Industries that saw salary increases in 2021 include computer/IT, manufacturing, banking & finance, and public services among others.
According to JobStreet's Salary Report 2022, released on Wednesday (23 February 2022), 49.9% of jobs in Singapore saw an increment in their salaries in Q1-Q3 2021, compared to the same period in 2020.
For example, 51% of admin/HR jobs saw an increase in salaries in that period, while 11% saw no change, and 38% saw a decrease. Looking at pay cuts, the data was similar — with 51% noting a pay cut, 11% noting no change, and 38% noting a decrease in pay cuts.
Among markets surveyed in Southeast Asia — Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Hong Kong, Singapore emerged top with the most salary increases in job ads. These industries with salary increases include computer/IT, manufacturing, banking & finance, and even the public services and transportation industries that had large volumes of job ads, in Q1-Q3 2021.
The average salary growth by industry with positive salary change stood at 9.4%.
The report further detailed the following:
Top salary growth in Singapore by industry and position level (2021 vs 2020, median)
While entry-level (less than one year of experience) to senior-executive roles in healthcare observed salary growth in 2021, those in the managerial level saw a 0% growth, and senior managerial level saw a 5.6% decrease in salary growth from 2020.
| Entry level (S$) | Junior executive (S$) | Senior executive (S$) | Manager (S$) | Senior manager (S$) | |
| Education | +6% | +31.7% | +20% | 10.5% | +6.3% |
| Telecoms | +4.4% | +16.3% | +17% | +7.7% | +25% |
| Marketing & advertising | +3.7% | +8.3% | 0% | +15% | +17.9% |
| Banking & finance | 0% | +2.9% | +14.6% | +10% | +7.4% |
| Retail & trade | +4.7% | +3.6% | +5.3% | +11.4% | +18.8% |
| Hospitality | +5.1% | +5.7% | +7.1% | 0% | 0% |
| Consumer goods | 0% | +3.3% | +6.3% | +3% | 0% |
| Public service | +2.1% | +7.3% | +3.9% | +2.3% | +0.5% |
| Transportation | +4.7% | +3.5% | +2.4% | +4.4% | 0% |
| Healthcare | +4.4% | +4.6% | +4.7% | 0% | -5.6% |
*Junior executive: one to four years of experience.
Top 10 salaries in Singapore by specialisation and position level (median)
The computer/IT specialisation has seen the highest median salaries earned among all specialisations analysed, with entry-level workers earning S$3,150 and senior managers earning S$10,750.
On the other hand, the admin/HR specialisation comes in eighth, with entry-level roles earning S$2,300 monthly, and senior managers earning S$9,500.
| Entry level (S$) | Junior executive (S$) | Senior executive (S$) | Manager (S$) | Senior manager (S$) | |
| Computer/IT | 3,150 | 4,250 | 6,000 | 7,300 | 10,750 |
| Accounting/finance | 3,000 | 3,200 | 4,500 | 7,000 | 10,800 |
| Engineering | 2,500 | 3,600 | 5,000 | 6,500 | 9,250 |
| Sciences | 2,500 | 4,000 | 5,050 | 6,500 | 8,450 |
| Building/construction | 3,000 | 3,500 | 4,500 | 6,250 | 9,000 |
| Sales/marketing | 2,750 | 3,250 | 4,200 | 5,880 | 9,000 |
| Healthcare | 2,500 | 3,450 | 4,500 | 6,000 | 8,500 |
| Admin/HR | 2,300 | 2,850 | 4,200 | 6,000 | 9,500 |
| Manufacturing | 2,250 | 3,000 | 4,250 | 6,000 | 9,000 |
| Services | 2,250 | 2,850 | 4,000 | 6,000 | 9,100 |
Top 10 salaries in Singapore by industry and position level (median)
Here, senior managers in telecommunications typically earn a media salary of S$11,250 per month, higher than those in banking/finance (S$10,850), computer/IT (S$9,500), and seven other industries.
| Entry level (S$) | Junior executive (S$) | Senior executive (S$) | Manager (S$) | Senior manager (S$) | |
| Telecommunications | 2,400 | 3,750 | 5,850 | 7,000 | 11,250 |
| Banking/finance | 3,100 | 3,500 | 5,500 | 7,150 | 10,850 |
| Computer/IT | 2,850 | 3,750 | 5,750 | 6,750 | 9,500 |
| Public service | 2,400 | 3,700 | 5,350 | 6,550 | 9,750 |
| Consulting | 2,850 | 3,250 | 5,250 | 6,250 | 9,250 |
| Entertainment | 2,650 | 3,250 | 4,775 | 6,000 | 10,050 |
| Oil & gas | 2,400 | 3,300 | 4,700 | 6,725 | 9,500 |
| Industrial machinery & equipment | 2,600 | 3,000 | 4,500 | 6,000 | 10,500 |
| Consumer goods | 2,300 | 3,150 | 4,250 | 6,000 | 10,500 |
| Electrical/electronics | 2,500 | 3,400 | 5,000 | 6,500 | 8,750 |
Salary breakdown by industry, specialisation, and position level
Finance
Junior executives specialising in computer/IT in this industry are paid S$4,500, same as their counterparts in oil & gas and science & technology. They are the highest-paid junior executives of all industries, according to the report.
