At a glance
Teacher salary in Singapore
- MOE school teachers: S$3,625 a month to start with a degree and S$2,970 with a diploma, before MOE's salary top-up after the PGDE. MOE kindergarten teachers earn S$3,250 to S$5,200.
- NIE graduates: S$5,000 (Arts) and S$5,109 (Science) median, six months after graduating. 100% of respondents were in full-time permanent jobs.
- Private-sector titles in MOM's survey: institute teacher or trainer S$4,629, private tutor S$4,164, language instructor S$4,124, relief teacher S$3,550.
- By age: institute trainer pay rises from S$3,931 at 25 to 29 to S$6,220 at 50 to 59.
- By employer: institute trainers earn S$7,734 in professional services and S$4,070 in health and social services.
How does your pay compare?MOM figures, June 2025. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Part 1 · Pay today
How much do teachers earn in the private sector?
A teacher or trainer at a technical, vocational or commercial institute earns S$4,629 at the median. Relief teachers earn S$3,550.
Gross monthly wage, June 2025, all industries.
| Occupation, all industries | Basic wage, median | Gross, 25th pct | Gross, median | Gross, 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical/Vocational/Commercial education institute teacher/trainerFull detail | 4,603 | 3,600 | 4,629 | 6,667 |
| Private tutor (academic)Partial detail | 4,117 | 3,100 | 4,164 | 5,757 |
| Language instructor (extracurriculum)Partial detail | 4,000 | 2,964 | 4,124 | 4,700 |
| Relief teacherPartial detail | 3,425 | 2,600 | 3,550 | 5,025 |
| Early intervention teacher for infants and childrenLimited detail | 3,772 | 3,250 | 3,772 | 4,826 |
Source: MOM Occupational Wages 2025, Table 4. Full-time resident employees, June 2025.
Cell references
T4!C224:I224, T4!C326:I326, T4!C294:I294, T4!C331:I331, T4!C122:I122What it means
- MOM's tables do not include MOE school teachers. They are public sector. See the MOE pay points below.
- Institute trainers have the widest range: S$3,600 to S$6,667 for the middle 50%.
- Private tutors earn S$4,164 and language instructors S$4,124.
- Early intervention teachers for infants and children earn S$3,772.
What MOE school teachers earn
A fresh degree holder joining MOE starts at S$3,625 a month, and a fresh diploma holder at S$2,970.
MOE publishes starting pay points on its careers pages, not a full wage table. Figures are monthly, before bonuses.
What it means
- Degree holders: S$3,625 to start. MOE adds a salary top-up after the Postgraduate Diploma in Education.
- Diploma holders: S$2,970 to start, through the Diploma in Education route.
- MOE kindergarten teachers: S$3,250 to S$5,200 a month.
- What moves the figure: MOE says starting pay depends on academic training, relevant work experience, time in the job and full-time National Service.
- Bonuses: MOE teachers receive the Non-Pensionable Annual Allowance, a performance bonus and CONNECT Plan payments on top of monthly pay. None of these is in the starting figures.
- Same across levels: MOE states that pay does not differ between primary, secondary and junior college teaching.
Starting salary for NIE graduates
NTU graduates of the NIE Arts and Science (Academic Discipline and Education) programmes earn S$5,000 and S$5,109 at the median six months after graduating.
Graduates in full-time permanent jobs, surveyed on 1 November 2025. These programmes train MOE teachers.
| University and programme | Basic, median | Gross, median | Gross, mean | Gross, middle 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NTU, Arts (Academic Discipline and Education), NIE | 4,875 | 5,000 | 4,749 | 4,309 to 5,105 |
| NTU, Science (Academic Discipline and Education) | 5,109 | 5,109 | 5,181 | 5,014 to 5,400 |
Full-time permanent jobs only, as at 1 November 2025. Source: MOE GES 2025 (NTU).
What it means
- Narrow ranges: S$4,309 to S$5,105 for Arts and S$5,014 to S$5,400 for Science, middle 50%.
- Different measures: the GES figure is gross monthly salary six months after graduating, including allowances. MOE's S$3,625 is the starting pay point for a fresh degree holder with no relevant experience. The two are not the same measure.
Job outcomes for NIE graduates100% of responding graduates of both NIE programmes were in full-time permanent jobs six months after graduating.
100% of responding graduates of both NIE programmes were in full-time permanent jobs six months after graduating.
Share of graduates in the labour force.
| Programme | Course response rate | Currently employed | In full-time permanent employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| NTU, Arts (Academic Discipline and Education), NIE | 72% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| NTU, Science (Academic Discipline and Education) | 81% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Share of graduates in the labour force. Source: MOE GES 2025.
What it means
- Response rates were 72% for the Arts programme and 81% for Science.
Part 2 · Who earns more
How pay changes with age
Institute trainer pay rises from S$3,931 at 25 to 29 to S$6,220 at 50 to 59.
Median gross monthly wage by age group.
