Don't worry, my friend, we are all here to share some info about salary and job prospects. Besides, it is pretty discreet and safe here.

On to the main point, I'm as average as a singaporean male can get. JC(2yrs) -> Army(2.5yrs) -> Uni(4yrs) -> Start Work (25YearsOld). My part-time work experience is very lousy. Most credible part-time job i ever taken was a 2-weeks sales promoter job with Singtel. No CCAs, internship, FYP projects or whatsover. i'm 2nd Lower honours also.

So i guess i got a pretty good offer then? I also just started work and i have gotten to know that the person who recruiter(interviewed) me happened to be an alumni(NUS). So maybe it does helps also lah.

I have to say I am very surprised. As far as i know, all fresh graduates including returning scholars come into civil service as MX13.

Only for mid-career switch people, then does the exception come (they could come in as MX12 or 11 or 10, etc depending on their relevant work experience)

For someone who has 2nd lower, to get MX12 is very very rare and to the extent of strange. Can check whats your starting pay? I'm guessing $3000 for a 2nd lower guy with NS?

Hmm ya, my starting pay is 3K with NS increments. A classmate of mine with roughly the same profile also secured a similar position(just different departments) 1 month before me. I also met up with another classmate who graduated last year, with a pass(merit) degree. His was MX13, but the starting pay is 2.9K.

Want to ask all the experienced ppl here, sometimes the pay grades different but the starting pay almost the same, so is there any difference actually? Maybe my MX13 classmate will get promoted to MX12 within 1-2 years, and maybe i will stay at MX12 for a longer period of time, with pay increments and only get promoted to MX11 in 3,4 years' time?

If I have a language degree from SIM, no honors, a couple of years of experience, completed NS, what pay should I expect if I join civil service?

1 of my male friend from ntu 2nd upper fresh grad in 2008 july, join MINDEF under DXO scheme (also civil service), getting $3600 starting pay(with NS included) that year.

With a different MX grade, (higher) comes a yearly increment which is slight higher than the lower grade (MX 13 eg) and your salary scale will be higher than that of MX 13. That is difference. Other than that, pretty much the same

DXO pays higher starting salary than MXO schemes because of the military jobscope. But thats for a reason:once you go in, the work experience is not easily transferable. Would be an issue if you decide halfway that you cant see urself doing DXO work as a career. Similar to why uniformed groups pay higher. Its to attract people in.

Assuming ur fren performs ok, he will get MX12 after 1 year (either offered perm or 3 yr contract). As for you, the fastest you can turn MX11 is at least 3 years time. But do take note that this is the exception rather than the norm.

Any idea wats a lecturer's pay scheme ? I understand that they recently change their pay scheme.

Is there such a scheme in the civil service? Or are you referring to the various teaching schemes under MOE, or the polytechnic lecturer schemes?

MOE they have MX13, MX12, MX11 etc.. wonder what's poly lecturer's pay scheme and what is the salary range.

The following is the lecturer pay scale from a certain poly, but it is old info that I dug out from my personal notes (6 years old):

L1 6650 * 290 - 8100
L2A 6330 * 285 - 6900
L2 5065 * 285 - 6490
L3 4260 * 230 - 5640
L4 3425 * 190 - 4755
L5A 2680 * 165 - 4165
L5 2000 * 160 - 2760

For each L level, the first number is the minimum basic pay, the second number is the yearly increment quantum, and the third the max basic.

I was at L4 and was getting close to 80k per year when bonuses were included. I also taught part-time at SIM University, getting about 10-20k per year. But again, this was 6 years ago.

Just wondering.

If a person got a degree from a private University, what scheme will they be under? And what will the pay for the scheme be like?

civil servants good pay?
 

entered in 2003 earning 1.8k
recently just promoted in july now may pay merely 3.2k
bonuses subjected to economical downturn
7 years in service
29 years old now.
poly kia senior techician
wonder how does this compare to outside world.

frankly speaking, i dun recommend poly people work as civil servant, they are of great disadvantages.

