Lawyer salary in Singapore
What the job is: Advocate/Solicitor (practising) provides legal advice on a wide variety of subjects and undertakes legal business on clients’ behalf. Also called: Lawyer (practising), Attorney (practising), Corporate counsel. SSOC 2024, 26111
- Practising lawyer (advocate and solicitor): S$10,000 median a month. Middle 50% earn S$7,700 to S$13,500.
- In-house legal counsel: S$13,000 median, S$3,000 more than a practising lawyer, with a wider range of S$7,083 to S$20,000.
- Legal executive (legal associate professional): S$5,725. Legal clerk: S$4,500.
- Age: practising lawyers earn S$8,800 at 25 to 29 and S$12,500 at 30 to 39.
- Law graduates: NUS, SMU and SUSS published no salary figure for their law degrees in 2025. SMU Computing & Law graduates started at S$5,000.
How much do lawyers earn?
A practising lawyer earns S$10,000 at the median. In-house counsel earn S$13,000, and a legal executive S$5,725.
Gross monthly wage, June 2025, all industries.
| Occupation, all industries | Basic wage, median | Gross, 25th pct | Gross, median | Gross, 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-house legal counsel (excluding judiciary, ministries and statutory boards)Full detail | 12,423 | 7,083 | 13,000 | 20,000 |
| Advocate/Solicitor (practising)Partial detail | 8,300 | 7,700 | 10,000 | 13,500 |
| Legal associate professionalFull detail | 5,590 | 4,300 | 5,725 | 8,167 |
| Legal clerkFull detail | 4,245 | 3,200 | 4,500 | 6,000 |
Cell references
T4!C154:I154, T4!C74:I74, T4!C295:I295, T4!C371:I371- Gross above basic: practising lawyers' gross median is S$1,700 above their basic of S$8,300, from fixed allowances and other monthly pay.
- In-house counsel here exclude lawyers in the judiciary, ministries and statutory boards, which MOM's survey does not cover.
- Legal executive is MOM's legal associate professional: paralegals and legal executives who support lawyers.
What affects pay most
For Advocate/Solicitor (practising) (SSOC 26111), age makes the largest difference: S$12,500 (30 to 39) against S$8,800 (25 to 29), 42% more.
| What changes | Lowest | Median | Highest | Median | Highest vs lowest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 25 to 29 | 8,800 | 30 to 39 | 12,500 | 42% |
| Sex | Women | 10,000 | Men | 11,036 | 10% |
How to become a lawyer in Singapore
A law graduate passes the Part B course and examinations, then completes a 12-month practice training period before admission as an advocate and solicitor.
| Step | What it involves |
|---|---|
| 1. Law degree | A qualifying law degree, for example from NUS, SMU or SUSS, makes a graduate a qualified person under the Legal Profession (Qualified Persons) Rules. |
| 2. Part B course and examinations | Run by the Singapore Institute of Legal Education (SILE). A pass is valid for five years. |
| 3. Admission as a Lawyer (NP), non-practising | An application to the court, heard at least 60 days after filing. |
| 4. Practice training period | 12 months under supervision. A trainee may apply for a provisional practising certificate after 6 months. |
| 5. Admission as an advocate and solicitor | A second application, with SILE's certificate that the training period is complete. |
Source: SILE, Admission to the Singapore Bar; Legal Profession (Admission) Rules 2024.
- In-house counsel need not be admitted to practise, but many are former practising lawyers.
- Pay at each step: MOE's survey has no salary figure for law degrees, and MOM does not publish pay for practice trainees.
Starting salary for law graduates
MOE's 2025 survey has no salary figure for the law degrees at NUS, SMU or SUSS. SMU Computing & Law graduates started at S$5,000.
Graduates in full-time permanent jobs, surveyed on 1 November 2025.
| University and programme | Basic, median | Gross, median | Gross, mean | Gross, middle 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMU, Computing & Law | 5,000 | 5,000 | 5,192 | 4,300 to 5,500 |
- Why no law figure: the university publications leave the law rows without a salary, so no median can be quoted.
- Computing & Law at SMU: middle 50% from S$4,300 to S$5,500, with 76.2% of graduates in full-time permanent jobs.
How pay changes with age
Practising lawyers earn S$8,800 at 25 to 29 and S$12,500 at 30 to 39. In-house counsel reach S$20,000 at 40 to 49.