Institute trainer
| Occupation | 25–29 | 30–39 | 40–49 | 50–59 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical/Vocational/Commercial education institute teacher/trainer | 3,931 | 4,690 | 5,792 | 6,220 |
| Private tutor (academic) | 5,100 | 4,140 | – | – |
| Language instructor (extracurriculum) | – | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,200 |
| Relief teacher | – | 3,700 | 4,550 | – |
Median gross monthly wage, S$. "–" = suppressed by MOM. Source: MOM Occupational Wages 2025, Table 3.
Cell references
T3!C194:K194, T3!C276:K276, T3!C249:K249, T3!C281:K281What it means
- Private tutors: S$5,100 at 25 to 29 and S$4,140 at 30 to 39. MOM suppresses the older bands.
- Language instructors: S$4,160 in the thirties and forties, S$4,200 at 50 to 59.
- How to read it: each age band shows different people in June 2025, not one person's career.
By sex and employer sizeInstitute trainers at firms with 25 to 199 staff earn S$5,588, against S$4,475 at firms with 200 or more.
Institute trainers at firms with 25 to 199 staff earn S$5,588, against S$4,475 at firms with 200 or more.
| Occupation | All, median gross | Men | Women | Women vs men |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical/Vocational/Commercial education institute teacher/trainer | 4,629 | 5,000 | 4,555 | -8.9% |
| Private tutor (academic) | 4,164 | 5,396 | 4,030 | -25.3% |
| Language instructor (extracurriculum) | 4,124 | – | 4,152 | – |
| Relief teacher | 3,550 | – | 3,400 | – |
| Early intervention teacher for infants and children | 3,772 | – | 3,691 | – |
Median gross monthly wage, S$. Two group medians, not an adjusted pay gap. Source: MOM Occupational Wages 2025, Tables 1.1 and 1.2.
Cell references
T1.1!C196:E196, T1.2!C193:E193, T1.1!C287:E287, T1.2!C272:E272, T1.2!C247:E247, T1.2!C277:E277, T1.2!C110:E110| Occupation | Firms with 25 to 199 employees | Firms with 200 or more | Large vs small |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical/Vocational/Commercial education institute teacher/trainer | 5,588 | 4,475 | -19.9% |
| Private tutor (academic) | 4,300 | – | – |
| Language instructor (extracurriculum) | 3,700 | 4,700 | +27.0% |
| Relief teacher | 2,600 | 3,820 | +46.9% |
| Early intervention teacher for infants and children | – | 3,691 | – |
Median gross monthly wage, S$. Source: MOM Occupational Wages 2025, Table 2.
Cell references
T2!C217:G217, T2!C317:G317, T2!C285:G285, T2!C322:G322, T2!C122:G122What it means
- Men and women: S$5,000 and S$4,555 for institute trainers. Private tutors: S$5,396 and S$4,030.
- Relief teachers earn S$3,820 at large firms and S$2,600 at smaller ones.
- These compare two groups. They are not an adjusted pay gap.
By employer industry
Institute trainers in professional services earn S$7,734 at the median, against S$4,070 in health and social services.
| Employer industry | Median gross wage | Gross wage, middle 50% |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Services | 7,734 | 6,408 to 8,370 |
| Public Administration and Education | 5,500 | 3,704 to 7,563 |
| Other Community, Social and Personal Services | 4,290 | 3,600 to 5,340 |
| Health and Social Services | 4,070 | 3,440 to 4,660 |
Technical/Vocational/Commercial education institute teacher/trainer (SSOC 23300). Source: MOM Occupational Wages 2025, Tables 4.1 to 4.14. No figure published for the other 10 industries.
Cell references
T4.9!C105:I105, T4.11!C28:I28, T4.14!C33:I33, T4.12!C52:I52What it means
- MOM publishes institute trainer pay for 4 of 14 industries. The public administration and education figure, S$5,500, comes from private-sector employers in that industry group and has a wide middle range of S$3,704 to S$7,563.
Part 3 · Over time
Pay over time and 2026 outlook
Institute trainer pay was S$4,153 in 2021, S$3,450 in 2023 and S$4,629 in 2025. No title in this guide has a stable enough history to project.
Official medians for the last six years, then a projection for June 2026.
| Occupation | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical/Vocational/Commercial education institute teacher/trainer | – | 4,153 | 3,560 | 3,450 | 3,800 | 4,629 | |
| Private tutor (academic) | 3,800 | 4,750 | 5,638 | 5,088 | 4,250 | 4,164 | |
| Language instructor (extracurriculum) | – | 2,740 | 3,580 | 3,730 | 4,329 | 4,124 | |
| Relief teacher | – | – | – | – | 2,765 | 3,550 | |
| Early intervention teacher for infants and children | – | – | – | – | 4,019 | 3,772 |
Median gross monthly wage, June of each year, S$. "–" = not published, or the job code changed in a way that cannot be linked one-to-one. Earlier years use SSOC 2020 codes, linked to SSOC 2024 with SingStat's official correspondence table. MOM advises that single-year changes are noisy because the survey is a sample; look at the direction over several years. Source: MOM Occupational Wages 2020 to 2025, Table 4.
