What you do naturally affects your wages, with some sectors clearly paying more than others. However, the question remains: how much do years of experience affect earnings? Most workers experience a gradual rise in earnings as they gain experience, take on greater responsibilities and build specialised skills. Yet, the difference can be surprisingly wide. A fresh graduate in their 20s, a mid-career manager in their 40s, and a senior professional approaching retirement can each face very different salary realities, even within the same industry.
Using the latest data from the Ministry of Manpower’s 2025 Occupational Wage Tables, released earlier this year, we break down how much Singapore workers earn at different ages and identify which occupations command the highest salaries. The caveat, of course, is that these are common occupations, and even then, some values may have been suppressed because the number of observations is too small and to maintain confidentiality.
Age 20 – 29 Years Old
#1 Artificial Intelligence (AI) /Machine Learning (ML) Engineer
Median Gross Wage: $8,970
Median Basic Wage: $8,068
Artificial intelligence (AI) / Machine learning (ML) engineers support the production of scalable and optimised AI/ML models. They are part of the larger group of applications and systems programmers who write and maintain code.
They focus on building algorithms to extract, transform, and load large volumes of real-time, unstructured data to deploy AI/ML solutions from theoretical data science models. They also run experiments to test model performance and identify and resolve bugs that arise in the process.
Naturally, AI/ML Engineers in larger companies (at least 200 employees) earn more, with a median basic wage of $8,800 and a median gross wage of $9,500.
#2 Advocate/Solicitor (practising)
Median Gross Wage: $8,800
Median Basic Wage: $7,500
Practising advocates and solicitors provide legal advice on a wide variety of subjects and undertake legal business on clients’ behalf.
They research legal principles, statutes and previous court decisions related to specific cases. They evaluate the findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases. They plead clients’ cases before courts of law, tribunals and administrative boards or instruct barristers to plead in higher courts of justice. They may also act as a prosecutor on behalf of the Government in criminal cases.
#3 ICT Sales And Services Professional
Median Gross Wage: $7,331
Median Basic Wage: $7,260
ICT sales and services professionals promote and sell hardware, software, telecommunications or Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services. They provide product information and demonstrate ICT product features to clients. They identify sales opportunities by sourcing customers and manage product delivery to customers.
#4 Internal Medicine Physician
Median Gross Wage: $7,069
Median Basic Wage: $7,069
Internal medicine physicians diagnose and provide non-surgical treatment for a wide range of diseases and injuries of internal organ systems. They provide care mainly for adults and adolescents, primarily in an outpatient setting.
Internal Medicine Physicians in large organisations (200 or more) earn slightly more, with a median gross wage and median basic wage of $7,073.
#5 Operations Research Analyst
Median Gross Wage: $7,041
Median Basic Wage: $6,788
Operations research analysts conduct quantitative analytics, data modelling and data analysis to address problems faced by organisations. While similar to these roles, they differ from engineers and business consultants.
They formulate mathematical models, assemble data relating to or representative of variables in the model, and direct computations and other data preparation to test models and solve equations or for other business use cases.
They also prepare reports for management describing the solution to the problem and the alternative solutions. They may help deploy quantitative models and guide others in using analytics to support business needs or analyse business products.
Operations research analysts in smaller organisations (less than 200 people) earn slightly less. Their median gross wage is $6,163, and their median basic wage is $5,975. Those in larger organisations (200 or more people) earn slightly more. Their median gross wage is $7,119, while their median basic wage is $6,802.
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Age 30 – 39 Years Old
#1 Financial Derivatives Dealer
Median Gross Wage: $16,365
Median Basic Wage: $16,279
Financial derivatives dealers buy and sell financial derivatives on their own account or their employer’s account. They execute trading activities as per trading plans and monitor portfolio positions and market conditions.
#2 ICT Sales And Service Professional
Median Gross Wage: $15,575
Median Basic Wage: $12,500
ICT sales and services professionals promote and sell hardware, software, telecommunications or Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services. They provide product information and demonstrate ICT product features to clients. They identify sales opportunities by sourcing customers and manage product delivery to customers.
#3 Economist
Median Gross Wage: $15,158
Median Basic Wage: $15,158
Economists conduct research, monitor data, analyse information, and prepare reports and
plans to resolve economic and business problems. They develop models to analyse, explain
and forecast economic behaviour and patterns. They also provide advice to businesses,
interest groups and governments to formulate solutions to present or project economic and
business problems.