Median gross monthly wage by age group.
| Occupation | 25–29 | 30–39 | 40–49 | 50–59 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advocate/Solicitor (practising) | 8,800 | 12,500 | – | 11,243 |
| In-house legal counsel (excluding judiciary, ministries and statutory boards) | 5,834 | 13,078 | 20,000 | 20,000 |
| Legal associate professional | 5,313 | 5,701 | 6,015 | 6,459 |
| Legal clerk | 4,333 | 4,700 | 5,064 | 5,000 |
Cell references
T3!C70:K70, T3!C134:K134, T3!C250:K250, T3!C316:K316- Practising lawyers aged 40 to 49: MOM suppresses the figure, and those aged 50 to 59 earn S$11,243.
- In-house counsel start lower than practising lawyers, at S$5,834 at 25 to 29, then overtake them from their 30s.
- How to read it: each age band shows different people in June 2025, not one person's career.
By sex and employer sizeMale practising lawyers earn S$11,036 at the median and women S$10,000.
Male practising lawyers earn S$11,036 at the median and women S$10,000.
| Occupation | All, median gross | Men | Women | Women vs men |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advocate/Solicitor (practising) | 10,000 | 11,036 | 10,000 | -9.4% |
| In-house legal counsel (excluding judiciary, ministries and statutory boards) | 13,000 | 13,356 | 12,507 | -6.4% |
| Legal associate professional | 5,725 | 6,692 | 5,580 | -16.6% |
| Legal clerk | 4,500 | 3,355 | 4,800 | +43.1% |
Cell references
T1.1!C69:E69, T1.2!C70:E70, T1.1!C133:E133, T1.2!C137:E137, T1.1!C257:E257, T1.2!C248:E248, T1.1!C326:E326, T1.2!C313:E313| Occupation | Firms with 25 to 199 employees | Firms with 200 or more | Large vs small |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advocate/Solicitor (practising) | 10,471 | – | – |
| In-house legal counsel (excluding judiciary, ministries and statutory boards) | 13,476 | 12,239 | -9.2% |
| Legal associate professional | 5,276 | 6,479 | +22.8% |
| Legal clerk | 4,300 | 4,796 | +11.5% |
Cell references
T2!C75:G75, T2!C152:G152, T2!C286:G286, T2!C360:G360- In-house counsel: S$13,356 for men and S$12,507 for women.
- Firm size: in-house counsel at firms with 25 to 199 staff earn S$13,476, against S$12,239 at firms with 200 or more.
- These compare two groups. They are not an adjusted pay gap.
By employer industry
In-house counsel earn most in manufacturing (S$20,000) and least in professional services (S$8,000).
| Employer industry | Median gross wage | Gross wage, middle 50% |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 20,000 | 13,356 to 23,511 |
| Information and Communications | 18,632 | 12,333 to 20,000 |
| Financial and Insurance Services | 16,413 | 12,156 to 20,000 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade | 15,000 | 9,200 to 20,000 |
| Administrative and Support Services | 13,256 | 9,797 to 20,000 |
| Professional Services | 8,000 | 5,300 to 18,000 |
Cell references
T4.1!C67:I67, T4.6!C59:I59, T4.7!C72:I72, T4.3!C64:I64, T4.10!C38:I38, T4.9!C79:I79- Information and communications: S$18,632. Finance and insurance: S$16,413.
- Practising lawyers appear only in professional services, where law firms sit: S$10,000.
Pay over time
Practising lawyers' median fell from S$13,000 in 2020 to S$10,000 in 2022 and was S$10,000 again in 2025. MOM did not publish the figure for 2023 and 2024.
Official medians for the last six years, then a projection for June 2026.
| Occupation | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advocate/Solicitor (practising) | 13,000 | 12,000 | 10,000 | – | – | 10,000 | |
| In-house legal counsel (excluding judiciary, ministries and statutory boards) | 14,167 | 13,347 | 13,918 | 9,240 | 17,972 | 13,000 | |
| Legal associate professional | – | 7,333 | 7,139 | 6,257 | 4,557 | 5,725 | |
| Legal clerk | 4,977 | 4,450 | 4,639 | 3,800 | 4,250 | 4,500 |
June 2026 projection Estimate
| Occupation | June 2025 (MOM) | June 2026 projection | 80% range | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advocate/Solicitor (practising) | 10,000 | Not projected: not enough history | ||
| In-house legal counsel (excluding judiciary, ministries and statutory boards) | 13,000 | Not projected: too volatile | ||
| Legal associate professional | 5,725 | Not projected: too volatile | ||
| Legal clerk | 4,500 | Not projected: too volatile | ||
- In-house counsel pay swings from year to year: S$9,240 in 2023, S$17,972 in 2024 and S$13,000 in 2025.
