NITEC grad who was offered $2K/month for an internship asks, ‘Am I getting underpaid?’

SINGAPORE: After receiving an internship offer that paid S$2,000 per month, a 26-year-old man took to social media to ask netizens if he was getting lowballed by the employer.

Posting on Reddit’s Ask Singapore forum on Friday (April 25), the man admitted that he felt like the offer was a “little low” because about a year and a half ago, a healthcare company offered him a job with a salary of S$3,500. However, he ultimately rejected the deal because he thought “he was at least worth S$4-5,000.”

Reaching out to the community for advice, he asked, “Am I getting underpaid as an intern? I understand that the job market is extremely brutal right now. However, I still have to pay for the bills and food. It’s been extremely depressing and tough for me.”

“These days, most internships don’t go above S$2K.”

The post sparked a mix of empathy and confusion among Singaporean Redditors. While some understood his frustration given the rising cost of living, others pointed out that S$2,000 is actually a generous amount for an internship.

One Redditor said, “If I’m not mistaken, even university tech interns are averaging $1,000. You’re earning twice that. How are you underpaid?”

Another wrote, “Lol, I’d take S$2,000 for intern responsibilities (which are nothing) in a heartbeat. What’s happening with today’s generation—so much entitlement?”

A third added, “You should be thankful for getting offered $2K/month as an intern. Intern pay is mostly about the learning, not just the work output. Even if you’re working full-time hours, your main role is to grow and gain experience. These days, most internships don’t go above S$2K—if it’s higher, that’s already pretty decent. At the end of the day, it’s still an internship, not a full-time or contract role.

But if you really feel it’s too low for your skills or situation, then go ahead and try to find something that better matches your expectations.”

As of April 2025, data from Indeed shows that interns in Singapore earn an average of about $1,217 per month.

In other news, a Singaporean man is seeking advice online after he and his fiancée started having second thoughts about spending S$20,000 on a small wedding slated for late 2026. With whispers of a potential recession on the horizon, the couple is debating whether it’s wise to splurge on a celebration or redirect the money towards something more future-proof.

In a post on r/askSingapore, the man shared that while they’ve already made some practical choices, such as securing “kind vendors [who] will charge them with the 2024 price catalogue”, the overall uncertainty of the economy still weighs heavily on their minds.

Read also: Should they spend S$20K on a small wedding in late 2026? Man and fiancée worry about a possible recession

Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)