‘Only S$3k?’ Man questions why engineering grad friend is paid so little

SINGAPORE: A man felt disappointed upon learning that his friend, a mechanical engineering graduate, was earning just S$3,000 a month.

On Sunday (Jun 29), he took to the r/askSingapore subreddit to seek advice from others. In his post, he explained that on top of the low salary, the job also requires employees to work half-days on Saturdays and offers only a fixed bonus of S$1,000.

“I find that this [salary] is considered very very little for someone who holds a degree. Is it because he is from a private uni or is it because it’s a stingy bully people private company?” he asked others.

“I am hoping he could find a better job, but over here all he does is mostly paperwork and not related to what he studied at all, so how to even gain experience over here to jump ship? Is it difficult to find a job that pays well for someone who graduated from private uni with mechanical engineering degree? Is there anything he could do to get out of this situation? Re-study something else? Etc?”

“Mechanical engineering options here simply suck, that’s the sad truth.”

In the comments, several Singaporean Redditors chimed in with their thoughts and advice. Some suggested that the graduate should consider looking for a role that aligns more closely with his qualifications.

One user said, “He should find a different job that makes use of his degree to be honest. His current job scope sounds like admin work, which justifies the pay. How long has he been in this company for?

“If <1 year, I think he’s still able to jump ship. Highly depends on his grades and internship experiences (if any). Additionally, if he can ask for referrals from any of his peers working in the industry, it would be a big plus.”

Another pointed out that simply having a degree does not guarantee a higher salary. “Unfortunately, ‘hold degree’ does not entitle one to getting paid $X. It depends on so many factors. That individual’s capabilities, the job scope, the value (actual and perceived) they bring to the business, market, luck, etc.”

A third user, who also graduated with a mechanical engineering degree, shared their personal experience. “Mechanical engineering options here simply suck, that’s the sad truth. I’ve always been lowballed like that. I’ve switched to embedded/software and doubled my salary.”

“There’s only a handful of companies here paying decent, and it’s quite hard to get into them. Usually, all the military-related companies like ST/DSO and a few private aerospace companies. Everything else fresh grad pay is S$3.5k st best in small SMEs (small and medium enterprises).”

How much does a mechanical engineer earn in Singapore?

According to Glassdoor, mechanical engineers in Singapore typically earn between S$4,000 and S$5,000 per month on average. Indeed offers a slightly lower estimate, reporting an average monthly salary of around S$4,115. Meanwhile, Jobstreet indicates that salaries in this field generally fall within the range of S$3,600 to S$5,000, depending on the candidate’s experience and the sector they are employed in.

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Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)