A higher income makes it easier to build and hold on to wealth, provided you have the right tools and a plan behind it.
For its size, Singapore holds a lot of wealth, with 244,000 US-dollar millionaires as of 2025. Average wealth per adult is over US$500,000, though the median adult holds far less.
But what about the average person on the street? What does a typical full-time worker here actually earn, and how does your salary compare?
We went through the latest official data to find the median income in Singapore, broken down by age, sex, education, occupation, and industry.
If you’re looking for household income instead, we’ve covered average household income in Singapore separately.
All figures are in Singapore dollars unless specified otherwise. An exchange rate of US$1 to S$1.30 was applied for conversions.
Summary of Key Findings
- The median income in Singapore is $5,775/month ($69,300/year), including employer CPF contributions. This equates to US$4,442/month or US$53,308/year.
- Excluding employer CPF contributions, the median income is $5,000/month.
- Singapore’s median income has grown 46.2% over the past 10 years, an annualised increase of 3.9% in nominal terms, or 2.1% after inflation.
- Workers at the 20th percentile earned $3,164/month in 2025, up 4.6% from the year before.
- Salaries are likely to peak between the ages of 40 and 44.
- In 2025, the median salary for men was 9.9% (or $540) higher than that of women.
- Degree holders earn a median income of $9,038, which is $3,968 (or 78.3%) more than diploma holders.
- The highest-paying industry was financial and insurance services, with a 2025 median salary of $9,258.
- Incomes are becoming a little less unequal at the lower end. MOM’s ratio of the 20th percentile to the median rose to 0.55 in 2025, from 0.51 a decade earlier.
Read on for more details.
SIDE NOTE
A policy bought years ago. Savings in three places. A will that's still on the to-do list.
None of it is wrong. It's just not a plan yet.
There's an order that turns the pieces into one system, and it doesn't require becoming a finance expert. Here's the order, in 7 steps, so you know what to sort out first.
The Source of Our Data
Our figures come from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
The Manpower Research & Statistics Department publishes comprehensive employment reports annually. The main dataset here comes from the Labour Force in Singapore 2025 report, released on 29 January 2026, supplemented by MOM’s wage practices data from May 2026.
For this article, we’re focusing on gross monthly income from work of full-time employed residents. Here’s what that means in practice:
- Residents are Singapore citizens and permanent residents (PRs). Foreigners on work passes are not included.
- Gross monthly income covers basic wages, overtime pay, commissions, tips, allowances, and one-twelfth of annual bonuses, before deducting employee CPF contributions and income tax. Unless stated otherwise, it includes employer CPF contributions.
- Self-employed persons are included too. For them, income refers to average monthly profits from their business, trade, or profession before income tax.
- Full-time national servicemen are excluded.
Although “income” and “salary” have distinctions, we’ll use them interchangeably for clarity.
The Difference Between Averages: Mean vs Median
The most popular measurements of average are mean and median.
For example, we have this set of data:
| Person 1 | $3,000 |
| Person 2 | $4,000 |
| Person 3 | $5,000 |
| Person 4 | $6,000 |
| Person 5 | $17,000 |
To get the mean, you sum up all the figures (3,000+4,000+5,000+6,000+17,000) and divide by five, giving $7,000.
To get the median, you arrange the figures from smallest to largest. The one in the very middle (or 50th percentile) is the median, and that’s $5,000. If there are two numbers in the middle, you take the average of the two.
For income, the median is preferable. A small number of very high earners pulls the mean upwards, which makes the “average” look richer than the typical worker. The median simply tells you the halfway point: 50% of workers earn below it, and 50% earn above it.
What Is the Median Salary in Singapore?
The median monthly salary in Singapore was $5,775 in 2025 ($69,300/year), including employer CPF contributions. This equates to US$4,442/month or US$53,308/year.
Here are the income figures for the past years:
| Year | Median Monthly Income (Including Employer CPF Contributions) |
|---|---|
| 2012 | $3,480 |
| 2013 | $3,705 |
| 2014 | $3,770 |
| 2015 | $3,949 |
| 2016 | $4,056 |
| 2017 | $4,232 |
| 2018 | $4,437 |
| 2019 | $4,563 |
| 2020 | $4,534 |
| 2021 | $4,680 |
| 2022 | $5,070 |
| 2023 | $5,197 |
| 2024 | $5,500 |
| 2025 | $5,775 |
From 2024 to 2025, the median monthly income increased from $5,500 to $5,775, a rise of 5.0%. After adjusting for inflation, real income at the median grew by 4.1%, helped by inflation easing from its 2022 to 2023 peak.
