non-private sector. guess the govt wants to keep focus on private sector, as the vast majority of jobseekers are playing in that field.
mike Says:
August 11th, 2009 at 2:30 am
i see “Chinese physician – $7,043″ at no 48.
Kevin Says:
August 11th, 2009 at 9:29 am
There are still pockets of skewness.
Look at the oil, gas and pharmaceutical products median manager wage compared with the rest of the manufacturing industry.
The best paying sector for 35-39 wage group incidentally is the information and communications sector, beating the financial services sector marginally.
Marilyn Says:
August 12th, 2009 at 6:38 am
How come there is no Dentist? I always thought it was a great 9 to 5, high paying job. Are they under the specialised surgeon category?? If so, my son should be one when he grows up.
dahdahdah Says:
August 12th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
thse are the 75 percentile figures? looks very high…
software engineer wannabe Says:
August 13th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
is this for real? wow.. i should ask for a raise then :p
From bank Says:
August 13th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
The figures are supposed to exclude “performance bonuses & profit sharing”. However, most of the finance sales positions seem to have included them. Eg. Personal bankers, forex/futures brokers who get commission but may have no annual bonuses, just like top property/financial planners. On the other hand, managing directors, fund managers, research analysts may get bulk of salary from their annual bonuses which are not included in the figures above.
bank pays Says:
August 14th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Yes I think commissions are included in those jobs that are sales related. I would think an MD of an international re-insurance firm will also get commissions. But as the above poster said, take note that some positions are not commissions-based but receive a big part of their comp in bonuses. (Their gross salaries are already quite high relative to the rest, so just imagine if bonuses are included!)
adiemuso Says:
August 14th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
bottomline..revenue generator are highly paid..
cost generators are lower paid..
manual work are lowly paid..
so tell the young kids to study hard and get a degree to prevent fallin into poverty trap..
tech sales Says:
August 14th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
that’s why if you want to be rich, or if you don’t want to lose out, never be an engineer or techie or operator. if you’re smart, get into banking front office. if you’re not smart, do business or do sales – property, insurance, whatever.
if you insist on being an engineer, don’t stay in Singapore.
it took me half a lifetime to learn this the hard way.
tianhong Says:
August 29th, 2009 at 9:33 am
thanks for the information. i’m not really knowledgeable about what a financial engineer can do? any position in the list?
@techie what’s the reason for not being an engineer. It seems high for IT professional.
Professionals and Managers - Is Your Pay above the Median? | Salary.sg - Your Salary in Singapore Says:
August 30th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
[...] See also my list of the 100 best-paying jobs. [...]
Ming Says:
August 31st, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Minister leh? Where do they rank?
info Says:
August 31st, 2009 at 1:38 pm
you add up the top ten and maybe you’ll get close to minister’s pay. they’re in a different league.
haha Says:
August 31st, 2009 at 3:11 pm
add up maybe even the top 20?
Clifford Says:
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Hahaha
Divide the numbers by half and you have pretty accurate figures. The statisticians who got these numbers need to go back to primary school : they cant even tell right from wrong when the truth is staring in their face.
These statistics are killing the nation, they distort figures to make their superiors happy but they are hiding a terrible symptom.
puzzled Says:
September 4th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
I never knew personal bankers can earn that much and be ranked so high up on the list.
shouldn’t investment bankers, private bankers, corporate bankers be getting more?
and a librarian’s salary seemed pretty good to me here
sunil Says:
September 12th, 2009 at 1:28 am
what about the chemist salary experience up to 4 years in aluminium sector.
Professionals and Managers - Is Your Pay above the Median? - Salary.sg Forums Says:
September 19th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
[...] and University Lecturer (>$7,500 in the late-forties age group). See also my list of the 100 best-paying jobs. [...]
