100 Best Jobs in Singapore (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):

1. Specialised surgeon – $27,977
2. Managing director – $26,444
3. Personal banker – $20,238
4. Commodities futures broker – $19,098
5. General manager – $18,068
6. Foreign exchange dealer and broker – $17,383
7. Company director – $16,025
8. Finance sales associate professional – $15,833
9. Fund manager – $12,634
10. Risk management manager – $12,200
11. Treasury manager – $12,000
12. Financial futures dealer and broker – $11,667
13. Legal service manager – $11,531
14. Advocate and solicitor – $11,147
15. Business management consultant – $11,000
16. Operations manager (Finance) – $10,471
17. Legal officer – $10,417
18. Computer operations and network manager – $10,238
19. Training manager – $10,100
20. Corporate planning manager – $9,850
21. Computer and information systems manager – $9,800
22. Business development manager – $9,770
23. Research and development manager – $9,627
24. Engineering manager – $9,268
25. Sea traffic controller – $9,088
26. Marketing manager – $8,917
27. Lawyer (except advocate and solicitor) – $8,800
28. Budgeting and financial accounting manager – $8,727
29. Customer service manager – $8,635
30. Personnel / Human resource manager – $8,500
31. Technical manager – $8,500
32. Quality assurance manager – $8,480
33. Procurement manager – $8,400
34. Naval architect – $8,300
35. University lecturer – $8,282
36. Creative director (Advertising) – $8,050
37. Sales manager – $8,050
38. Chemical engineer (Petroleum) – $7,991
39. Chemical engineer (Petrochemicals) – $7,939
40. Manufacturing plant and production manager – $7,934
41. Instrumentation engineer – $7,831
42. Logistics manager – $7,745
43. Structural engineer – $7,295
44. Network systems and data communication analyst – $7,293
45. Advertising and public relations manager – $7,282
46. Premises maintenance manager – $7,260
47. Information technology security specialist – $7,110
48. Chinese physician – $7,043
49. Aeronautical engineer – $7,022
50. Shipping manager – $7,000
51. Business analyst – $6,997
52. Medical scientist – $6,875
53. Librarian – $6,842
54. Property / Estate manager – $6,780
55. Financial analyst – $6,667
56. Operations manager (Commerce) – $6,660
57. Editor (Radio, television and video) – $6,515
58. Credit analyst – $6,475
59. Database administrator – $6,417
60. Computer engineer – $6,407
61. Marine superintendent engineer – $6,387
62. Transport operations manager – $6,377
63. Administration manager – $6,350
64. Building and construction project manager – $6,200
65. Flight operations officer – $6,157
66. Sales representative (Technical) – $6,100
67. General physician – $6,085
68. Information technology auditor – $6,048
69. Securities dealer and broker – $6,000
70. Market research analyst – $5,834
71. Clearing and forwarding agent – $5,800
72. Power generation and distribution engineer – $5,790
73. Chemical engineer – $5,708
74. Industrial health, safety and environment engineer – $5,700
75. Automotive engineer – $5,670
76. Chemical engineering technician (Petroleum) – $5,647
77. Operations research analyst – $5,611
78. Chemical engineering technician (Petrochemicals) – $5,609
79. Chief / executive cook – $5,600
80. Warehousing manager – $5,550
81. Building architect – $5,500
82. Systems designer and analyst – $5,500
83. Application programmer – $5,495
84. Pharmacologist – $5,475
85. Speech therapist – $5,407
86. Semi-conductor engineer – $5,360
87. Stationary plant supervisor and general foreman – $5,353
88. Treasury officer – $5,350
89. Ship-master – $5,301
90. Software engineer – $5,281
91. Industrial machinery and tools engineer – $5,250
92. Sales representative – $5,237
93. Hotel service manager – $5,170
94. Production engineer – $5,165
95. Network and computer systems administrator – $5,159
96. Telecommunications engineer – $5,100
97. Advertising copywriter – $5,000
98. Civil engineer – $5,000
99. Environment health inspector – $5,000
100. 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:

1. Managing director – $48,000
2. Company director – $23,500
3. Legal officer – $23,033
4. Personal banker – $20,238
5. General manager – $19,700
6. Foreign exchange dealer and broker – $17,595
7. Lawyer (except advocate and solicitor) – $17,500
8. Finance sales associate professional – $15,833
9. Fund manager – $13,107
10. Risk management manager – $13,000
11. Computer operations and network manager – $12,762
12. Engineering manager – $12,718
13. Treasury manager – $12,000
14. Financial futures dealer and broker – $11,667
15. Quality assurance manager – $11,500
16. Sales manager – $11,367
17. Corporate planning manager – $10,969
18. Training manager – $10,834
19. Legal service manager – $10,797
20. Operations manager (Finance) – $10,486
21. Personnel / Human resource manager – $9,940
22. Business development manager – $9,918
23. Auditor (Accounting) – $9,750
24. Market research analyst – $9,750
25. Computer and information systems manager – $9,392
26. Budgeting and financial accounting manager – $9,300
27. Business management consultant – $9,167
28. Marketing manager – $9,000
29. Customer service manager – $8,342
30. Software engineer – $8,309
31. Database administrator – $8,300
32. Premises maintenance manager – $8,175
33. Operations manager (Commerce) – $8,000
34. Network systems and data communication analyst – $7,762
35. Administration manager – $7,711
36. Credit analyst – $7,584
37. Business analyst – $7,500
38. Financial analyst – $7,500
39. Property / Estate manager – $7,300
40. Information technology security specialist – $7,084
41. Network and computer systems administrator – $6,713
42. Application programmer – $6,463
43. Systems designer and analyst – $6,272
44. Securities dealer and broker – $6,000
45. Advertising and public relations manager – $5,811
46. Corporate planning / affairs executive – $5,500
47. Executive secretary – $5,417
48. Treasury officer – $5,350
49. Accountant – $4,900
50. Civil engineer – $4,841
51. Computer systems operator – $4,724
52. Actuary – $4,590
53. Training officer – $4,583
54. Credit officer – $4,520
55. Personnel / Human resource officer – $4,520
56. Systems programmer – $4,450
57. Sales and marketing executive – $4,428
58. Management executive – $4,275
59. Public relations officer – $4,217
60. Bank officer – $4,167
61. Insurance sales agent and broker – $4,063
62. Graphic designer – $4,004
63. Property management executive – $4,000
64. Accounts executive – $3,896
65. Operations executive – $3,860
66. Secretary – $3,835
67. Appraiser and valuer – $3,800
68. Insurance underwriter – $3,666
69. Clerical supervisor – $3,660
70. Mechanical engineer – $3,638
71. Personnel / Human resource clerk – $3,531
72. Customer service executive – $3,461
73. Chauffeur – $3,341
74. Fire and safety officer – $3,225
75. Legal clerk – $3,200
76. Billing clerk – $3,042
77. Data processing control clerk – $2,909
78. Customer service clerk – $2,742
79. Cashier – $2,643
80. Ledger and accounts clerk – $2,583
81. Marketing clerk – $2,550
82. Office clerk – $2,481
83. Bank clerk – $2,441
84. Insurance / Underwriting clerk – $2,399
85. Bank teller – $2,307
86. Receptionist – $2,300
87. Securities clerk – $2,119
88. Office / Library attendant – $1,941
89. Building maintenance worker – $1,901
90. 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?