Over the past 10 years (2015 to 2025), Singapore’s median income increased by 46.2%. This is an annualised increase of 3.9%. After factoring in inflation, the annual increase was 2.1%.
Excluding employer CPF, the 2025 median works out to $5,000 a month.
How Much Do Singaporeans Earn at Each Age?
Salaries in Singapore peak between the ages of 40 and 44, at a median of $7,800 a month in 2025.
Typically, our wages rise as we age, up to a certain point, on the back of experience, pay increments, and promotions.
Here are the median salaries by age group:
| Age Group | 2025 Median Monthly Salary (Including Employer CPF Contributions) | 2024 Median Monthly Salary (Including Employer CPF Contributions) | 2023 Median Monthly Salary (Including Employer CPF Contributions) | 2022 Median Monthly Salary (Including Employer CPF Contributions) | 2021 Median Monthly Salary (Including Employer CPF Contributions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 – 19 | $1,872 | $1,170 | $1,580 | $1,638 | $1,170 |
| 20 – 24 | $3,276 | $3,269 | $3,042 | $2,925 | $2,691 |
| 25 – 29 | $5,000 | $4,680 | $4,680 | $4,446 | $4,095 |
| 30 – 34 | $6,338 | $5,870 | $5,850 | $5,792 | $5,222 |
| 35 – 39 | $7,253 | $7,049 | $6,718 | $6,825 | $6,102 |
| 40 – 44 | $7,800 | $7,434 | $7,098 | $6,825 | $6,825 |
| 45 – 49 | $7,605 | $7,498 | $6,825 | $6,581 | $5,958 |
| 50 – 54 | $6,825 | $6,400 | $5,850 | $5,850 | $5,070 |
| 55 – 59 | $5,005 | $4,731 | $4,351 | $4,323 | $3,729 |
| 60 & Over | $3,222 | $3,052 | $2,905 | $2,621 | $2,543 |
The shape is a familiar arc. Pay starts low for the youngest workers, peaks at $7,800 in the 40 to 44 band, then eases back through the older age groups.
For context, Singapore’s statutory retirement age rose to 64 on 1 July 2026, with re-employment now up to 69.
So what does this mean for you?
Earnings tend to fall as you approach your 60s, which is a good reason to save while you’re still in your peak earning years. If you’re young, setting aside money for retirement early gives your savings more time to compound. Leave it too late and you’re relying on a smaller income to do more work.
What about fresh graduates?
Fresh university graduates who found full-time work earned a median gross monthly salary of $4,500 in 2025, unchanged from the year before.
That figure comes from the latest Graduate Employment Survey, which also found that 74.4% of graduates in the workforce were in full-time permanent roles within six months, down from 79.4% a year earlier. Pay held steady, but full-time roles were harder to come by.
Notice that $4,500 sits between the medians for the 20 to 24 and 25 to 29 age groups, which is roughly where you’d expect fresh degree holders to fall. Whether that starting salary justifies the rising cost of a university education is a question more parents are asking. Our own university costs survey looks at what parents expect to pay.
QUICK CHECK
Can you answer these three questions?
1) If something happened to you tomorrow, how much would your family receive?
2) At 65, what monthly income will your savings and investments pay you?
3) If you never get round to a will, who inherits what, and in what proportion?
Most people manage one at best. Not because they're careless, but because nobody has shown them which order to tackle things in.
That order exists. Work through your finances in this sequence, from income and protection through to investments and estate planning.
Do Men Earn More Than Women in Singapore?
Yes. In 2025, the median salary for men was $6,000 a month, 9.9% (or $540) higher than the $5,460 for women.
The gender pay gap has always been a hot topic in Singapore (and in most developed countries). Here are the median incomes for both males and females over the years:
| Year | Males’ Median Monthly Income (Including Employer CPF Contributions) | Females’ Median Monthly Income (Including Employer CPF Contributions) | Difference in Dollars | Difference in Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | $3,640 | $3,230 | $410 | 12.7% |
| 2013 | $3,915 | $3,480 | $435 | 12.5% |
| 2014 | $4,000 | $3,518 | $482 | 13.7% |
| 2015 | $4,118 | $3,744 | $374 | 10.0% |
| 2016 | $4,241 | $3,803 | $438 | 11.5% |
| 2017 | $4,437 | $4,027 | $410 | 10.2% |
| 2018 | $4,680 | $4,095 | $585 | 14.3% |
| 2019 | $4,810 | $4,329 | $481 | 11.1% |
| 2020 | $4,719 | $4,374 | $345 | 7.9% |
| 2021 | $4,875 | $4,437 | $438 | 9.9% |
| 2022 | $5,450 | $4,948 | $502 | 10.1% |
| 2023 | $5,460 | $5,070 | $390 | 7.7% |
| 2024 | $5,850 | $5,265 | $585 | 11.1% |
| 2025 | $6,000 | $5,460 | $540 | 9.9% |
The 2025 gap of 9.9% was smaller than in 2024, when men earned 11.1% more (or $585) than women.