100 Best Jobs in Singapore (2009) - Page 3 - Salary.sg Forums Says:
October 9th, 2009 at 9:08 am
[...] Originally Posted by Salary.sg I have two lists this year – one for the top jobs across all industries and a separate one specifically for the financial services industry, just to show how skewed the numbers are. This is the 2009 edition of my annual list(s) of the best 100 jobs in terms of pay (see last year’s edition). The lists are compiled based on data from the MOM Report on Wages in Singapore 2008. As with previous years, the numbers reported in the MOM survey excludes performance bonuses, profit sharing and stock options. Even though it’s called a “survey”, actual CPF data is used. To generate the first list, I look at the third-quartile monthly gross wages of the selected jobs in all industries. Explanation: if you’re at the third-quartile, or 75th-percentile, your pay is higher than 75% of the people. Here’s the top 100 best-paying jobs across all industries (see also second list below, which is specific to the finance industry): This second list contains the best-paying jobs in the financial industry. Compare the top numbers here with those above: As noted by some people previously, pilots, military jobs, top civil service posts and political appointments are not included in the MOM survey. Does anyone know why? 100 Best Jobs in Singapore (2009) | Salary.sg – Your Salary in Singapore [...]
wickedstars Says:
October 27th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Clifford
The compiled list featured represents the third-quartile monthly gross wages. They are pretty accurate.
Your Citizenship is Worth $4,511 More Than a PR Per Year - VRForums - IT & Singapore Lifestyle Community Says:
October 31st, 2009 at 7:16 pm
[...] engineer – $5,000 Environment health inspector – $5,000 Soil mechanic and piling engineer – $4,980 100 Best Jobs in Singapore (2009) | Salary.sg – Your Salary in Singapore Feel free to copy this sig n spread e msgImage source: http://www.talkingcock.com WTS networking stuff [...]
jeetendra kumar Says:
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:26 pm
hi,we are see ur website and i am so happy.hope you always time help for all viwers.thanks and best of luck for ur feautier.
Equally Puzzled Says:
December 12th, 2009 at 2:04 am
Personal Bankers earn less than S$4k base salary.
So there is no way their base salary is S$20k. S$20k will definitely include comps.
Youre right. Investment Bankers and Corporate Finance people should earn more than Personal Bankers.
The statistics are probably not accurate.
Moreover, the figures could be skewed since it only takes into account the top percentile.
One simple example. How do you take into account tthe larger proportion of struggling personal bankers versus the minority that are doing well?
22.
puzzled Says:
September 4th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
I never knew personal bankers can earn that much and be ranked so high up on the list.
shouldn’t investment bankers, private bankers, corporate bankers be getting more?
and a librarian’s salary seemed pretty good to me here
Private Bankers are Over-Rated in Singapore Says:
December 12th, 2009 at 2:07 am
I dont see why Singaporeans are so enamoured with Private Bankers.
The smartest ones who graduate from the top programs in the U.S.A. DONT WANT to be private bankers.
They want to be INVESTMENT bankers.
Private Banking positions are for the SIA stewardesses or those who dont mind carrying laundry or walking the dog for their clients.
Curious Says:
December 12th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Anyone knows about marine fuel/bunker trading?
What’s the work and pay like?
minister Says:
December 12th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
what’s the big deal about being an investment banker. it’s still a job. you are just working for someone. even the ceo works for the directors and shareholders. take the job away and you’re just a nobody, left with nothing but a seemingly impressive looking resume. all the things you build up don’t belong to you. you can develop empires, but when you leave or are asked to leave, the empires are handed a plate to the next player, or fool.
i’d rather be a small towkay earning millions than an investment banker slogging like a slave for greedy bosses. it’s a white collar slave job after all.
if i wanna work for someone, i would rather be a minister.
kids nowadays should get their aspirations right.
in response to minister Says:
December 12th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
you sound really bitter.
i bet youre not a towkay and youre probably working in the government.
in any case, who are you to judge whose “aspirations are right” ?
if everybody thought like you, there would only be government positions or towkays with NO BANKING firms around.
there is a place for everyone.
judging from what you said, youre probably a narrow minded, bitter, presumptuous, one-track-minded, judgmental, insecure fool.
minister Says:
December 12th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
what’s the big deal about being an investment banker. it’s still a job. you are just working for someone. even the ceo works for the directors and shareholders. take the job away and you’re just a nobody, left with nothing but a seemingly impressive looking resume. all the things you build up don’t belong to you. you can develop empires, but when you leave or are asked to leave, the empires are handed a plate to the next player, or fool.
i’d rather be a small towkay earning millions than an investment banker slogging like a slave for greedy bosses. it’s a white collar slave job after all.
if i wanna work for someone, i would rather be a minister.
kids nowadays should get their aspirations right.