#4 Ship Broker
Median Gross Wage: $14,000
Median Basic Wage: $12,960
Ship brokers act as intermediaries between buyers and sellers of ships, cargo space on ships and chartering of ships. They inform clients about the shipping market mechanisms and movements, report on vessel and cargo space prices and sales and negotiate the cost of the vessels, cargo space and chartering on behalf of the buyers and sellers. They also advise on the logistical requirements for the transfer of the vessel or commodity cargo from sellers to buyers.
#5 Chief Information Officer/Chief Technology Officer/Chief Information Security Officer
Median Gross Wage: $13,527
Median Basic Wage: $12,911
Regardless of the label, this role defines and implements the information and communication technology (ICT) strategy and governance. They determine the necessary resources for the ICT strategy implementation, in addition to anticipating ICT market evolutions and company business needs.
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Age 40 – 49 Years Old
#1 Financial Derivatives Dealer
Median Gross Wage: $20,000
Median Basic Wage: $19,895
Financial derivatives dealers buy and sell financial derivatives on their own account or their employer’s account. They execute trading activities as per trading plans and monitor portfolio positions and market conditions.
#2 Economist
Median Gross Wage: $20,000
Median Basic Wage: $19,752
Economists conduct research, monitor data, analyse information, and prepare reports and
plans to resolve economic and business problems. They develop models to analyse, explain
and forecast economic behaviour and patterns. They also provide advice to businesses,
interest groups and governments to formulate solutions to present or project economic and
business problems.
#3 In-House Legal Counsel (excluding judiciary, ministries and statutory boards)
Median Gross Wage: $20,000
Median Basic Wage: $19,520
In-house legal counsel provides legal advice outside the courtroom, depending on the client’s legal needs. They also advise on matters such as mergers between multinational corporations, housing purchases, and contract modifications and their implications. They help clients comply with regulations and avoid illegal acts.
#4 Fund/Portfolio Manager
Median Gross Wage: $19,550
Median Basic Wage: $19,464
Fund and portfolio managers plan, direct, or coordinate investment strategy or operations for a large pool of liquid assets supplied by institutional investors or individual investors. They recommend investments and investment timing to companies, investment firm staff, or the investing public. They also prepare investment action plans based on financial analyses.
#5 Risk Management Manager
Median Gross Wage: $18,943
Median Basic Wage: $17,325
Risk management managers plan, organise, direct and coordinate the management of risk exposure and compliance policies in the organisation and its products. They develop and define organisational policies, frameworks and strategies related to risks and compliance. They establish risk criteria for compliance and oversee identification, monitoring, measurement and mitigation of operational and product-related risks.
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Age 50 – 59 Years Old
#1 Flying Instructor (excluding Air Force)
Median Gross Wage: $30,000
Median Basic Wage: $30,000
Flying instructors teach trainee pilots how to operate aircraft controls and instruct them in piloting techniques and procedures. They explain the use and operation of aircraft components, such as the rudder, flaps, ailerons, compass, altimeter and radio, and accompany trainees on training flights while demonstrating techniques for controlling aircraft during taxing, take-off, turns, stalls and landing.
#2 Commercial Airline Pilot
Median Gross Wage: $20,000
Median Basic Wage: $20,000
Commercial airline pilots operate and navigate commercial aircraft along planned routes, during takeoffs and landings, to transport passengers, mail or freight. They prepare flight plans, conduct pre-flight checks and briefings, and communicate with air traffic controllers for flight clearance. They oversee the safety and security of crew, passengers, and freight on board.
#3 Business Valuer
Median Gross Wage: $20,000
Median Basic Wage: $20,000
Business valuers provide valuation assessments of business entities, stock and other securities, and intangible assets to assist their clients in strategic decision-making, including mergers and acquisitions, litigation, bankruptcy, tax compliance, and general company restructuring.
#4 Fund/Portfolio Manager
Median Gross Wage: $20,000
Median Basic Wage: $19,880
Fund and portfolio managers plan, direct, or coordinate investment strategy or operations for a large pool of liquid assets supplied by institutional investors or individual investors. They recommend investments and investment timing to companies, investment firm staff, or the investing public. They also prepare investment action plans based on financial analyses.
#5 In-House Legal Counsel (excluding judiciary, ministries and statutory boards)
Median Gross Wage: $20,000
Median Basic Wage: $19,875
In-house legal counsel provides legal advice outside the courtroom, depending on the client’s legal needs. They also advise on matters such as mergers between multinational corporations, housing purchases, and contract modifications and their implications. They help clients comply with regulations and avoid illegal acts.
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