Top 100 jobs in Singapore (2007)

536

(5 July 2008 – See the 2008 edition of this list.)

(8 August – Updated with ranking of 3rd-quartile gross wages.)

This is the 2007 edition of my annual list of 100 best-paying jobs in Singapore. It is compiled based on data from MOM Occupational Wages Survey, which is published as part of the Report on Wages in Singapore 2006.

The 2006 edition of this post.

The survey covered more than 180,000 individuals, and their wage information is collected from CPF.

But note that the wage data do not include performance bonuses, profit sharing and stock options.

Without further ado, here’s the list of the top 100 jobs based on the 75th-percentile gross basic monthly income (I don’t use the mean or median income as I want my list to better reflect the higher earners in the top jobs):

  1. Managing director – $20,000
  2. Commodities futures broker – $17,084
  3. Financial futures dealer and broker – $16,667
  4. General Manager – $15,417
  5. Foreign exchange dealer and broker – $13,024
  6. Company director – $12,680
  7. Securities dealer and broker – $12,500
  8. Specialised surgeon – $12,000
  9. Risk management manager – $10,800
  10. Creative director (Advertising) – $10,800
  11. Legal service manager – $9,592
  12. Treasury manager – $9,050
  13. Operations manager (Finance) – $9,000
  14. Legal officer – $8,975
  15. Research and development manager – $7,696
  16. Engineering manager – $7,543
  17. Budgeting and financial accounting manager – $7,525
  18. Training manager – $7,502
  19. Business development manager – $7,500
  20. Computer and information systems manager – $7,473
  21. Technical manager – $7,400
  22. Corporate planning manager – $7,350
  23. Advocate and solicitor – $7,300
  24. Quality assurance manager – $7,210
  25. Personnel / Human resource manager – $7,205
  26. Computer operations and network manager – $7,200
  27. Marketing manager – $7,004
  28. Business management consultant – $6,933
  29. Advertising and public relations manager – $6,876
  30. Procurement manager – $6,833
  31. Editor (Newspapers and periodicals) – $6,798
  32. Editor (Radio, television and video) – $6,776
  33. Biologist – $6,710
  34. Chemical engineer (Petroleum) – $6,708
  35. Credit analyst – $6,667
  36. Customer service manager – $6,662
  37. Logistics manager – $6,558
  38. Manufacturing plant and production manager – $6,513
  39. Advertising copywriter – $6,500
  40. Marine superintendent engineer – $6,480
  41. Building architect – $6,400
  42. Lawyer (except advocate and solicitor) – $6,300
  43. Sales manager – $6,248
  44. Premises maintenance manager – $6,220
  45. Business analyst – $6,192
  46. Flight operations officer – $6,003
  47. Operations manager – $6,000
  48. Transport operations manager – $6,000
  49. Administration manager – $5,967
  50. Hydrographic surveyor – $5,819
  51. Shipping manager – $5,750
  52. Industrial health, safety and environment engineer – $5,700
  53. Property / Estate manager – $5,300
  54. Building and construction project manager – $5,270
  55. Financial analyst – $5,210
  56. Clearing and forwarding agent – $5,200
  57. Telecommunications engineer – $5,185
  58. Instrumentation engineer – $5,136
  59. Treasury officer – $5,100
  60. Aeronautical engineer – $5,063
  61. Information technology auditor – $5,047
  62. Database administrator – $4,985
  63. Warehousing manager – $4,900
  64. Electronics engineer – $4,759
  65. Medical pathologist – $4,738
  66. Information technology security specialist – $4,635
  67. Chemist – $4,605
  68. Systems designer and analyst – $4,600
  69. Network systems and data communication analyst – $4,415
  70. Materials engineer – $4,414
  71. Accountant – $4,380
  72. Production engineer – $4,370
  73. Biomedical engineer – $4,361
  74. Structural engineer – $4,350
  75. Civil engineer – $4,350
  76. Journalist – $4,350
  77. General physician – $4,344
  78. Research officer – $4,309
  79. Mechanical engineer – $4,279
  80. Executive secretary – $4,254
  81. Assistant civil and structural engineer – $4,244
  82. Chemical engineer – $4,235
  83. Translator – $4,205
  84. Software engineer – $4,200
  85. Application programmer – $4,175
  86. Power generation and distribution engineer – $4,170
  87. QC engineer – $4,150
  88. Chemical engineer (Petrochemicals) – $4,146
  89. Automotive engineer – $4,139
  90. Electrical engineer – $4,126
  91. Semi-conductor engineer – $4,100
  92. Statistical officer – $4,063
  93. Market research analyst – $4,057
  94. Computer engineer – $4,040
  95. CAD CAM engineer – $4,038
  96. Manufacturing engineer – $4,028
  97. Naval architect – $4,000
  98. Librarian – $4,000
  99. Specialised nurse – $4,000
  100. Medical diagnostic radiographer – $3,993