| Entry level (S$) | Junior executive (S$) | Senior executive (S$) | Manager (S$) | Senior manager (S$) | |
| Overall | 3,100 | 3,500 | 5,500 | 7,200 | 10,900 |
| Accounting/finance | 3,500 | 3,550 | 5,100 | 7,150 | 10,900 |
| Admin/HR | 2,200 | 2,640 | 4,400 | 6,250 | 11,000 |
| Computer/IT | 3,250 | 4,500 | 6,200 | 7,700 | 10,900 |
| Hotel/restaurant | 2,000 | 2,0050 | 2,675 | - | - |
| Sales/marketing | 3,500 | 3,500 | 4,750 | 6,400 | 9,750 |
| Services | 2,600 | 2,900 | 4,325 | 5,750 | 10,800 |
| Consumer goods | 2,300 | 3,150 | 4,250 | 6,000 | 10,500 |
| Electrical/electronics | 2,500 | 3,400 | 5,000 | 6,500 | 8,750 |
Chemicals
Senior executives specialising in Services had the highest salary increment in the industry at +18.1% (S$650).
| Entry level (S$) | Junior executive (S$) | Senior executive (S$) | Manager (S$) | Senior manager (S$) | |
| Overall | 2,400 | 3,150 | 4,400 | 6,000 | 9,000 |
| Accounting/finance | - | 3,250 | 4,600 | 6,104 | - |
| Engineering | 2,675 | 3,300 | 4,750 | 5,500 | - |
| Manufacturing | 2,250 | 2,950 | 4,400 | - | - |
| Sales/marketing | - | 3,300 | 4,000 | 5,500 | - |
| Sciences | 2,400 | 2,750 | 4,250 | - | - |
| Services | 2,450 | 3,350 | 4,250 | 6,500 | - |
Computer/IT
All position levels specialising in computer/IT are paid the most compared to other specialisations in the industry, except for senior managers.
| Entry level (S$) | Junior executive (S$) | Senior executive (S$) | Manager (S$) | Senior manager (S$) | |
| Overall | 2,850 | 3,750 | 5,750 | 6,750 | 9,500 |
| Accounting/finance | 2,600 | 3,135 | 5,000 | 7,113 | 10,000 |
| Admin/HR | 2,350 | 3,150 | 4,300 | 5,700 | 9,000 |
| Computer/IT | 3,250 | 4,200 | 6,000 | 7,200 | 9,500 |
| Engineering | 2,750 | 3,500 | 5,400 | 6,000 | - |
| Manufacturing | - | 3,250 | 4,900 | 5,900 | - |
| Sales/marketing | 3,000 | 3,500 | 4,600 | 6,000 | 9,000 |
| Services | 2,400 | 2,700 | 4,175 | 5,780 |
Construction/building
Managers specialising in accounting/finance had the highest salary increment in the industry at +14.3% (S$750).
|
|
Entry level (S$) |
Junior executive (S$) |
Senior executive (S$) |
Manager (S$) |
Senior manager (S$) |
|
Overall |
2,600 |
3,300 |
4,400 |
6,250 |
9,000 |
|
Accounting/finance |
2,250 |
2,850 |
4,250 |
6,000 |
- |
|
Admin/HR |
2,100 |
2,600 |
3,750 |
5,700 |
- |
|
Building/construction |
3,100 |
3,550 |
4,500 |
6,500 |
8,500 |
|
Computer/IT |
3,000 |
3,750 |
5,500 |
7,500 |
- |
|
Engineering |
2,600 |
3,500 |
4,500 |
6,000 |
9,000 |
|
Manufacturing |
2,250 |
3,000 |
4,000 |
5,750 |
- |
| Sales/marketing | 2,850 | 3,200 | 4,000 | 5,300 | 8,900 |
| Services | 2,250 | 2,700 | 4,500 | 6,250 | - |
Consulting
Senior managers specialising in accounting/finance have the highest salaries compared to senior managers in other industries and specialisations at S$13,000.
