In a recent Occupational Wage Survey released by Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower, flying instructors emerged as the highest-paid professionals in the city-state. Their remarkable median monthly salary of S$21,000 leaves other professions in the dust, with foreign exchange brokers following closely at S$19,750, and in-house legal counsel earning a respectable S$17,972.
Commodities traders, excluding those in oil and bunker sectors, secured the fourth spot with a median pay of S$16,000, while chief information, technology, and security officers earned S$15,258 on average, according to Yahoo! News Singapore. Interestingly, managing directors and CEOs only managed to snag the tenth position, with a median wage of S$13,000. Clearly, the sky is the limit for flying instructors, but their dependency on altitude might just be a metaphor for the highs and lows of their pay scale.
The comprehensive survey, conducted between July and December of last year, evaluated 4,286 private sector firms employing approximately 407,800 full-time resident workers. Notably, this analysis excludes public sector employees. The wage figures reflect total earnings, including overtime pay, commissions, and bonuses, although they are calculated before accounting for Central Provident Fund contributions or income tax.
While the soaring salaries of flying instructors grab attention, the survey also shed light on more sobering statistics. Bus attendants and manual laborers such as building painters and waiters inhabit the lower end of the salary spectrum, earning a mere S$1,400 to S$1,600. Notably, differences in pay within professions indicate potential disparities; while the highest-paid flight instructors can earn anywhere from S$8,050 to S$30,000, economists noted a broader wage range from S$4,848 to S$20,000 for other occupations.
The survey also uncovered a complex landscape of gender pay gaps across different sectors. Male economists and human resources consultants often earn significantly more than their female counterparts, while women excel in roles like security operations specialists and attractions managers, typically outpacing male earnings in those fields. Meanwhile, positions such as executive search consultants and auxiliary police officers exhibit no gender-based salary discrepancies.
According to a preceding report from the manpower ministry, real wages experienced a significant uptick of 3.2% last year, marking the fastest growth since 2019. This increase followed a period of easing inflation, which dropped to 2.4% from 4.8%. Approximately 80% of companies raised salaries last year, a noteworthy rise from 65.6% in 2023, as many firms returned to profitability. However, the ministry cautioned about possible economic headwinds from global trade uncertainties and geopolitical tensions that could dampen wage growth moving forward.
Ang Boon Heng, head of the ministry’s manpower research and statistics department, indicated that although wage growth could slow down in 2025, the labor market is expected to remain tight. “Demand for services in community and social sectors continues to be robust,” he said, suggesting optimism amid cautious forecasts.
What professional sector achieved the highest median pay in Singapore’s recent survey?
Flying instructors topped the list with a median monthly salary of S$21,000.
How did the wage growth in Singapore compare to previous years?
Real wages rose by 3.2% last year, the fastest increase since 2019, marking a significant improvement compared to the previous year’s growth of just 0.4%.
Which professions showed notable gender pay gaps and what were some exceptions?
Male professionals, particularly in economics and human resources, often earned more than their female counterparts, while women in certain roles like security operations specialists earned more than men, and several professions showed no pay gap at all.