This is the ranking table based on 75th-percentile gross monthly income (as opposed to basic monthly income):

  1. Financial futures dealer and broker – $23,517
  2. Managing director – $20,775
  3. Specialised surgeon – $19,100
  4. Commodities futures broker – $17,084
  5. General Manager – $17,000
  6. Company director – $13,490
  7. Foreign exchange dealer and broker – $13,334
  8. Securities dealer and broker – $13,000
  9. Creative director (Advertising) – $10,800
  10. Risk management manager – $10,800
  11. Hydrographic surveyor – $10,522
  12. Legal service manager – $10,000
  13. Treasury manager – $9,724
  14. Operations manager (Finance) – $9,450
  15. Legal officer – $9,394
  16. Training manager – $8,240
  17. Business development manager – $8,000
  18. Research and development manager – $7,890
  19. Budgeting and financial accounting manager – $7,850
  20. Engineering manager – $7,762
  21. Technical manager – $7,706
  22. Corporate planning manager – $7,700
  23. Quality assurance manager – $7,700
  24. Computer and information systems manager – $7,626
  25. Advocate and solicitor – $7,590
  26. Computer operations and network manager – $7,577
  27. Personnel / Human resource manager – $7,534
  28. Logistics manager – $7,343
  29. Marketing manager – $7,315
  30. Customer service manager – $7,198
  31. Procurement manager – $7,190
  32. Business management consultant – $7,152
  33. Chemical engineer (Petroleum) – $7,095
  34. Sales manager – $7,050
  35. Advertising and public relations manager – $6,900
  36. Manufacturing plant and production manager – $6,894
  37. Aeronautical engineer – $6,876
  38. Editor (Newspapers and periodicals) – $6,798
  39. Editor (Radio, television and video) – $6,776
  40. Biologist – $6,752
  41. Credit analyst – $6,667
  42. Premises maintenance manager – $6,520
  43. Advertising copywriter – $6,500
  44. Building architect – $6,500
  45. Marine superintendent engineer – $6,480
  46. Lawyer (except advocate and solicitor) – $6,400
  47. Industrial health, safety and environment engineer – $6,362
  48. Operations manager – $6,340
  49. Business analyst – $6,206
  50. Transport operations manager – $6,174
  51. Shipping manager – $6,100
  52. Administration manager – $6,070
  53. Flight operations officer – $6,038
  54. Aeronautical engineering technician – $5,985
  55. Treasury officer – $5,904
  56. Marine engineer – $5,881
  57. Personal banker – $5,661
  58. Instrumentation engineer – $5,646
  59. Building and construction project manager – $5,600
  60. General physician – $5,579
  61. Property / Estate manager – $5,456
  62. Database administrator – $5,374
  63. Information technology auditor – $5,347
  64. Telecommunications engineer – $5,336
  65. Financial analyst – $5,333
  66. Clearing and forwarding agent – $5,200
  67. Warehousing manager – $5,000
  68. Chemist – $4,986
  69. Naval architect – $4,900
  70. Chemical engineer (Petrochemicals) – $4,896
  71. Chemical engineering technician – $4,884
  72. Materials engineer – $4,853
  73. Electronics engineer – $4,831
  74. Medical pathologist – $4,800
  75. Systems designer and analyst – $4,780
  76. Information technology security specialist – $4,735
  77. Chemical engineer – $4,726
  78. Civil engineer – $4,725
  79. Mechanical engineer – $4,682
  80. Production engineer – $4,680
  81. Real estate agent – $4,647
  82. Power generation and distribution engineer – $4,622
  83. Journalist – $4,606
  84. Structural engineer – $4,600
  85. After sales service adviser – $4,570
  86. Network systems and data communication analyst – $4,532
  87. Sales representative (Technical) – $4,520
  88. Biomedical engineer – $4,500
  89. Accountant – $4,499
  90. Semi-conductor engineer – $4,496
  91. Application programmer – $4,430
  92. Research officer – $4,400
  93. QC engineer – $4,396
  94. Executive secretary – $4,385
  95. Electrical engineer – $4,368
  96. Automotive engineer – $4,360
  97. Computer engineer – $4,357
  98. Market research analyst – $4,340
  99. Software engineer – $4,314
  100. Specialised nurse – $4,304

The differences between gross and basic wages can be noted from the following, which I quote from the report:

The spread between gross and basic wages was more pronounced among occupations which require payments for overtime, commissions and allowances (e.g. shift, food, housing and transport), such as sales & service workers and blue-collar workers where gross wages were about 15% to 40% higher than basic wages. On the other hand, there was little difference between the basic and gross wages among managers and professionals. Their variable pay usually takes the form of performance bonuses, profit sharing and stock options which are not captured in this survey.