Goodie Says:
December 14th, 2009 at 12:12 am
small towkay earning millions work for their clients lah! It’s all in the mind. You are your own boss, the investment bank employing you is a client who engages your services.
slave Says:
December 14th, 2009 at 12:19 am
sorry but i agree with minister. clients are not your bosses. some millionaire hawkers with an attitude can even scold their clients and even refuse to sell to them. boh bian, these clients are slaves to the good food, just like some people are slaves to their cars. haha.
Goodie Says:
December 14th, 2009 at 9:15 am
That’s because those millionaire hawkers are good at what they do mah. It’s the same everywhere also. If you’re damn good at your job you can scold your boss (that is, client) and you can be sure there will still be many bosses (that is, clients) requiring your services.
slave Says:
December 14th, 2009 at 10:41 am
not true. try that if you’re the top trader or top civil servant. lots of others just as good as you can’t wait to replace you.
Goodie Says:
December 14th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
If there are “a lot of others” as good as you that means you’re not the top lor. Anyway, I think this is where we agree to disagree
pilot Says:
January 15th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
How much does a pilot earn ?
Zen Says:
January 19th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
How about aerospace engineer in singapore?
Is this a job with high demand? I need some help here.
Kiddo Says:
January 19th, 2010 at 5:11 pm
I am looking at the salary for library. Wow, I didnt know that Library pay is that high ? Is the list accurate ?
bull Says:
January 19th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
if librarian can earn $6842 a mth, i can earn $100k a mth
Kiddo Says:
January 19th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
HI Bull,
Just wonder what do you do , make you make $100K .. and another WOW ..
major librarian Says:
January 20th, 2010 at 4:58 am
I am a Librarian and I make more than 100K a year. I am 31. What’s the issue here?
hi NLB Says:
January 20th, 2010 at 9:26 am
applying for job at NLB right away!
used to be one for CCA, never knew it get paid that well!
Kiddo Says:
January 20th, 2010 at 9:54 am
Ehm , wow . NLB friends , any job opening ? I wud like to apply . but WOW ..
noname Says:
January 20th, 2010 at 9:57 am
LIBRAIAN CAN EARN SO MUCH MEH??
Kiddo Says:
January 20th, 2010 at 10:11 am
According to the responded , some even earn 100K . Let’s hunt NLB job .
bull Says:
January 20th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
as i said..if librarians can earn 6k+ a mth….even an ITE grad can earn 10k a mth…what bull…..
cow Says:
January 20th, 2010 at 4:01 pm
To bull: you obviously have not seen the world enough. The numbers are for the 75th percentile.
Have you been to libraries at research institutions where the librarians are like researchers who not only have to research for data, but also interpret and compile the data into meaningful reports?
Note that there is also an entry for Library Attendant, making $1,941 at the 75th percentile level. Maybe this number is more palatable to you?
You can say the same thing about teachers. To the uninitiated, a teacher is expected to earn just a few thousand dollars a month. But the fact is that the best teachers out there make tens of thousands.
Grow up, bull.
cat Says:
January 20th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Staff at reseach & development is also very well paid. Consultant got around 15~20K, and get more than half a mil yearly. projects dont have to be working also can.
cow Says:
January 20th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
so quit complaining and get out and get these lucrative jobs.
Poor but surviving Says:
January 20th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
major libraian, whats the qualification to be one?
bull Says:
January 21st, 2010 at 10:23 am
if thats the case then these people should be known as researchers and not librarians u fool
major librarian Says:
January 21st, 2010 at 3:57 pm
a Masters of Science in Information Studies or Knowledge Management from WKWSCI in NTU will suffice.
what Says:
January 28th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
53.Librarian – $6,842 ?
Did they left something out?
seriously! Says:
January 30th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
i don’t know what’s wrong with some of you guys. It sounds as if many of you don’t respect the job of the librarian enough to believe that they deserve such a high pay. Honestly, if there weren’t great librarians, do you think it’d be such a breeze for you to walk into the public library and be able to find material that is to your liking? Furthermore, libraries have more than those thrashy novels. Perhaps you never realised, but they are stocked with great works of literature, research books, journals etc etc…. If we didn’t have librarians of a decent intellectual standing to be able to decide what goes into our libraries, we’d be left to read nothing but thrashy novels and chic flicks. About time you start realising that not all this world’s best paying jobs belong to lawyers doctors and bankers.
Really? Says:
January 30th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
It’s not that librarians don’t deserve a high pay it’s that their pay is too high compared to Software Engineers and Computer Engineers for example.
