THE sales and marketing, legal as well as the technology sectors have emerged as Singapore’s top-paying industries in 2025, according to a Randstad Singapore report released on Thursday (Jan 16).
A lawyer with seven years of experience after getting called to the bar can earn between S$25,000 and S$46,667 a month in an international firm, based on an annual salary of between S$300,000 and S$560,000. An equivalent role at a local firm could fetch between S$10,000 and S$17,917 a month, based on an annual salary of between S$120,000 and S$215,000.
An in-house general counsel or head of legal with at least 12 years of experience could earn between S$20,000 and S$41,667 monthly, based on an annual salary of between S$240,000 and S$500,000.
An in-house paralegal or legal executive with four to eight years of experience could earn a monthly salary of between S$4,500 and S$9,000.
This is despite the legal job market experiencing “restrained growth and salary adjustments” – a trend that will likely persist in the first half of 2025.
“There is some cautious optimism for growth returning to the market and we are seeing a gradual increase in hiring activities,” said Randstad’s senior manager of legal and compliance Sharon Goh.
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Account managers or directors of sales and marketing agencies who have between three and eight years of experience could earn between S$6,000 and S$10,000 a month. Employees with 15 to 20 years under their belt, such as vice-presidents of sales for in-house tech firms, could earn between S$25,000 and S$35,000 monthly.
Randstad’s associate director of sales and marketing, Rumi Mohd, noted that the sector remains robust – buoyed by growth in the mass-market retail and fintech industries, as well as a growing demand for specialised skills.
Examples of roles and skill sets that are highly sought after include revenue generation and enterprise sales, digital marketing, product marketing and data analytics, he added.
“We estimate that talent switching roles can expect salary increases in the range of 5 to 15 per cent, though it could be higher for more specialist roles,” he said.
Employees in the tech industry with two to more than 10 years of experience, such as chief technology officers, could earn between S$15,000 and S$30,000 a month.
Goh also noted that Singapore remains an “attractive destination for talent” in the legal industry but legal teams here are expected to become “leaner and more strategic”.
The range of salaries across each industry was derived from Randstad’s data analysis of its recruitment activity.
Its report also revealed that 36 per cent of employers plan to dish out bonuses of between one and two months.
Some 43 per cent of employers also plan to raise salaries by 3 to 5 per cent across various sectors; 17 per cent said they would offer pay hikes of 5 to 10 per cent, noted the recruitment agency.
High-demand roles in technology and digital sectors are likely to pull in above-average salary increases because of ongoing talent scarcity, it added.
Randstad’s country director for Singapore, David Blasco, said: “As employers grapple with talent scarcity, we’re witnessing greater demand for professionals skilled in artificial intelligence (AI)… alongside a strong focus on revenue generation and business development.”
Services sector drives growth
Singapore’s job market growth will be led by the services sector, said the recruitment agency.
The sector, which includes commerce, transport and communications, accounts for about two-thirds of the Republic’s gross domestic product.
Growth will be supported by the adoption of AI and a strong focus on revenue and cost management, said the agency.
AI adoption has risen among larger companies, with 44 per cent of non-small and medium-sized enterprises utilising it in 2023, up from 16.7 per cent in 2018.
The shift towards advanced digital technologies is expected to drive innovation, productivity and job creation across industries, said Randstad.
Additionally, Singapore’s goal to become a “leading hub for green finance” is expected to boost job growth in the banking, manufacturing and accounting sectors.
Blasco added: “The dual pressures of technical advancement and commercial expectations are elevating hiring requirements for both technical expertise and business acumen, presenting new challenges in talent acquisition and development.”