Over the longer run the gap looks to be narrowing, though not in a straight line. It reached a low of 7.7% in 2023, widened in 2024, and sat at 9.9% in 2025.
For further insight, here are the median salaries broken down by age and sex:
| Age Group | 2025 Males’ Median Monthly Salary (Including Employer CPF Contributions) | 2025 Females’ Median Monthly Salary (Including Employer CPF Contributions) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 – 19 | $1,872 | $1,919 |
| 20 – 24 | $3,000 | $3,452 |
| 25 – 29 | $4,680 | $5,070 |
| 30 – 34 | $6,338 | $6,235 |
| 35 – 39 | $7,859 | $6,825 |
| 40 – 44 | $8,580 | $7,020 |
| 45 – 49 | $8,532 | $6,928 |
| 50 – 54 | $7,508 | $6,084 |
| 55 – 59 | $5,544 | $4,547 |
| 60 & Over | $3,358 | $2,940 |
The data excludes full-time national servicemen.
Women outearn men in the younger age brackets (15 to 29). It is only from age 30 onwards that men begin to earn more.
There are a couple of likely reasons. Men here serve two years of full-time National Service followed by a 10-year reservist cycle, which delays the start of their careers. And by age 30, many women reach the typical childbearing age. Some mothers take career breaks or move to lower-intensity jobs to manage caregiving, which affects earnings for years afterwards.
Does a Degree Still Pay? Income by Education
Degree holders earned a median monthly income of $9,038 in 2025, which is 78.3% more than diploma and professional qualification holders.
In Singapore, education has long been seen as the route to a better income, and most parents still want their children to earn at least a degree.
But does having a degree matter in today’s context?
Here are the median salaries according to the highest qualification achieved:
| Highest Qualification | 2025 Median Monthly Income (Including Employer CPF Contributions) |
|---|---|
| Below Secondary | $2,616 |
| Secondary | $3,606 |
| Post-Secondary (Non-Tertiary) | $3,574 |
| Diploma & Professional Qualification | $5,070 |
| Degree | $9,038 |
On these numbers, education still counts for a lot. Degree holders sit at the top with $9,038, some $3,968 above the next group. The steady demand for qualifications has also pushed the cost of education up sharply.
Whether a degree keeps this much pull in the years ahead, particularly as AI changes entry-level work, we can’t say yet.
Income by Occupation
Below are the median salaries by occupation:
| Occupation | 2025 Median Monthly Salary (Including Employer CPF Contributions) |
|---|---|
| Managers & Administrators | $11,445 |
| Professionals | $8,758 |
| Associate Professionals & Technicians | $4,853 |
| Clerical Support Workers | $3,510 |
| Service & Sales Workers | $3,315 |
| Craftsmen & Related Trades Workers | $3,270 |
| Plant & Machine Operators & Assemblers | $2,993 |
| Cleaners, Labourers, & Related Workers | $2,239 |
In 2025, professionals, managers, executives, and technicians (PMETs) earned a median monthly salary substantially higher than non-PMETs.
Managers and administrators are the highest-earning group at $11,445. The lowest are cleaners, labourers, and related workers at $2,239. That is a gap of more than five times between the top and bottom occupational groups, which we look at more closely in our piece on income inequality in Singapore.
Income by Industry
Financial and insurance services was the highest-paying industry in 2025, with a median monthly salary of $9,258.