- No projection: the past figures move too much, or have gaps, for a reliable 2026 estimate.
Is legal work affected by AI?
The ILO rates lawyers Minimal for exposure to generative AI, legal associate professionals Some, and legal secretaries High.
Based on the International Labour Organization's 2025 index, which scores every core task of a job from 0 (AI cannot help) to 1 (AI could do nearly all of it).
AI can help with a small part of this job, mostly paperwork.
- Most exposed taskEvaluating findings and develop strategies and arguments
- Least exposed taskActing as prosecutor on behalf of the Government
- In numbersAI could do a large part of 1 of its 10 main tasks.
AI can help with some tasks. People still do most of the job.
- Most exposed taskPreparing documents relating
- Least exposed taskInvestigating possible cases of theft of goods
- In numbersAI could do a large part of 2 of its 10 main tasks.
AI can do a large part of many tasks, so the job is likely to change noticeably.
- Most exposed taskScreening requests for meetings, and scheduling
- Least exposed taskSupervising the work of office support workers
- In numbersAI could do a large part of 5 of its 7 main tasks.
- Not exposed
- Minimal
- Some
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Scored as ILO group 2611 Lawyers. Average task score 0.36, higher than 67% of the 427 jobs the ILO scored.
- Not exposed
- Minimal
- Some
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Scored as ILO group 3411 Legal and related associate professionals. Average task score 0.39, higher than 75% of the 427 jobs the ILO scored.
- Not exposed
- Minimal
- Some
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Scored as ILO group 3342 Legal secretaries. Average task score 0.55, higher than 92% of the 427 jobs the ILO scored.
| Factor | Advocate/Solicitor (practising) | Legal associate professional | Legal clerk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Exposure levelThe ILO's rating for the whole job, from not exposed up to very high. | Minimal | Some | High |
| 2Average task scoreHow much of each core task generative AI could do, averaged. 0 means none, 1 means nearly all. | 0.36 higher than 67% of jobs | 0.39 higher than 75% of jobs | 0.55 higher than 92% of jobs |
| 3Tasks AI could do much ofTasks scoring 0.5 or more. These are the parts of the job most likely to change. | 1 of 10 | 2 of 10 | 5 of 7 |
| 4Hands-on or people tasksTasks scoring under 0.25: physical, in-person or judgement work that AI barely touches. | 0 of 10 | 2 of 10 | 0 of 7 |
| 5How even the exposure isEven means AI touches most tasks a little. Uneven means a few tasks are exposed and the rest are not. | Even (0.09) | Mixed (0.13) | Mixed (0.12) |
| 6Most exposed taskWhere AI tools are likely to show up first. | Evaluating findings and develop strategies and arguments in… 0.56 | Preparing documents relating to transfer of real estate… 0.60 | Screening requests for meetings, and scheduling and… 0.73 |
| 7Least exposed taskThe task AI can help with least. | Acting as prosecutor on behalf of the Government 0.25 | Investigating possible cases of theft of goods, money or… 0.19 | Supervising the work of office support workers 0.34 |
| 8Pay trend so farChange in the MOM median since the first year on record. Any AI effect would show here in later years. | -23% S$13,000 (2020) to S$10,000 (2025) | -22% S$7,333 (2021) to S$5,725 (2025) | -10% S$4,977 (2020) to S$4,500 (2025) |
- 0.56Evaluating findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for…
- 0.46Drawing up legal documents such as contracts, real estate transactions and…
- 0.40Researching legal principles, statutes and previous court decisions related…
- 0.25Acting as prosecutor on behalf of the Government
- 0.30Pleading clients’ cases before courts of law, tribunals and administrative…
- 0.32Giving clients legal advice on a wide variety of subjects and undertaking…
- 0.60Preparing documents relating to transfer of real estate, stocks or other…
- 0.56Preparing legal documents including trial briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills…
- 0.46Documenting court proceedings and judgements
- 0.19Investigating possible cases of theft of goods, money or information from…
- 0.20Maintaining order in court and hearing rooms
- 0.29Investigating establishments or the circumstances and behaviour of persons on…
- 0.73Screening requests for meetings, and scheduling and organizing meetings
- 0.63Reviewing and proofreading documents and correspondence to ensure compliance…
- 0.60Preparing and processing legal documents and papers, such as deeds, wills…
- 0.34Supervising the work of office support workers
- 0.46Assisting in the preparation of budgets, monitoring of expenditures, drafting…
- 0.51Mailing, faxing or arranging for delivery of legal correspondence to clients…
Cell references
SSOC 26111 to ISCO 2611 (SSOC2024-ISCO08!B360); SSOC 34110 to ISCO 3411 (SSOC2024-ISCO08!B595); SSOC 44170 to ISCO 3342 (SSOC2024-ISCO08!B714)- Lawyers: average task score 0.36 out of 1. Pleading cases in court (0.30) is among the least exposed tasks; preparing case strategy (0.56) and drafting contracts and wills (0.46) the most.
