(9 August 2009 – See the 2009 edition of this list.)
This is the 2008 edition of my annual list of the top 100 jobs in terms of pay (see last year’s edition).
This list is compiled based on data from MOM Occupational Wages Survey, which is published as part of the Report on Wages in Singapore 2007.
As with previous years, the MOM survey does not capture performance bonuses, profit sharing and stock options.
To generate the list, I looked at the third-quartile monthly gross wages of the selected jobs published. 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:
- Specialised surgeon – $30,755
- Managing director – $24,472
- General surgeon – $17,872
- Commodities futures broker – $17,464
- General manager – $16,667
- Company director – $15,513
- Creative director (Advertising) – $13,000
- Legal service manager – $12,318
- Foreign exchange dealer and broker – $11,095
- Operations manager (Finance) – $9,808
- Legal officer – $9,790
- Risk management manager – $9,600
- Research and development manager – $9,385
- Computer operations and network manager – $9,300
- Training manager – $9,000
- Computer and information systems manager – $8,930
- Ship-master – $8,671
- Technical manager – $8,595
- Financial futures dealer and broker – $8,447
- Personnel / Human resource manager – $8,420
- Business development manager – $8,290
- Corporate planning manager – $8,290
- Fund manager – $8,125
- Treasury manager – $8,079
- Budgeting and financial accounting manager – $8,000
- Marketing manager – $8,000
- Power generation and distribution engineer – $7,848
- Engineering manager – $7,819
- Chemical engineer (Petroleum) – $7,678
- Manufacturing plant and production manager – $7,645
- Chemical engineer (Petrochemicals) – $7,547
- Advertising and public relations manager – $7,533
- Advocate and solicitor – $7,500
- Operations research analyst – $7,500
- Business management consultant – $7,437
- Procurement manager – $7,416
- Lawyer (except advocate and solicitor) – $7,400
- Quality assurance manager – $7,263
- Customer service manager – $7,142
- Sales manager – $7,100
- Logistics manager – $7,050
- Operations manager (Commerce) – $6,862
- Chemical engineering technician (Petroleum) – $6,696
- Automation engineer – $6,680
- Instrumentation engineer – $6,616
- Book editor – $6,538
- Surveyor – $6,523
- Industrial health, safety and environment engineer – $6,503
- Building architect – $6,500
- Transport operations manager – $6,400
- Editor (Newspapers and periodicals) – $6,369
- Marine superintendent engineer – $6,340
- Audio and video equipment engineer – $6,307
- Premises maintenance manager – $6,304
- Personal banker – $6,250
- Chemist – $6,241
- Electrical engineering technician (High voltage) – $6,225
- Business analyst – $6,205
- General physician – $6,173
- Administration manager – $6,150
- Financial analyst – $6,000
- Securities dealer and broker – $5,750
- Shipping manager – $5,721
- Building and construction project manager – $5,720
- Property / Estate manager – $5,715
- Physicist – $5,700
- Editor (Radio, television and video) – $5,658
- Information technology security specialist – $5,646
- Advertising copywriter – $5,600
- Director (Stage, film, television and radio) – $5,512
- Automotive engineer – $5,500
- Naval architect – $5,480
- Chemical engineering technician (Petrochemicals) – $5,424
- Chinese physician – $5,316
- Financial planner – $5,283
- Aeronautical engineer – $5,242
- Chemical engineer (General) – $5,187
- Broadcasting operations technician – $5,178
- Market research analyst – $5,174
- Producer / Director of commercials – $5,150
- Manufacturing engineer – $5,137
- Systems programmer – $5,111
- Actuary – $5,100
- Production engineer – $5,091
- Sales representative (Technicial) – $5,089
- Database administrator – $5,080
- Semi-conductor engineer – $5,035
- Mechanical engineer – $5,000
- Ship rigger – $4,933
- Systems designer and analyst – $4,914
- Network systems and data communication analyst – $4,894
- Sales representative (Medical and pharmaceutical products) – $4,857
- Flight operations officer – $4,801
- Civil engineer – $4,746
- Script writer – $4,740
- Warehousing manager – $4,706
- Materials engineer – $4,689
- Electrical engineer – $4,665
- Credit analyst – $4,631
- Electronics engineer – $4,615
297 Comments
BROKER – fetches the prices for dealers/traders/customers. based in brokerages/clearing houses.
