Healthcare is one of the largest groups in the Singapore job market, with 53 jobs listed in MOM’s occupational wage data. The spread inside it is wide, from social workers near S4,570tothetopmediansthatreachS20,000. A Singapore salary guide built on official data helps you see where each role sits. This article sets out the numbers and explains how to read them fairly.
Median Pay for Common Clinical Roles
MOM’s June 2025 figures show a nurse at a median gross wage of S5,210andadoctoratS7,165. Pharmacists have S5,612,dentistsS5,007, physiotherapists S5,349andoptometristsS5,561. Radiographers reach S6,031,andveterinariansS9,313. These are medians for full-time resident employees in private sector firms with at least 25 staff, excluding bonuses.
Allied Health and Support Professions
Not every healthcare job sits in the S5,000range.PsychologistshaveamedianofS4,715 and social workers S$4,570. These roles require relevant degrees, yet the occupation table places them below several clinical professions. Differences in demand, scope and employer type all play a part, and the public sector, which employs many of these professionals, is not covered by the survey.
Why Doctor Pay in the Table May Look Modest
The doctor median of S7,165maybelowerthanpeopleexpect.WagetablesexcludebonusesandemployerCPF,andthesurveycoversprivatesectorfirmswith25ormoreemployees,soitleavesoutpublichospitalsandsmallerclinics.Specialistsalsoearnfarmorethanthemedianforthetitle.Someofthehighestmediansinthehealthcaregroup,uptoS20,000, belong to specialist occupations.
What to Remember When Comparing Roles
A few cautions help:
- The tables show gross wage without bonuses
- Public sector pay is outside the survey
- Specialisation can multiply pay within one profession
- Shift work and on-call duties change real income
- Job titles are coded from employer reports
- Age and experience matter inside every occupation
Treat each median as a reference, not as a promise of what you will earn.
How Healthcare Compares With the National Median
The national median income is S$5,775, which includes employer CPF and a share of bonuses. Several healthcare medians sit slightly below or around that figure on a wage basis, while doctors, vets and radiographers sit above. Because the two series use different definitions, do not subtract one from the other. Compare the occupation median with another occupation median instead.
Planning a Healthcare Career
Choose a course that leads to the registration you need and understand how long training takes. Check starting pay for related programmes in graduate data, which ranks 128 programmes by starting salary from S3,350toS6,950. Then look up the occupation you would enter to see what mid-career pay looks like. The gap between the two often explains why some people specialise.
Judging an Offer in a Healthcare Role
Compare basic pay with the basic wage column and regular pay with the gross wage column. Ask about shift allowances, on-call pay, overtime and any guaranteed bonus. A take-home pay calculator shows what remains after CPF and tax, and an overtime pay calculator helps you estimate extra hours at 1.5 times the hourly rate.
Using National and Job-Level Data Together
Place the role beside the broader picture. The headline average salary in Singapore shows what a typical full-time resident earns, and a Singapore salary guide shows where your profession sits in its own range. Use both to avoid reading too much into a single number.
Conclusion: Healthcare Pay Varies Widely by Role and Specialty
From S4,570toS9,313 for common roles, and much higher for specialist occupations, healthcare pay depends on training, scope and employer. Check the range, remember what the tables exclude and convert to take-home. Foundific publishes MOM medians for every healthcare occupation with sources so you can compare with confidence.