Only degree holder is good to be civil servant, starting pay can be as high as $4000 for 1st class people.

poly people should work in private sector , and clock OT pay, civil service sure no OT pay.

so 7 years ur total increment is 3200-1800 = 1400, is average $200 annual per year.

200/1800 = abt 10% increment.

i also degree holder, my annual increment is abt 3% only, my basic is 3k , means $90 annual increment only in private sector. which is much much worst than you.


all i can say is that civil service give good annual increment, with annual package of abt 16months for average performer. which is not bad.

previous posts also reveal an NUS 2nd upper art grad(non scholar), having starting pay 3.2k in 2007 , and in 2010 he is getting 4.4k, mean annual increment of abt $300 for 4 years. The annual increment for civil service win the private sector, i must admit., compare to my 90-100 annual increment -_-"

thanks for the breakdown man. often heard poly pple doing much better outside than me. now i noe its kinda true. many thanks man.

I am 30 years old, had a first degree in science and an MBA. I only earn 2.6kpm, annual is about 40000 with bonus. I think i am the WORSR case scenorio in Singapore. Worse than Poly people. True?

true. worse than poly grads.

This person <<let me guest>> is far far better than you, he poly only, and current salary is $3200, more than your $2600 despite you got MASTER degree.

Assume he is average performer with annual 16 months package from civil service, Annual he got 3200 x 16 = $51200, much much better than your $40000.

Oh how depressing. So how much should i be looking at salary?

I kinda like my current job really, but really the pay 2.6pm for MBA is rock bottom low. it is like a fresh grad pay. and till think i work for 5 years now, plus NS is 7.5 years!

If you really like your job, you should be happy doing it for free. :)

it would help a lot if you could share with us what is the nature of your job right now and where did you obtain your MBA. More importantly, what experience have you obtained over the last 5 years.

Thanks. but this is like 6 years ago.. i heard that they have a restructuring...

Poly Lecturer's pay
 

This is about a year old when I was on the adjunct faculty at a poly

PAX 2 $10,520 - $14,500/ $16,490
PAX 3 $6,620 - $9,140/ $10,400
PAX 4A / 4E $4,580 - $7,030/ $8,250
PAX 5A / 5E $3,470 - $5,320/ $6,240
PAX 6A / 6E $2,150 - $4,160/ $5,160

Want more info on this:

How much is the annual increment (without any promotion during that year) for an "average performer" in the civil service.

Assume he got 2nd lower honors NUS, starting salary is $3200 in a SG ministry.

Can I know how much is it? Got $200-$300 or not? Or how many %.

Assuming a fresh grad, he will be in Either MX 13 or MX 12. The increment for these two scales is 100 odd. I do not think it will hit 200 but i maybe wrong.

Deputy Finance Director at Poly
 

Hi all,

can someone give me a rough idea how much a deputy finance director at a poly shd be getting ? going for an interview soon but dunno the market price as I come from private sector :) I have more than 15 years experience in finance and accounting...thanks.

Asst Mgr In PMO
 

How much can an AM with 10 years of expereince in commercial sector command at PMO?
Arts deg.

This is indeed a very interesting thread.

I only worked for 7 months in the civil service, which was my first job upon graduation. Thereafter, I joined a university, doing somethign I really like. My job requires me to remain in close contact with the civil service, though.

My pay took a hit, and admittedly, in general, I am significantly behind my peers who stayed on in the civil service, their first and only job. But, taking a step back, I'm still happy, and my life is still comfortable. Yes, I do get envious hearing the raw salary figures, but you gotta see things from different perspectives.

Also, I've come to realise, you just need a good financial strategy to be OK financially!

Several comments/observations.


- The civil service is Singapore's largest employer. Because it's such a big organisaiton, similar to having many industries under one roof, you can't take the career paths of individuals as the benchmark. In many cases, comparing 2 civil servants will be like comparing apples and oranges. In that sense, this original purpose of this thread, to get a "feel" of civil service pay scales for the sake of comparison is impossible to achieve. This is especially so as many of those who have kindly given precise salary figures did not state their appointment or ministry.

