According to the The Straits Times this year, some are in fact earning $4,000 to $5,000 a month in their first job. But how true is that? How many will raise false hope and expectations, based on a catchy news headline? I know I did.
If there’s one thing to know about me, it’s that I’ve always been a writer. After many years of penning subpar poetry, I began my editorial career at the age of 18. For years, I hustled whilst in school, taking on side gigs and freelance opportunities wherever I found them. By the time I graduated, I’d built up a portfolio that I was convinced could rival that of any veteran in the industry — and therefore command a higher starting salary.
“With your experience, you’ll easily get a good job that pays at least $4,000 a month. No question about it,” my mother assured me. Coupled with that Straits Times report, I was optimistic about my prospects. Alas, when I finally got around to the job applications, I realised no magazine or copywriting agency was going to offer me anything more than $3,500 a month.
In fact, the basic pay for writers hovered at around $2,000 to $3,000 a month. How was I supposed to survive on such meagre sums, especially in one of the world’s most expensive cities?
Spare yourself the rude awakening and manage your expectations of how much you’ll earn as someone new to the workforce.
Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the average starting salaries for permanent full-time, entry-level jobs, not including CPF deductions, categorised by university and industry, based on graduate employment surveys by Ministry of Education.
Information is updated as of 10 July 2022. Salary adjustments are subject to change at any given time according to economic changes.