But don’t worry, I mean this is the government right? Just like in the US the government is filled with too many overpaid people.
then Says:
January 30th, 2010 at 7:05 pm
if you can’t beat them, join them! what’s stopping you from joining the government or be a librarian for that matter?
if enough grumbling people like you join the libraries, their pay will surely come down and then less people will grumble about their pay!
see the logic?
Really? Says:
January 31st, 2010 at 8:58 am
Nope, not many people are willing to become garbage collectors in Singapore, so pay must be astronomically high right? Well, no, they brought in foreigners to do it. So why can’t the same thing be done for librarians. Of course not, because it’s a government job. Imagine if foreigners are allowed to become ministers. Judging from comments in this forum, it appears that a lot of the ministers are bungling idiots, so we should bring in foreigners to replace some of them no, but of course not because it’s again a government related job.
see the logic?
then Says:
January 31st, 2010 at 2:33 pm
you logic is incorrect. garbage collectors are already lowly paid, unlike librarians. that few people willing to join a profession is a necessary condition but not a sufficient one to make it a highly paid profession.
in this context, the job of a minister isn’t very different from that of a garbage collector.
cheers. take it easy.
time Says:
February 6th, 2010 at 7:32 pm
Hi,
I am an engineering student at a local uni(NUS,SMU,NTU) graduating in May 2010. I came across a Management Consultancy Firm that is currently privately held(SME) and currently in its 6th year of business. Personally find the company has huge potential and interested to join due to the entrepreneurial spirit there.
Just like to know what is the rough salary I should expect at this firm?
Thanks in advance!!
voiceoftruth Says:
February 6th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Management consultancies do not employ farmers, local grads.
The tiny firm you came across, however, may hire you, since start-ups do not have the money or clout to hire real consultants and real graduates.
true Says:
February 7th, 2010 at 9:25 pm
what voiceoftruth said is quite true.
Be happy Says:
February 8th, 2010 at 1:10 am
To voiceoftruth:
You seem to find delight in trashing graduates of local universities. I would really like to find out the rationale of your doing so.
Granted, it is a well-known fact that most graduates of well-known overseas colleges are generally held in higher regards than local ones. However, local degrees should not be seen as an impediment to a fulfilling career, which in turn should not be measured by monetary gains alone.
We’re living in a world with an abundance of chances and changes. I don’t know much about management consultancies, but I wouldn’t put it past a local grad getting a placement in one with hard work and sheer determination.
I’m compelled to respond to sweeping, disparaging remarks. The world can certainly be better off with a little more encouragement and optimism.
Kevin Says:
February 8th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
It is just the tone of voice that is put across. To put it in a nice way, world class management consultancies are always looking out for excellent graduates from all colleges and certain top-ranking colleges in the world are known to produce a higher share of such graduates compared with the good-but-not-top-ranking colleges.
Generally, in a top ranking JC, most of the top students will go to top universities overseas, leaving the rest of the pack (still very good students I must add!) to attend local universities. You can imagine a similar filter applied all over the world such that the best end up at the Harvards, MITs, Cambridges of the world.
Given that most people are lazy, and especially the smarter folks, the easiest way to look for smart people is to look for people in these top-ranking schools.
anonymous Says:
February 8th, 2010 at 7:39 pm
Unfortunately it’s not about hard work or sheer determination. Heck, it’s not even about brains.
The reality is that consulting firms such as McK or BCG are in the business of selling talent or, rather, the perception of talent. And their customers think that they are getting more value for money if they are served by talent from Harvard compared to talent from NUS. So that’s the reason why top consulting firms hire few local grads, if any at all.
Now, if you look at product companies (e.g. Apple, Toyota, etc), their customers don’t care if the product is made by an NUS grad or Harvard grad, as long as it’s a great product. These places are likely to have a more level (note: I didn’t say equal) playing field.
So you can’t really blame the consulting firms for only wanting to hire from Harvard Yale Princeton Stanford MIT or Oxford Cambridge, because that’s exactly what they’re selling to their customers: your resume.
Normal Says:
February 8th, 2010 at 8:08 pm
anonymous has it right. Another example is the Bachelors vs Masters. During the dot com days, the so called consulting giants were forced to take in a whole lot more Bachelors to lower cost, and big surprise(!!) in a lot of occasions, those Bachelors outperformed the MBAs. Just look up the story using Google.