Here are the median incomes by industry over the past 10 years:
| Industry | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | $6,131 | $5,850 | $5,460 | $5,460 | $4,896 | $4,885 | $5,000 | $4,680 | $4,500 | $4,571 |
| Construction | $4,820 | $4,914 | $5,000 | $4,583 | $4,200 | $4,294 | $4,095 | $4,095 | $3,803 | $3,803 |
| Services | $5,789 | $5,500 | $5,187 | $5,070 | $4,680 | $4,505 | $4,516 | $4,388 | $4,212 | $4,000 |
| – Wholesale & Retail Trade | $5,197 | $5,070 | $4,875 | $4,817 | $4,285 | $4,212 | $4,118 | $4,070 | $3,861 | $3,591 |
| – Transportation & Storage | $4,000 | $3,900 | $3,554 | $3,510 | $3,168 | $2,925 | $3,225 | $3,161 | $2,925 | $2,925 |
| – Accommodation & Food Services | $3,023 | $2,974 | $2,853 | $2,640 | $2,457 | $2,282 | $2,300 | $2,308 | $2,123 | $2,106 |
| – Information and Communications | $8,190 | $7,605 | $7,320 | $7,000 | $6,092 | $6,330 | $6,047 | $5,719 | $5,704 | $5,265 |
| – Financial & Insurance Services | $9,258 | $8,736 | $8,190 | $8,190 | $7,069 | $7,020 | $6,913 | $6,540 | $6,581 | $6,240 |
| – Real Estate Services | $5,000 | $4,908 | $4,777 | $5,000 | $4,095 | $4,437 | $4,520 | $4,475 | $4,183 | $3,390 |
| – Professional Services | $7,254 | $6,900 | $6,435 | $6,581 | $5,850 | $5,850 | $5,704 | $5,558 | $5,558 | $5,265 |
| – Administrative and Support Services | $3,397 | $3,296 | $3,168 | $2,925 | $2,725 | $2,748 | $2,808 | $2,535 | $2,311 | $2,362 |
| – Public Administration & Education | $7,605 | $7,032 | $6,833 | $6,962 | $6,338 | $6,338 | $6,338 | $6,012 | $5,850 | $5,655 |
| – Health & Social Services | $5,405 | $5,070 | $4,817 | $4,680 | $4,309 | $4,129 | $4,199 | $4,095 | $4,000 | $3,949 |
| – Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation | $5,005 | $4,777 | $4,095 | $4,150 | $3,803 | $3,803 | $4,056 | $3,803 | $3,549 | $3,510 |
| – Other Community, Social, & Personal Services | $3,803 | $3,510 | $3,721 | $3,510 | $3,296 | $2,996 | $3,250 | $3,089 | $2,925 | $2,925 |
| Others | $6,362 | $5,786 | $5,079 | $5,176 | $4,437 | $4,437 | $5,070 | $4,368 | $4,407 | $4,081 |
In 2025, the industry with the lowest median income was accommodation and food services, at $3,023.
Across the 10-year trend, financial and insurance services has held the top spot throughout, and it is still growing. Given Singapore’s position as a financial hub, this may well continue. Information and communications has risen fastest in recent years, crossing $8,000 in 2025 as demand for tech talent held up.
How Does Your Salary Compare?
Readers often ask what counts as a “good” salary here. There’s no single answer, since it depends on your household, your commitments, and the cost of living you face. Still, the official figures give you a fair yardstick.
Half of full-time resident workers earn above the median of $5,775 a month, and half earn below it. Nearer the lower end, the 20th percentile sat at $3,164 in 2025, so one in five earned less than that.
The lower end has also been catching up. MOM’s ratio of the 20th percentile to the median rose to 0.55 in 2025, from 0.51 a decade earlier, a sign that incomes have grown a little more evenly.
For a sense of the upper end, the best-paid groups on this page are the clearest markers. Managers and administrators top the occupations, and financial and insurance services leads the industries, both sitting well clear of the national median.
Those are individual figures. To see how whole households stack up, from the lowest to the highest earners, our household income breakdown sorts resident households into income bands and deciles.
If you’re curious how public office compares, we’ve also broken down the salaries of Singapore’s President, Ministers, and MPs, which sit far above any of these figures.
In Closing
Your income is one of the most important resources you have. It pays your bills, covers your commitments, and funds whatever you set aside for later.
If you want to earn more, investing in your career is still the surest route. And once you have money spare, put it to work so your savings aren’t eroded by inflation. How you spend matters just as much. Our spending habits survey shows where Singaporeans’ money actually goes each month.
Every figure on this page rests on one assumption, which is that you can keep earning. That’s worth protecting with the right insurance policies, whether that’s term or whole life insurance.
BEFORE YOU GO
Articles can tell you what generally makes sense. They can't see your policies, your CPF, or your plans.
FullCircle is our comprehensive financial planning session. A licensed consultant goes through what you have, shows you the gaps and overlaps, and tells you what to prioritise across protection, retirement, and estate planning.
It's complimentary, takes about 45 minutes, and if nothing needs changing, we'll say so.