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536 Comments

  1. 120k annually is not a difficult sum for 1st officers. Most of them earn that as long as they fly.

  2. yeah it seems to be a pretty good life, and at age 28 that salary is pretty hard to beat in most other fields.

  3. Hey, how come no mention about the Prime Minister position here. It’s one of the highest paid job here in Singapore. Seriously, politicians here earn alot.

    Just look at our current PM Lee Hsien Loong. From the reports i gathered online it seems that he earn about S$3,870,000/yr or $322,500/mth.

    So i guess a job to be considered for some. 😉

  4. curious-scientist on

    How much do a post-doctoral fellow will get per month.
    I mean a research scientist from biomedical phd degree from a reputed German University.

  5. Curious_scientist: Post-doctoral fellow and research scientist are quite different concepts at least at the place where I work 🙂 Post-doctoral fellow: from ~4.5-6.5SGD/month, research scientist: don’t know, but more.

  6. Admin,
    Would need a favor from you.
    1] What would be basic package offered to a Senior Software Test Engineer(Working in one of top most reputed US Based Invest Bank having around 4 to 5 years of experience) by a market leaders like CreditSuisse or Barclays or any other?

    2] What other perks they offer?
    3] What is leaving expense in Singapore for a family of 3 people?

    Regards,
    Seema

  7. Seema, not alot. Especially after you have shown your potential employers that you cannot even spell “living” and “investment”…

  8. Admin,

    This post is just the one that I have copied from above because I find it matching to my query.

    Nevertheless I am still waiting for the answer.

  9. Seema, should be around 15-18k/month. That should be just about enough for a family of 3. Anything below 13k and they’re probably trying to underpay you. Be careful and don’t give in too easily during negotiations.

    Perks come with 48 days annual leave (including family care leave), 2 year hospitalization leave (only 16 months is paid leave), 3 years maternity leave, etc. You should re-confirm these numbers with the HR department before signing the contract.

    Good luck!

  10. Hey I have been offered S$4500 monthly. How much can i save monthly (I ma with my family of 3)

  11. seema, if you are very careful and frugal, after paying for rent, etc., typically you’ll be able to save around SGD1000, assuming that your family of 3 are willing to live a very simple life (per year).

  12. I wish to find out the standard pay for a senior nurse of 17 years experience, isn’t $3000 too low? Working in the same company for 14 years. Starting at $1500 being a registered nurse since 1992
    Thanks

  13. Hi folks,
    I am a Phd in physical chemistry from germany. Having 4 years of postdoctoral experience in europe. I am 35 yrs old and would like to know about the salary range at IMRE, singapore
    (institute for materials research and engineering) for a research engineer position. Any information regarding whether I will apply for a rsearch engineer or senior research engineer position will be helpful.
    Thanks
    Junta

  14. galstuckinbanking on

    Hi everything, can someone shed somelights to a freshgradyate just started her career in banking.I m paid 3k+ for a trainee position in a foreign bank.It is supposed to be fast track career path and pretty premising future, but I m not exactly happy with where I am(huge organization+complex structure+long hours).I m thinking about something more of sales in nature(basic+commision) and flexible in working hours.Any recommendation? ( no MLM please) Many thanks!

  15. Hello there,
    can anybody tell me what is the average base salary for a Bsc (Hons) in biotechnology with 7 years of experience.
    I feel that my salary is below the average, around 2.9k/mth

  16. 2.9k is too little for anyone with a degree and SEVEN years of experience. Are u working in a full time research position? Heck, even the allowance for full time PhD students is 2-3k. Buut if you’re stuck, you’re stuck. Get a better job when times are better.

  17. To Seema: your offer is from ‘leading investment bank’? you sure 4500? x 12? sorry to probe, just want to feel the real market…

  18. Now it’s employers’ market imagine a local listed firm thru CDC offering PMET with Pro Dip a basic pay of abt $700 to $800 max excl meagre comm of between .5-3% selling appliances.

  19. Attn KS, even all of our MPs besides the MM, 2 SM, PM are all the Top 30 highest paid civil servants frm the world.

  20. But do you know roughly what’s the salary range for my qualification? Or can anyone pls advice me on that?

  21. I would say 4.5k is minimum and 5-6k is reasonable. You shoulld’ve taken advantage of the good job market 2 years ago.