To be fair though, the consulting firms have been taking in people from unconventional degrees into their ranks as well e.g. nuclear scientists and some of these people have done very well as well. You can read some of these stories through books (just search Amazon)
luckyman Says:
February 8th, 2010 at 11:36 pm
indeed, a degree from a good school can only bring your so far. if you are good, you can almost certainly make a comfortable living. to make much more than your peers, you definitely need some luck.
Vote for SGP instead of SIN for Singapore Says:
February 9th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
luck is PREPAREDNESS meets OPPORTUNITY.
when opportunity presents itself, but for some reasons we can’t grab it, so we don’t get the chance, thus we become ‘unlucky’.
however, with good foundation, regardless of where we graduate from, we may have the ability to at least try grasping the opportunities when they present themselves. when those opportunities bare their fruits, there goes us being ‘lucky’.
after all, if we get the chance to study full-time in overseas uni, then why not? if we can’t have that, we can still enroll in local uni go overseas on exchange… and these overseas experiences will certainly come in handy upon graduation and job-hunting.
luckyman Says:
February 9th, 2010 at 1:26 pm
luck is more than the 2 attributes you mentioned.
my point is: to be much richer than your peers, you need to be luckier than them.
in other words, ALL things equal – same IQ, EQ, preparedness, opportunities, environment – the luckier people can get way ahead of others.
don’t underestimate the luck factor.
Normal Says:
February 9th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
I think that’s called statistics. In a room filled with the best, there can only be one person who is the best of the best.
In my opinion, to be the best of the best, it has to be your destiny, luck or what have you.
My disagreement with the attributes mentioned is really more on what you consider luck. If you think it’s wealth, then the equation can simply be born into a very rich family. That’s all you need.
luckyman Says:
February 9th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
and by my definition, you need to be very lucky to be born into a very rich family!
Normal Says:
February 9th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
Luckyman, i was responding to the statement LUCKY = preparedness + opportunity
well being born into a rich family does not take either, it’s all prearranged! 
Asia Singapore Says:
February 10th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Great compilation. Switching to finance industries asap is the only way to increase salary income but it is tough since they request (and I guess easily find) experience in the industry.
Josephine Says:
March 4th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Pardon for my ignorance. Whats the difference between all industries and financial indsutry alone? (Apart from the amount of pay)
BreadSpeak Says:
March 5th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Hikz.. I miss Ronaldo and his spicy commnents..
Poor but surviving Says:
March 14th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
is this for real? Im between 50-100. Damn
Curious Says:
March 15th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Something’s wrong – why is investment banker not listed? I suspect private banker is merged with personal banker, which is why the salary is listed as so high. But where is investment banker? Anyone knows how can such a prominent job not be listed?
« Komorebi90's Blog Says:
March 17th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
[...] http://www.salary.sg/2009/100-best-... [...]
Captain Leong Kai Fa Says:
March 17th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
why is ship master on 89 only?
Concerned about this article Says:
March 17th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
In my opinion a ridiculous show of figures.
They all look inaccurate and if they are all in SGD. Someone help the author and this site for publishing such silly information.
Not so rich librarian Says:
April 3rd, 2010 at 11:19 am
I’m also a librarian. But a relatively new one with less than 2 years of experience, my pay is about 3-4K, which is about normal.
The figures seems to be a bit on the high side to me but just a bit.
This is 75th percentile, which means mostly the library directors, University librarians, Chiefs of library departments and maybe some senior librarians, I can easily believe 6K+ figure, particularly since the highest posts can draw 10k+ easily which pulls up the average.
http://app.careercompass.gov.sg/Fro...
States that a librarian/associate librarian can earn between 2.3 k to 4.5 K, while a senior librarian earns 4.5K and up.
Basically a decently skilled librarian after working a couple of years would make senior librarian (you got to be seriously bad if you don’t make that after say 10 years) and command a pay of about 5k+ and you don’t even have to be a top librarian.
Of course the “stars”(“Major librarian” is one if he is really earning 100k a year at 31) and those who rise up to management level will expect to earn more.
Librarians are professionals after all with masters and many have double masters, so earning salaries of 5-6K if they rise to the top of their profession is normal.
If anything I’m surprised some of the other figures are so low. 75% of General physician earns less than 6K ?? Civil engineer – barely 5k??