DEALERS – deals executors in banks/corporates/instituitions
TRADERS – takes risk for profit.
Thanks Adiemuso, how much does a forex dealer and trader make? what requirement is needed to become 1?
dealer starts from 2000. it depends on the name.
trader starts from zero. it depends on the name.
dealing/trading circle is small. high barriers to entry. no clear definition of requirements. but aptitude in figures, high threshold of stress levels and quick/fast thinking are basic definite attributes.
in current mkt conditions, its not easy for a freshie to get in. there are tons of experienced dealers/traders out there looking for a job as well.
where is ronaldo?
relaxing on his yacht.he will be back when the economy swings to the upturn in 2012
i wanna learn forex and get myself a job,a forex dealer. but donno where to start. anyone can guide some tips for me? thanks~
Hi blaez, blok.
Broker and dealer terms are used interchangeably most of the time. They are sales positions whose job is to bring in clients and commission to their company, by executing trades in financial markets (equities, commodities, forex etc) Min. requirement is a diploma though almost all new hires these days are uni grads.
To get a headstart, u shld register for and pass CMFAS modules 1,5,6 (7 is for futures products)
A business/accounting degree is not essential but it’s an advantage. If u have high net worth or corporate/instituitional client contacts who are willing to trade through u, u will have a very significant advantage over other ppl.
Brokers/dealers are like property agents, financial planners. Their earnings fluctuate from time to time and differ for diff individuals. The bottom ones earn less than 2k/mth. The top ones can earn 20-100k/mth during gd times. Investment bank broker-dealers will earn more than that.
Hi blaez, blok.
Broker and dealer terms are used interchangeably most of the time. They are sales positions whose job is to bring in clients and commission to their company, by executing trades in financial markets (equities, commodities, forex etc) Min. requirement is a diploma though almost all new hires these days are uni grads.
To get a headstart, u shld register for and pass CMFAS modules 1,5,6 (7 is for futures products)
A business/accounting degree is not essential but it’s an advantage. If u have high net worth or corporate/instituitional client contacts who are willing to trade through u, u will have a very significant advantage over other ppl.
Brokers/dealers are like property agents, financial planners. Their earnings fluctuate from time to time and differ for diff individuals. The bottom ones earn less than 2k/mth. The top ones can earn 20-100k/mth during gd times. Investment bank broker-dealers will earn more than that.
Hi commods. thks for the info. do u mind linking some companys that are recruiting dealers?
Dear Sir plz. find in attach My Resume I’m working with Reliance Capital as a Sales Manager Apr. 08 to till date and my total experience is near about 5 year’s
Hi Vinod somehow I did not get your resume. Can you please try again–please use the “Attach File” button this time, thanks.
seems like the prospects of working as valuer or real estate analyst in the real estate indsutry isnt as good as i thought.
hmm i’m offered smu biz mgmt degree and nus real estate degree respectively. as much as many have ask me to go for my interest, i have difficulty choosing. both interest me.
so i guess it’s the career advancement prospect and starting pay upon graduation from the degree that matters to me. at least for now.
anyone can guide me on this? would really appreciate ur help!
to add on, majoring in finance in smu sounds good to me. however, studying real estate in nus might give me greater opportunity fsince this is a rather niche market and there are lesser grads from this course
When you graduate in finance in 3-4 years, it’s highly possible that the financial sector would have turned the corner with good jobs aplenty. As for real estate, I’m speaking as an outsider but my opinion is that the only high earners are the top property agents and the very senior people like Kwek Leng Beng and his management, otherwise a salaried job in real estate is just like any others out there. If you want high income, sales and finance are the way to go. If you want stability, any other industry should suffice.
ty for for ur prompt reply and this lead me to some idea bout which course to choose =)