How much do fresh uni grads (electrical engineers) earn, & how much 5-10 years later?

[orange888444]

I'm an electrical engineer in a telecoms-related company currently earning 2.5k, my first job for a few months already. I know this kinda thing depends on the individual and etc. But on average, how much do us engineers earn 5 years later, and like 10 years later? Need some insight. I just feel 2.5k is kinda low to start with, in view of the slow increment of an engineer's pay over the coming dozen years?

More info on my company: basically it provides network-engineering related services to telecommunications companies around asia, like in sg, to singtel/starhub/m1.
My position is project engineer. Company size around 100+?

Annual increment about 3% on average.

After 5 years = ~2.9k, 10 years = ~3.4k, 15 years = ~3.9k if stay in the same company!!

Originally Posted by orange888444

I'm an electrical engineer in a telecoms-related company currently earning 2.5k, my first job for a few months already. I know this kinda thing depends on the individual and etc. But on average, how much do us engineers earn 5 years later, and like 10 years later? Need some insight. I just feel 2.5k is kinda low to start with, in view of the slow increment of an engineer's pay over the coming dozen years?

More info on my company: basically it provides network-engineering related services to telecommunications companies around asia, like in sg, to singtel/starhub/m1.
My position is project engineer. Company size around 100+?

If the services means commissioning, installation, maintenance of telco equipments, then the prospect is not good because
1) low innovation = low margin
2) telco contracts are usually awarded to companies with the lowest bid.
3) huawei is becoming a dominant player - and it competes by squeezing the margin, so even with the LTE/4G rollout, the contractors may not earn much.
4) Telco FT from China, India and Philippines are eager to work here, undercutting the salary of local engineer.

The trend is that telco services will be like a big dumb pipe - just like a utility company. The innovation will be in data centre for cloud computing, apps for social media like skype/whatsapp/viber.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Annual increment about 3% on average.

After 5 years = ~2.9k, 10 years = ~3.4k, 15 years = ~3.9k if stay in the same company!!

wah that's pathetic isn't it, esp after 10 or so years. provided no promotion.

IT is that pathetic!!!! you never read "really that bad for engineers" thread arh LoLx

Anyway 2.5k really is quite bad, i diploma work from 5mths pay 2.1k.

Nice la, because of people like YOU, you are pressing our pay lower.

5 years if can reach manager level can be 6k, 10 years reach director / dept head level easily exceed 10k

Originally Posted by Unregistered

5 years if can reach manager level can be 6k, 10 years reach director / dept head level easily exceed 10k

Impossible in engineering... Maybe in banking or financial sector because you are nearer to the money... You want to earn 10k amonth.. You probably have to slog for 15 - 20yrs... No joke... You are the joek if you still stay as an engineer for 20yrs.. That's provided you dun get retrenched for being too expensive and get replaced by cheaper FT...

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Impossible in engineering... Maybe in banking or financial sector because you are nearer to the money... You want to earn 10k amonth.. You probably have to slog for 15 - 20yrs... No joke... You are the joek if you still stay as an engineer for 20yrs.. That's provided you dun get retrenched for being too expensive and get replaced by cheaper FT...

Most deg grads reach 10k within 10 yrs. This is standard across all industries regardless of finance, banking, marketing, HR, sales, ops. Engineering is not different.

The prob with a lot of engineers is they get stuck at technical level and unable to progress, ie still doing entry executive jobs even after many yrs.

Common problem like poor biz com skills, dont know how to negotiate, bochap politics, marveric punk behavior, poor leadership skills prevent them from moving up to leadership positions where the money is. The PRC & Indian FTs may have lousy technical skills, but they are more rounded skills so end up a lot of them get promoted to the plump jobs

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Most deg grads reach 10k within 10 yrs. This is standard across all industries regardless of finance, banking, marketing, HR, sales, ops. Engineering is not different.

The prob with a lot of engineers is they get stuck at technical level and unable to progress, ie still doing entry executive jobs even after many yrs.

Common problem like poor biz com skills, dont know how to negotiate, bochap politics, marveric punk behavior, poor leadership skills prevent them from moving up to leadership positions where the money is. The PRC & Indian FTs may have lousy technical skills, but they are more rounded skills so end up a lot of them get promoted to the plump jobs

I dont think most civil servants after 10 years of working experience will be promoted to deputy director where pay scale starts at around 8.5k.
The claim that most degree holder will reach 10k in 10 yrs is an urban myth

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I dont think most civil servants after 10 years of working experience will be promoted to deputy director where pay scale starts at around 8.5k.
The claim that most degree holder will reach 10k in 10 yrs is an urban myth

Civil service high starting salary slow progression, cannot compare to pte sector long run