If I didn’t know better, I would say the GPs are under-declaring their incomes.
Odd.
.|. Says:
April 4th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
i think they count polyclinic doctors as GPs, this bring down the average pay.
... Says:
April 10th, 2010 at 12:25 am
Hmm, interesting discussion about librarian. What is the job scope of a librarian? Who hire librarians apart from national library?
B6 Says:
April 10th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Any place with a library employs librarians. Polys and Unis, some research institutions.
Corporations also employ librarians but in smaller numbers e.g law firms. My guess is the universities are the largest employers of librarians outside National library.
As for job scope it varies considerably. There are many different type of librarians working in many institutions.
Off the top of my head.
Some are system librarians who work on IT systems to catalogers who catalog library material.
Some are doing mainly marketing , organizing events.
Some are doing backroom work, acquisitions – negotiating with book vendors.
Other are researchers handling in depth queries.
Some teach classes to the public or alongside professors to students.
See for example this post from a NLB librarian
http://ramblinglibrarian.blogspot.c...
Clifford Says:
April 12th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
I finally understand the figures.
They can range for the top 1% of the entire industry, and 75% of their average. This is unaffected by how many people who earns less.
For example, John’s father owns the company. He is the PR manager of the company. His income, SGD7k ,doubles all of his peers in the industry. The figure takes only his income and other similar ones into account; even if 99.99% earns only 2k-4k.
Thanks for the info. Apologies for not reading into the texts previously.
B6 Says:
April 12th, 2010 at 10:39 pm
Actually , the last part about 99.99% is incorrect. You mean 75%
What it means is.. you arrange salaries from highest to lowest. The person with salary higher than 75% of people in their profession, that’s the figure that will be reported.
Say there are only 100 people in the profession.
The 25th highest earner is say $6k. That is the figure that will be reported. He has a higher salary than 75% of people in his line, hence his salary is the 75th percentile.
To some extent it doesn’t matter if the highest or 2nd highest earner is earning say 100 million, since it depends only on the 25th highest.
But if you have a industry where say the top 25% earn a lot more than entry level positions, than you will have a very high figure that seems odd if you are not in the top 25%
This can happen if the industry has a big gap between the top people (whether based on seniority or talent) and the others
Clifford Says:
April 14th, 2010 at 11:20 pm
No, I meant 99.99%. I fully understood how the numbers were computed. Take a closer look at the figures. Do you honestly believe the 75th-80th percentile average is even close to the figures shown?
What I meant was, the 0.01% can be so ridiculously overpaid that it distorts the entire 25%.
Most of the figures are odd for percentile all the way to 90%, where the 10% earns 400%-3000% of the rest of the 90%. Data sampling from the 10% with the 15% downward creates highly interesting figures.
These figures are NEVER meant to show how much the particular positions should be earning on average, but how ridiculous some numbers can get.
solo Says:
April 20th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
How many receptionists you know earn SGD2300 per mth? Most of them I know earn less than SGD2000. The only good thing about working as a receptionist is that you usually get to go off on time as you need to log-off the PABX system.
lucky Says:
April 30th, 2010 at 9:56 am
hi. i am 29, doing private banking in a global bank. my dad was a partner in a big4 law firm, so he managed to make some good connections to land me in my job. my mom was a dentist before she found herself a huge chunk of inheritance, and promptly “retired”. undoubtedly, this old money will come to me some day.
i guess im really fortunate, and it further strengthens my belief that good family connections/ background really makes it much easier for your children in future.
i’ve bought a few properties, and they r just sitting there collecting rent. will pass them on to my children in future hopefully
satisfaction Says:
April 30th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
no doubt you are blessed and i appreciate your honesty. i’m 29 this year as well. Both my parents were retretched about 8 years ago and we downgraded from a 5 room HDB to a 3 room HDB.
Though I have no backings from my relatives, I studied hard, worked hard and managed to established good contacts myself. Currently, drawing a very pretty salary.
With good investments through the stock market, I managed to buy my first property last year for rental incomes.
While the road is definitely easier when foundations are setup by parents, you can never reach the same satisfaction as thriving out on your own.
wow Says:
April 30th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
I envy Lucky and respect Satisfaction. Satisfaction would be a great role model for everyone and Lucky would not command the same kind of respect from others no matter how successful he is in future.