- To the question of whether you're being underpaid, I believe that the civil service pays a fair wage for each job vacancy. What may make you think otherwise is the speicifc work environment. Perhaps you have a lousy boss who rides you too hard? Maybe your boss is making you do more than you're really supposed to do? Or maybe the job is simply a poor job fit for you. In other words, it's more because of people issues that you feel underpaid, not structural ones where the organisation is intentionally underpaying you.

- It is also important to note that you are civil servants, supposedly working for the good for the people of Singapore. There is a certain amount of altriuism to be expected. Just like how we expect politicians to make sacrifices for the larger good, I think it is only fair that we expect civil servants to at least be interested in service to the country, and be motivated not just by salary alone. There must be other forms of satisfaction derived. I know this is grey area, and I agree the general work ethic in Singapore doesn't promote this "selflessness." I also recognise that many will say politicians are paid very well so why should we talk about selflessness etc. But that said, I do believe that many of the politicians would be earning a lot more in the private sector if they went back. Even if they aren't nice or likeable people, people you jsut want to smack and slap, they are indeed incredibly smart and capable. If they had stayed in the industries they were head-hunted by the PAP from, they would certainly be rolling in the dough! Anyway, that's an entirely different discussion.

- What you do (your job) is as important as how much you get paid. If you value the latter over the former, there is a good chance that by your 40s, you'll be incredibly cynical and disillusioned because your salary will never be enough (in your opinion).

- Also, as someone pointed out, the civil service treats its employees in a civil manner. There is a large amount of stability in your job if you do what's expected of you (you don't even need to excel). THe private sector, however, isn't as stable in general. Although you might earn a lot more, there's also a greater risk that you may lose your job, even if you were the hardest worker on the block. THis is something you should factor in. Don't just look at the short-term. Consider the longer term. Some people value this stability, and are willing to earn less for it.

- On this topic, think about work-life balance too. This is especially important when switching between industries, or private and public sectors. There's a cost for everything gained! I believe there's no such thing as a free lunch. If you get fantastic pay, there must be a cost. Also, having lots of money is good, but as the chinese saying goes, "how much rice can you eat?" A lot of us already earn more than the median monthly income of Singaporeans. Maybe it's time to adjust your expectations. It's the classic chasing the 5Cs phenomenon. Find something else that will satisfy you, and help you find the meaning of life (cheesy as it may sound, it is very important!).

- As with all industries, there's an element of luck in determining your salary or promotion. Sometimes, this element of luck can be a lot larger than you might think! After all, you're working in an environment staffed by people, not robots, where judgements and decisions will be unavoidably subjective. Because of this, it is impossible to calculate precisely how well you will do, or how fast you may move up. Many promotions happen because you happen to be at the right place at the right time. Or you happen to possess an urgently needed set of skills. Call it destiny or good karma. There's a certain amount of plotting, scheming and engineering that can be done, but you can never chart your career progression as if it's a science.

- Increasingly, the scholar-farmer divide is narrowing. Especially for those who have just joined the civil service. I know this is very much the case in MINDEF. If you're in your late 30s or 40s, maybe you'll see it less. But for younger civil servants, opportunities abound, even if you're not a scholar! Don't allow people to convince you otherwise. Yes, scholars will be taken care of, but only because the govt has spent so much money on them. That said, many are leaving too! There's also the grudging recognition that a brilliant 18 year old doesn't necessarily make a brilliant 28 year old, or a 38 year old :)

- Finally, and I suppose this is what I think is the most important, is get a financial plan. Either read up and make your own, or employ a reliable financial advisor. At the end of the day, your biggest asset is time, so the sooner you have a disciplined plan, the more your money can grow. And with a good plan, you can still race ahead of your peers even if your pay is below theirs. Also, if you have specific goals, you can try to work towards them. And even if your financial burdens are incredibly heavy, with early planning, you can still have a very comfortable life. Few realise how wonderful time can be as a monetary multiplier! I know of so many people who drew high salaries but blew it away because they didn't have a good financial plan. This is also tied in with work-life balance. If you work in a stressful job, there's a higher chance you'll spend money on unnecessary things which don't add any value to your financial portfolio because you think "you deserve treating yourself." Ironically, it's because you want to expand your financial portfolio that you seek a high paying job!

anybody working in govt sector with a private degree (unsim etc), I'm really interested to pursue a degree level entry into a govt sector, I'm worried that they would be biased against ppl with private degrees.