- Legal clerks are matched to the ILO's legal secretaries, the most exposed group here at 0.55.
- What exposure measures: how much of the work AI could do or speed up. It does not measure job cuts.
Which figure should you compare with?
Match your role first: practising lawyer, in-house counsel and legal executive pay very differently.
| You are | Compare with | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Newly qualified lawyer at a firm | Practising lawyer, age 25 to 29 | S$8,800 |
| Lawyer, 30s | Practising lawyer, age 30 to 39 | S$12,500 |
| In-house counsel | In-house counsel, all ages | S$13,000 |
| Paralegal or legal executive | Legal associate professional | S$5,725 |
| Legal clerk or secretary | Legal clerk | S$4,500 |
About these figures
What the pay figures includeMonthly gross pay with allowances and overtime, without bonuses or employer CPF
Every figure is monthly, includes allowances and overtime, and excludes bonuses and employer CPF.
| Measure | Includes | Excludes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic wage | Basic pay | Allowances, overtime, bonus, employer CPF |
| Gross wage | Basic + allowances + overtime + commissions | Bonus, employer CPF, lump sums |
| Graduate salary | Same as gross, full-time permanent jobs only | Bonus, employer CPF |
- S$10,000 × 12 = S$120,000 a year before bonus. It is not a total package.
What this data does not coverMOM covers private-sector firms with at least 25 staff, so small law practices and the public sector are not in these figures.
MOM covers private-sector firms with at least 25 staff, so small law practices and the public sector are not in these figures.
- Not covered: sole practitioners and firms under 25 staff, the Legal Service, the judiciary, ministries and statutory boards.
- Bonuses are not in the monthly figures. At large firms they can be a large part of pay.
- Partners who own their firm are not employees and are not in MOM's survey.
Questions
What is the lawyer salary in Singapore?
MOM's median gross monthly wage for advocate/solicitor (practising) was S$10,000 in June 2025. The middle half earned S$7,700 to S$13,500. Basic pay alone had a median of S$8,300.
What is the lawyer salary per year in Singapore?
S$10,000 a month is S$120,000 a year before bonus. Bonuses and the employer's CPF contribution come on top and are not in MOM's monthly figure.
How does lawyer pay change with age?
Median gross monthly pay for advocate/solicitor (practising) was S$8,800 at 25 to 29, S$12,500 at 30 to 39 and S$11,243 at 50 to 59, in June 2025.
What is the starting salary for law graduates?
Graduates of the related degree had a median gross starting pay of S$5,000 a month in MOE's 2025 survey.
Which jobs on this page pay the most?
In-house legal counsel (excluding judiciary, ministries and statutory boards) has the highest median, S$13,000 a month, and Legal clerk the lowest, S$4,500.
What is the difference between a practising lawyer and in-house counsel?
A practising lawyer (advocate and solicitor) acts for clients and can plead cases in court. In-house counsel advise the company that employs them, outside the courtroom. In June 2025 practising lawyers had a median of S$10,000 a month and in-house counsel S$13,000 (MOM).
Where do these figures come from?
From MOM's Occupational Wages 2025, which covers full-time resident employees in private firms with at least 25 staff, as at June 2025. Gross wages include allowances and overtime but not bonuses or employer CPF.
Related guides
Sources
MOM Occupational Wages 2025 and MOE Graduate Employment Survey 2025
- MOM, Occupational Wages 2025, Tables 1 to 4. June 2025, released 30 June 2026. SSOC 26111, 26112, 34110, 44170. Exact cells are listed under each table.
- MOE, SMU GES 2025. Computing & Law.
- MOM, Coverage and Methodology 2025.
- ILO generative AI exposure index 2025, matched to SSOC through the SingStat correspondence table.