Disclaimer: Until in any other case said, any opinions expressed under belong solely to the creator. Information sourced from the Labour Drive in Singapore 2025 report by Singapore Ministry of Manpower launched on 29 Jan 2026.
In keeping with the newest information launched by the Ministry of Manpower, the trail to prosperity in Singapore nonetheless leads by way of college. Whereas success tales of school dropouts who grew to become billionaires seize creativeness, the reality is that for most individuals the protected and examined path of organised training continues to be the one which pays finest.
Because the nationwide median wage for all resident Singaporean workers climbed to S$5,775 in 2025, college diploma holders noticed their median wage rise to S$9,038, up from S$8,656 final yr.
In actual fact, college diploma holders outearn the subsequent group – these with diplomas and different skilled {qualifications} – by a whopping 78 per cent.
$100,000 in your 30s
It’s additionally fairly spectacular how fast the revenue development is for college graduates. Beginning at simply S$4,680 in gross revenue upon commencement, they double it by mid to late 30s, pushing the median for everyone above S$100,000 yearly.
Incomes peak and stay comparatively comparable in your 40s and 50s, earlier than declining on common in direction of your retirement (however nonetheless remaining at over six figures yearly for greater than a half of diploma holders).
A story of two Singapores
With just lately reported will increase in median pay of round $400 monthly per yr, college graduates in Singapore are on monitor to be the primary group to cross the S$10,000 mark by about 2030.
By then they may be outearning diploma holders by $4,000 (and different teams by much more). They’d additionally represent about half of the native labour pressure (presently at round 45 per cent).
Given the massive disparities it does recommend a rising, elementary break up within the Singaporean society—two completely different teams main fully completely different lives, more and more disconnected from one another, which may contribute to larger sociopolitical divisions as nicely.
It’s not a couple of slender elite that many aspire to becoming a member of however few do, however one half of the society often making twice as a lot cash than the opposite.
On the one hand, it’s solely pure for these finest educated and most succesful to significantly outearn the remainder. On the opposite, nonetheless, it could put a pressure on the expectations Singaporeans on each side of the divide have of their nation.
The federal government itself has simply acknowledged that it may be a problem to offer equally good jobs for everyone sooner or later.
The one factor you are able to do is to remain the course on training and climb the ladder to, hopefully, be a part of the affluent aspect.
Featured picture: jpldesigns / depositphotos
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