If any of you are in, may i know what is your starting pay and in which industry?

I'm looking into entering People's association, i have previously worked in a related stat board for 4 years with my diploma.

Appreciate if someone can give me a reply. thanks!

I agree with Pespective's comment that the gap between the scholars and non-scholars is narrowing. I used to work in the civil service and I have seen non-scholars being promoted almost as fast, or in some situations, as fast, as the scholars. I would say the gap is between the AO and the rest including the scholars.

agree with most of your points, although I don't totally buy theory of politicians being paid higher if they left the civil service. Just a few other points:
- the argument of 'selflessness', 'altruism' does not hold any more. Ever since our ministers start collecting million dollar packages for questionable performances, it is difficult to ask everyone in the civil service to take a lower package while the leaders do otherwise.
- you think someone like WKS or even MBT is worth a lot in the private sector? If you are talking about the surgeons, bankers, lawyers, maybe I buy it. But not all of them are necessarily worth a lot in the private sector. I would even venture to say that they have to take huge pay cut if they leave the government service.

Yeah, I know the civil service is evolving. And to be honest, I'm saddened that it's no longer seen as a calling, or something that's bigger than oneself. It's largely transactional.

I personally believe it's an unfortunate outcome of the import of corporate sector "best practices" to make the civil service more efficient. For the most part, these best practices do indeed improve productivity and efficiency. But the downside is this passion for compensation among employees, which I think is bad for the public sector. I mean you can't provide some public goods well like defence, education and health if you apply a strictly business HR approach. The attrition rate within these ministries is quite high, and no amount of $ will fix it.

I said most politicians would do well outside, not all. I know MBT was a government scholar who headed SBS when he was in his 30s. Who's to say he wouldnt have become SMRT's head, earning a million and a quarter a year? As for WKS, he's old guard, suppose things were different then.

Anyway, I see your point, but this debate will go on forever, which isn't the purpose of this thread.

I think my larger point is salary is important, but I think there's more to life, and not just outside work, but in work too. You need to find satisfaction in other things. And I'd like to think that for civil servants, satisfaction comes from helping make your fellow citizen's life better and more comfortable, regardless in what area, directly or indirectly.

But of course, everyone's entitled to their opinion. Just hoping to provide a balance here.

On the contrary, not much free time. These days, especially with a particular poly in the east, the trend is to give plenty of continual assessment to the students. Which means, plenty of marking.

On top of it, the poly expects lecturers to haul up under-performing students and even to call up their parents.

Thanks for this post.
This is wisdom and worth re-reading again.
Cheers

Hi there, may I know which company your friends is working at, what aspect of the job is he in, and how long has he been working in that company?

Many thanks!

stat board
 

hi,

I'm 31 with a PhD in engineerin and make 3.6k per month working for a stat board.
Should I wish for more?

No don't wish for too much. Be contented with what u have. Life is too short to keep thinking about money.

From what I understand, the Civil Service pays for academic achievements based on relevance. If you manage to find a position in another stat board / ministry asking for post-grad qualifications (could be in engineering or not), then yes, your salary would increase substantially.

But if your current position doesn't require a PhD, then chances are you're on the same progression rate as other graduates who have no PhDs. It's all down to performance, and to a large extent, how well your bosses like you (huh).

I've heard of several graduates who attained Masters while working in the Civil Service then resigned because it simply didn't help them get promoted (one of the reasons is also that the Civil Service doesn't recognize your Masters if you attain it part-time while working inside the Civil Service).

I'm guessing that you have 3 years or less of working experience (since you would probably be at least 28 years old after getting your PhD) so 3.6k is reasonable.