Cool Says:
April 30th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Hi Lucky,
It’s very humble of you to acknowledge that you’re lucky. Are u a private banker or doing operations in private banking?
lucky Says:
May 1st, 2010 at 10:02 am
hi & good morning,
cool: i am a private banker. excelling in this job encompasses (among other things) having a good network of high net worth individuals and sometimes this means having to please their whims and fancies. not exactly the best job i would say, but pay-wise it is rewarding.
wow, satisfaction: there’s no harm being honest about connections people will speculate anyway. i guess for me what matters most is getting to the top. but of course, connections can only get u so far. what matters most is your own hard work and abilities. connections get you the job, but its up to you to keep it.
wow: my connections got me an interview and maybe set a good first impression but i still had to go through the actual interview and be subject to the same requirements. im privileged, but it does not mean i did not deserve what i reap
wow Says:
May 3rd, 2010 at 4:36 pm
lucky: of course i do not doubt ur ability and the fact that u deserve what u reap. But the reality of life is that when pple know you took a shortcut to achieve a certain goal, they will definitely discount your effort and hardwork. SO even if you drive a ferrari or lambo, people will still make remarks like “so what…he got all these due to his network and connections and not because he is really that good” even though you might have worked your arse off to achieve these rewards.
Curious Says:
May 3rd, 2010 at 9:26 pm
Hi lucky
Could you share how much would a private banker get as an annual package?
Kevin Says:
May 4th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
wow: relationship management is a skill that needs to be practised too. in a lot of jobs, people are paid for managing client relationships.
There are also technical aspects, which I am guessing in a private banking context, would mean knowing the different products and instruments, understanding the client well-enough to propose something suitable and in a language understood by the client. Sometimes, people are frustrated because it seems like these people get away with not knowing the products very well but at the very least, they must know the clients very well.
I am quite sure, like in many other business relationship roles, it looks like the person doing the job is having fun and completely relaxed about it. But bear in mind, it takes a lot of effort to appear effortless.
Moo Says:
June 24th, 2010 at 11:26 am
Lawyers’ salary information:
http://www.singaporelawwatch.sg/rem...
good Says:
June 24th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
“Sources say law firms such as Allen & Gledhill, Rajah & Tann, Drew & Napier, Wong Partnership, Rodyk & Davidson and Stamford Law have upped salaries by between 20% and 25%. The move will result in lawyers who have just joined the profession receiving monthly salaries of between $4,500 and $5,200. Remuneration for lawyers with four to five years of experience will also increase to between $10,000 and $15,000.
Some law firms such as Rajah & Tann distribute the annual bonuses for employees over 12 months to allow lawyers to receive higher basic salaries.”
sounds like a field day for lawyers. does that mean the law firms / partners have been making good money all the while (now that they are able to afford the increments)?
simple Says:
July 2nd, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Does the pay package matter to you? If so, question is, are you willing to put in the efforts, take the risks, and do all it takes to achieve it? Now, most people only see the nice side of things – the big pay package. However, when it comes to the crunch, I’d say that many are really not willing to PAY THE PRICE to achieve it.
I come from a humble family and used to be an engineer. However, I knew I would never command the kind of pay package I would love to have. Knowing that, I moved on and am now a “Finance sales associate professional”. Worked hard and put in my best – just like I did in my previous job. All I can say now is that I’ve made my parents really proud and there is no turning back.
My personal motto in life is, “Life is unfair. You just got to play it to your advantage.” I saw my previous job as a “disadvantaged position”. I hope I don’t offend anyone. Let me make this clear – I still love engineering. Just that it’s not amongst the most rewarding career option in Singapore. I told myself that I just had to seek that “unfair advantage”.
I can’t speak for everyone or even the rest, but my personal experience in my pay differential is quite accurately reflected in the above figures.
Of course, there are other non-quantifiable traits of a job – work-life balance, interests, satisfaction, happiness, colleagues, culture, security, etc. Remember, there is no perfect job. Choose the traits that mean alot more to you, and then ask yourself the question, “am I willing to pay the price of the reward by giving up the other traits of the job?”
I was.
anto Says:
July 3rd, 2010 at 1:50 pm
i am sure they’re in malaysian ringgit , lol…
Samuel Says:
July 24th, 2010 at 2:40 am
Job number 90 on the Financial Services list: how is a storekeeper part of the financial services industry?