University Students in Singapore: Expected First Salaries
This article explores the expected starting salaries of university students in Singapore across various fields of study. The information was gathered through interviews with students from different disciplines and year levels. The article also touches upon their understanding of the market rate and competitiveness within their respective industries.
Expected Salaries Across Disciplines
The survey reveals a wide range of expected starting salaries, reflecting the diverse fields of study and career aspirations of the students.
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Medicine: Second-year medical students anticipate a base pay of $4,000-$5,000, potentially reaching $5,000-$6,000 with on-call allowances (before CPF). This figure is informed by recently published information from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and insights from senior colleagues.
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Communications and New Media/Film: A first-year Communications and New Media student expects around $2,800. A graduate with a film background anticipates a slightly higher salary compared to someone with a polytechnic diploma.
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Chemical Engineering: A second-year Chemical Engineering student expects a starting salary of $4,000-$5,000 if working in the oil industry.
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Data Science: A third-year Data Science student anticipates around $4,500.
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Business Analytics: A first-year Business Analytics student hopes for a starting salary of $6,000-$7,000, based on information from seniors.
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Psychology and Communications/History: A first-year student double majoring in Psychology and Communications and New Media expects $2,500-$3,500, citing online government resources as a reference. A History student was less certain, finding it difficult to estimate a realistic amount.
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Real Estate: A second-year Real Estate student anticipates $3,500-$4,000, based on data on average salaries of previous graduates.
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Theatre Studies: A first-year Theatre Studies student expects around $3,000.
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Civil Engineering: Third-year Civil Engineering students expect $3,500-$4,500, drawing insights from family members in the government sector and online research.
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Business Administration: A first-year Business Administration student aiming for a career in sales hopes for at least $5,000 per month, influenced by observations of potential earnings in the insurance industry.
Market Rate Awareness and Competitive Landscape
The students exhibited varying degrees of awareness regarding market rates and the competitiveness of their respective job markets.
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Medicine: Medical students generally perceive their expected salary to be on the higher end, attributing it to the standardized pay structure within MOHH. They also feel secure about job prospects within the Singapore healthcare system due to bond obligations.
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Communications and New Media/Film: The Communications and New Media student acknowledges that their expected salary is lower compared to other industries.
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Chemical Engineering: The Chemical Engineering student classifies their expected salary to be on the higher end.
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Data Science: The Data Science student acknowledges the extreme competitiveness of the job market due to the growing demand for data science professionals.
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Business Analytics: The Business Analytics student recognizes that their desired salary is higher than average and acknowledges the competitive job market.
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Real Estate: The Real Estate student believes their expected pay is average or slightly below average.
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Theatre Studies: The Theatre Studies student hopes for improvement in salary as the industry grows.
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Civil Engineering: The Civil Engineering students recognize that their expected pay is on the lower side, particularly compared to fields like Computer Science.
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Business Administration: The Business Administration student acknowledges a lack of specific knowledge about market rates but expresses optimism based on observations of their brother’s earnings.