|
|
Entry level (S$) |
Junior executive (S$) |
Senior executive (S$) |
Manager (S$) |
Senior manager (S$) |
|
Overall |
2,850 |
3,250 |
5,250 |
6,250 |
9,250 |
|
Accounting/finance |
3,000 |
3,000 |
4,200 |
6,000 |
13,000 |
|
Admin/HR |
2,400 |
2,850 |
4,250 |
5,800 |
- |
|
Building/construction |
3,450 |
3,500 |
4,850 |
- |
- |
|
Computer/IT |
3,200 |
4,000 |
6,000 |
7,500 |
9,500 |
|
Engineering |
2,500 |
3,355 |
5,000 |
6,000 |
- |
|
Manufacturing |
2,150 |
2,900 |
3,925 |
4,750 |
- |
| Sales/marketing | 3,175 | 3,250 | 4,425 | 5,750 | 7,625 |
| Services | 2,500 | 3,250 | 4,250 | 6,000 |
Telecommunications
Senior executives specialising in computer/IT are paid S$6,250, the highest among all industries, the same as their counterparts in the entertainment industry.
|
|
Entry level (S$) |
Junior executive (S$) |
Senior executive (S$) |
Manager (S$) |
Senior manager (S$) |
|
Overall |
2,425 |
3,750 |
5,850 |
7,000 |
11,250 |
|
Accounting/finance |
2,500 |
3,550 |
4,800 |
6,975 |
10,000 |
|
Admin/HR |
- |
3,275 |
4,800 |
6,750 |
- |
|
Computer/IT |
3,060 |
4,250 |
6,250 |
7,250 |
11,500 |
|
Engineering |
2,700 |
3,750 |
5,250 |
7,250 |
- |
|
Sales/marketing |
3,750 |
3,250 |
4,700 |
6,500 |
9,050 |
|
Services |
2,250 |
2,600 |
4,050 |
6,600 |
- |
Healthcare
Managers in this industry, specialising in engineering, had the highest monthly income at S$10,250 in 2021, compared to their counterparts in other industries.
|
|
Entry level (S$) |
Junior executive (S$) |
Senior executive (S$) |
Manager (S$) |
Senior manager (S$) |
|
Overall |
2,400 |
3,400 |
4,450 |
6,000 |
8,500 |
|
Accounting/finance |
2,575 |
3,100 |
4,200 |
6,000 |
9,000 |
|
Admin/HR |
2,250 |
3,300 |
4,100 |
5,800 |
7,750 |
|
Arts/media/communications |
- |
3,700 |
4,000 |
6,250 |
- |
|
Building/construction |
- |
4,000 |
4,500 |
5,980 |
- |
|
Computer/IT |
3,875 |
3.975 |
4,800 |
6,350 |
10,000 |
|
Engineering |
2,650 |
3,500 |
5,150 |
10,250 |
- |
| Healthcare | 2,500 | 3,400 | 4,500 | 6,000 | 8,250 |
| Manufacturing | 2,050 | 3,276 | 5,000 | 6,275 | - |
| Sales/marketing | 3,000 | 3,600 | 4,250 | 6,000 | 9,000 |
| Sciences | 2,550 | 3,700 | 4,500 | 5,850 | 9,000 |
| Services | 2,200 | 3,000 | 4,150 | 5,825 | - |
Public service
Entry Level workers specialising in engineering in this industry had the highest jump in salary at +23.4% (S$550).
|
|
Entry level (S$) |
Junior executive (S$) |
Senior executive (S$) |
Manager (S$) |
Senior manager (S$) |
|
Overall |
2,400 |
3,700 |
5,350 |
6,500 |
9,900 |
|
Accounting/finance |
2,250 |
3,250 |
4,500 |
6,950 |
10,000 |
|
Admin/HR |
2,250 |
3,150 |
4,350 |
6,100 |
10,400 |
|
Building/construction |
- |
3,700 |
4,700 |
6,750 |
- |
|
Computer/IT |
2,700 |
4,350 |
6,150 |
7,400 |
10,525 |
|
Education/training |
- |
3,200 |
4,250 |
5,800 |
- |
|
Sales/marketing |
- |
3,150 |
4,600 |
6,050 |
9,050 |
| Sciences | 2,900 | 3,800 | 5,150 | 6,400 | 10,550 |
| Services | 2,150 | 2,975 | 4,500 | 5,650 | - |
The full breakdown for more industries such as advertising & marketing, oil & gas, real estate, and more, can be found here.
The Salary Report 2022, Singapore edition, was developed by JobStreet Singapore, and compiled from JobStreet’s latest salary data between Q1 -Q3 2021 and the same period in 2020. All salary data is extracted from salary requirements from JobStreet employer’s job ads in the internal database.
Photos / 123rf.com
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