Compare civil service salary

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Sorry if this is random, but will I eventually be able to buy a condo with a normal civil servant salary?

If this was 2002, 2004, or even 2006, yes. At up to $600k for a 3 bdrm 1300sqft condo being a farmer in CS would have made it attainable.

Today, 2.7mil for a 3bdrm condo in queenstown or 1.8mil in the far suburbs (tampines, sengkang etc.) And the condo size is 900+ sqft only.

You would have to be rather foolish and/or desperate to try and buy one. Locking almost every cent you earn into it. In short, it's not worth it.

The are 99 leaseholds too.

Plus the cost of living has also gone up + you have no pension unlike old civil servants + a car inexplicably costs $70+k for a trash like attrach or kia cerato when low end cars used to cost $30+-40k as recently as 2009.

I'm imagining based on a farmer who starts at 3.xk fresh grad on normal mx scheme and takes 10-18 years to hit 8k.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Sorry if this is random, but will I eventually be able to buy a condo with a normal civil servant salary?

sorry but to burst your bubble.. it is extremely hard...

aver price for a condo say 1.9m (exclude those in the core district)
to pay loan and live comfortably. you would need to earn combine 16k (each earn 8k)

for CS to earn 8k.. it would take more than 15 years.. scholar probably less than 12 years.. real farmer maybe dont even reach 8k..

of course you can have passive income, investment etc..

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Sorry if this is random, but will I eventually be able to buy a condo with a normal civil servant salary?

exclude central area, you can get a condo 3 bedder at around 1 to 1.2mil usually. but unlike hdb, you will need to pay at least 5% (out of 20% downpayment) in cash and 3% stamp duty (cash or cpf).. the high cost comes later. condo have a much higher maintenance cost compare to hdb. higher property tax, maintenance fee, no subsidy etc.

this means a 1mil condo cost much much more than a 1mil hdb (example pinnacle)

consider all other commitment like car, children, travel etc., you should get at least a combine income of 16k per mth before considering condo. you can consider EC instead.

for a avg civil servant to buy condo (assuming both u and ur hubby/wife) earns the same amount, you will probably takes about 20yrs minimum

Originally Posted by classof2017

finished an interview with JTC for Project Manager position.

does anyone know what is the pay range and annual bonus for project manager?

Was told it will be a "grade 6" , likely an entry grade


Background info

-class of 2017 (2nd upper with NS)
-good performance in private before joining
- engineering degree

how much they offered you for grade 6?

Hi. Read from another thread that Economist Scheme > FSO in terms of competitiveness? Any insights?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi. Read from another thread that Economist Scheme > FSO in terms of competitiveness? Any insights?

The Foreign Service is the most prestigious and coveted role in the civil service, particularly, in terms of remuneration. They have the highest starting base salaries (around 5k) and are entitled to bonuses particular to the scheme above and beyond the normal schemes (retention bonuses in the 3/4/7/8/9th years in service, other special bonuses and allowances).

That said, they also have the roughest working hours (8am - 12am almost 7 days a week - and for the more intense Desks, 2-3am is the norm). You will be worked to the bone. You will be shouted at and the working environment is not for the faint of heart.

Its also a boiler-pot chock full of elites. Most FSOs (even the non scholars) are either local university scholars or hail from top universities abroad (Oxbridge/HYPSM and the ilk). Do a simple search on LinkedIn if you don’t believe me. Even second uppers are rare. A significant proportion are also law graduates or lawyers by training (given both the relevance of the role as well as the fact that it is the only role in the CS - other than the Legal Service - which pays well enough to make it a reasonable alternative to practicing law in the private sector).[Note: I have to caveat that I am talking about FSOs in the Political and Economic track.]

Put simply, it is the only job in the civil service where you can hope to draw mid five-figures a month in under 5 years - if you get in (one of the lucky 20-30 out of the 5000 or so applicants annually) and if you survive.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The Foreign Service is the most prestigious and coveted role in the civil service, particularly, in terms of remuneration. They have the highest starting base salaries (around 5k) and are entitled to bonuses particular to the scheme above and beyond the normal schemes (retention bonuses in the 3/4/7/8/9th years in service, other special bonuses and allowances).

That said, they also have the roughest working hours (8am - 12am almost 7 days a week - and for the more intense Desks, 2-3am is the norm). You will be worked to the bone. You will be shouted at and the working environment is not for the faint of heart.

Its also a boiler-pot chock full of elites. Most FSOs (even the non scholars) are either local university scholars or hail from top universities abroad (Oxbridge/HYPSM and the ilk). Do a simple search on LinkedIn if you don’t believe me. Even second uppers are rare. A significant proportion are also law graduates or lawyers by training (given both the relevance of the role as well as the fact that it is the only role in the CS - other than the Legal Service - which pays well enough to make it a reasonable alternative to practicing law in the private sector).[Note: I have to caveat that I am talking about FSOs in the Political and Economic track.]

Put simply, it is the only job in the civil service where you can hope to draw mid five-figures a month in under 5 years - if you get in (one of the lucky 20-30 out of the 5000 or so applicants annually) and if you survive.

Great info!

Would you have any insight on the FSO scheme in the Functional/Corporate track?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Great info!

Would you have any insight on the FSO scheme in the Functional/Corporate track?

Starting pay is similar but dont expect the same progression or ROA. Quality of life can vary vastly across the various functional directorates.

Hi! What is the working hours for CS?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The Foreign Service is the most prestigious and coveted role in the civil service, particularly, in terms of remuneration. They have the highest starting base salaries (around 5k) and are entitled to bonuses particular to the scheme above and beyond the normal schemes (retention bonuses in the 3/4/7/8/9th years in service, other special bonuses and allowances).

That said, they also have the roughest working hours (8am - 12am almost 7 days a week - and for the more intense Desks, 2-3am is the norm). You will be worked to the bone. You will be shouted at and the working environment is not for the faint of heart.

Its also a boiler-pot chock full of elites. Most FSOs (even the non scholars) are either local university scholars or hail from top universities abroad (Oxbridge/HYPSM and the ilk). Do a simple search on LinkedIn if you don’t believe me. Even second uppers are rare. A significant proportion are also law graduates or lawyers by training (given both the relevance of the role as well as the fact that it is the only role in the CS - other than the Legal Service - which pays well enough to make it a reasonable alternative to practicing law in the private sector).[Note: I have to caveat that I am talking about FSOs in the Political and Economic track.]

Put simply, it is the only job in the civil service where you can hope to draw mid five-figures a month in under 5 years - if you get in (one of the lucky 20-30 out of the 5000 or so applicants annually) and if you survive.

If I want to jiak liao bee, is corporate track better?