  22. Wow!! that’s a lot to me 🙂
    Yea, I missed the good opportunity. Currently is quite difficult to search for a job, so I wouldn’t dare to think about high pay. I’ve been staying with the same company for 7 years and the increment is so low, I guess it would take me for about 15 years to reach that amount.

  23. To galstuckinbanking on

    Have u been told what role u would play after your training period ends? ’cause there are various sales roles in banks..such as relationship managers, treasury sales..though the hours may not be as flexible as financial planners or property agents..

  24. automation_guy on

    Hi all,
    can someone tell me what is the average base salary for a Bsc in Electronic with 5 years of experience in PLC automation field?

  25. transformers on

    transformers and terminators are the way to go! huge market making robots, $$$ too.

  26. Hi everyone,

    i have been called for an interview for a Marketing Executive position. i have no prior experience in marketing but about 3 years in another field.

    i do have a degree in marketing. What would be a fair salary/salary range to ask for?

  27. Basically you will be competing with all the fresh graduates. I suggest you lower your expectations and be prepared for a pay cut. If you are interested in the job, just tell them you really appreciate the opportunity and you will seriously consider any fair offer.

  28. unpredictable on

    hi, i have degree courses offers from NUS and SMU.
    NUS real estate and SMU biz mgmt.

    if i enrol into smu, i would like to major in finance.

    what are the prospect and career advancement of studying NUS real estate (which is a rather niche market)? there are positive reviews bout the saalaries in the finance industry.

    can any kind soul guide me on the real estate industry? would really appreciate any kind of constructive advices. ty!

  29. TO unpredictable on

    Just enrol for SMU Biz mgmt. Don’t even think about doing real estate.. You get way more mileage in finance even though the industry seems to be ravaged currently. Finance will bounce back quicker and higher than any other industry sector ultimately ..

  30. unpredictable on

    ty for your reply anonymous, as much as i wanted to enrol for smu, but another part of my mind tells me that i should enrol into real estate because it might be a valuable set of skill to the industry since there are only less than 150 grads from the course. whereas, there are bout 2k of biz grad every year. this is a tough decision to decide =(

  31. TO unpredictable on

    Real estate industry in Singapore is highly cyclical and a rather small sector. I can’t really see much juice in that sector compared to finance.

    In any case, if you are a coin toss from making your decision. Just follow your passion, you will gain more utility enjoying higher satisfaction than a few hundred dollars in a job you have no interest in.

    Life isn’t all about making money..

  32. any thoughts on IT careers in SG? what the ideal salary for an industr certified IT grad with 4 years of experience… dealing with windows servers and clients?

  33. I think someone posted a comment here that IT consultants in MNCs make 100k a yr and upwards. I’m an IT Pro with around your experience but my pay sucks.
    My feel is that unless you take on a leadership role or work in big MNCs, or have skills that few others have, your pay will just be average.

  34. Question about postdoctral fellow salary in NTU:

    I got my PhD in biology in good reputated Uni in Germany, and 2 years postdoc experience in one of the top Uni in USA. Now I got an offer from a lab in NTU with 5k S$ per month, is it reasonable price for a 2 years experienced postdoc? and is it enough to support a family (2 ppl only, no kids)?

  35. Hi folks,
    I am a Phd in physical chemistry from germany. Having 4 years of postdoctoral experience in europe. I am 35 yrs old and would like to know about the salary range at IMRE, singapore
    (institute for materials research and engineering) for a research engineer position. Any information regarding whether I will apply for a rsearch engineer or senior research engineer position will be helpful.
    Thanks
    Junta

  36. hi there
    I am IT developer(associate,FID) from a top tier investment bank(GS,MS,ML..) with 3 years experience.I’d like to know the salary range here.(80k-120k?)

  37. phd wannabe on

    enough to buy more than 300 xbox elite a year. think i play xbox is sufficient no need to study so hard for phd.

  38. up to SGD 100,000 (ex bonus). not a lot but on the up side, cost of living is much lower here compared to NY and TKY. it is also easier to mingle here as most people, sans the locals, treat this place as a big party before returning to their home country to further their careers.

  39. Hi,
    I have an experience of 6.5 years in the design and development of embedded, wireless and hardware systems with a masters degree. What is the salary I can expect for the staff design engineer offered by a wireless design firm.

    Also can anybody through some light on the salary structure usually follwed here?(like bonus, base salary and CPF contributions)

    thanks and regards,
    SB