You and the other posters are right about the starting pay being tied to the scheme. I'm not sure what the OP meant by policy work, I was referring to stuff like the economist scheme in MAS which is one of those that pays higher than the typical MX.

Hmmm, got 8-10% for several non-promotion years... Didn't know the increment is so different for the average performer.

Not MAS, is MTI. economist hired by MAS is not under the scheme. Economist under MTI rotated out to MAS (or various other ministries) will be under the scheme.

Are you on the economist scheme? Or some other professional scheme (non MX)?

Yes you're right. Don't know how I ended up typing MAS.

That's quite high. 8% is probably the ceiling for B graders on my side. Mind sharing which org you're from?

Competition in policy department is stiffer too. Because the cream of the crop tend to flock there.

My guess is that this pax is on one of the professional schemes. For example, economist scheme and engineering scheme pay better.

How do you get on the engineering scheme?

not impossible, in fact quite common for non scholars, especially for the grade 1 ministries in their respective clusters, especially if someone comes in from the quasi govt sector - eg GLCs, GIC, Temasek Subs, Govt AUs, etc..

Also, these salaries tend to be in the Policy Sections/Division. with AO's and PSLPs in these departments it would need to be equitable.

MOH (senior health policy analysts are a good example at the 29yo 7k range), MTI (economists) and MINDEF (rare but there have been) are such examples.


but to rise from within to hit 7k by 29 is almost impossible unless you make it into the PSLP and finished your first milestone programme. must be a lateral shift.