June 2026 projection Estimate
| Occupation | June 2025 (MOM) | June 2026 projection | 80% range | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical/Vocational/Commercial education institute teacher/trainer | 4,629 | Not projected: too volatile | ||
| Private tutor (academic) | 4,164 | Not projected: too volatile | ||
| Language instructor (extracurriculum) | 4,124 | Not projected: too volatile | ||
| Relief teacher | 3,550 | Not projected: not enough history | ||
| Early intervention teacher for infants and children | 3,772 | Not projected: not enough history | ||
Foundific projection v1, not official data. Central estimate = average of the last two MOM medians + economy-wide wage growth (3.73% a year, from MOM median income and the MAS inflation forecast). Tested on 2025: typical error 8.1%; 78.7% of actual values fell inside the 80% range. How the projection works.
What it means
- Private tutors: S$3,800 in 2020, S$5,638 in 2022, S$4,164 in 2025. The figure moves a lot from year to year.
- Language instructors: S$2,740 in 2021 to S$4,124 in 2025.
- Why no projection: our method skips titles whose past figures swing widely or cover too few years. MOM's June 2026 figures are due around mid-2027.
Part 4 · AI impact
Is teaching affected by AI?
The ILO rates institute trainers, tutors, language instructors and relief teachers Minimal, and early intervention teachers Not exposed.
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).
Technical/Vocational/Commercial education institute teacher/trainer
MinimalAI exposure
Not exposedVery high
AI can help with a small part of this job, mostly paperwork.
- Most exposed taskPreparing reports and maintaining records
- Least exposed taskInstructing and monitoring students
- In numbersAI could do a large part of 1 of its 10 main tasks.
Private tutor (academic)
MinimalAI exposure
Not exposedVery high
AI can help with a small part of this job, mostly paperwork.
- Most exposed taskRevising curricula, course content, course materials
- Least exposed taskIn such cases tasks performed would include -
- In numbersAI could do a large part of 1 of its 12 main tasks.
Language instructor (extracurriculum)
MinimalAI exposure
Not exposedVery high
AI can help with a small part of this job, mostly paperwork.
- Most exposed taskAssigning and correcting work, and preparing
- Least exposed taskAssisting students in classroom settings where subjects are…
- In numbersAI could do a large part of 2 of its 8 main tasks.
Relief teacher
MinimalAI exposure
Not exposedVery high
AI can help with a small part of this job, mostly paperwork.
- Most exposed taskRevising curricula, course content, course materials
- Least exposed taskIn such cases tasks performed would include -
- In numbersAI could do a large part of 1 of its 12 main tasks.
Early intervention teacher for infants and children
Not exposedAI exposure
Not exposedVery high
AI can do very little of this job. Most tasks are hands-on or face to face.
- Most exposed taskPreparing and maintaining student data and other records…
- Least exposed taskTeaching academic subjects and practical and self-help…
- In numbersAI could do a large part of 1 of its 11 main tasks.
Technical/Vocational/Commercial education institute teacher/trainerSSOC 23300
Minimalexposure to generative AI
- Not exposed
- Minimal
- Some
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Scored as ILO group 2320 Vocational education teachers. Average task score 0.35, higher than 64% of the 427 jobs the ILO scored.
Private tutor (academic)SSOC 36910
Minimalexposure to generative AI
- Not exposed
- Minimal
- Some
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Scored as ILO group 2359 Teaching professionals not elsewhere classified. Average task score 0.33, higher than 61% of the 427 jobs the ILO scored.
Language instructor (extracurriculum)SSOC 36201
Minimalexposure to generative AI
- Not exposed
- Minimal
- Some
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Scored as ILO group 2353 Other language teachers. Average task score 0.34, higher than 62% of the 427 jobs the ILO scored.
Relief teacherSSOC 36991
Minimalexposure to generative AI
- Not exposed
- Minimal
- Some
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Scored as ILO group 2359 Teaching professionals not elsewhere classified. Average task score 0.33, higher than 61% of the 427 jobs the ILO scored.
Early intervention teacher for infants and childrenSSOC 23622
Not exposedexposure to generative AI
- Not exposed
- Minimal
- Some
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Scored as ILO group 2352 Special needs teachers. Average task score 0.28, higher than 53% of the 427 jobs the ILO scored.
Eight factors, role by role
| Factor | Technical/Vocational/Commercial education institute teacher/trainer | Private tutor (academic) | Language instructor (extracurriculum) | Relief teacher | Early intervention teacher for infants and children |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Exposure levelThe ILO's rating for the whole job, from not exposed up to very high. | Minimal | Minimal | Minimal | Minimal | Not exposed |
| 2Average task scoreHow much of each core task generative AI could do, averaged. 0 means none, 1 means nearly all. | 0.35 higher than 64% of jobs | 0.33 higher than 61% of jobs | 0.34 higher than 62% of jobs | 0.33 higher than 61% of jobs | 0.28 higher than 53% 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 | 1 of 12 | 2 of 8 | 1 of 12 | 1 of 11 |
| 4Hands-on or people tasksTasks scoring under 0.25: physical, in-person or judgement work that AI barely touches. | 2 of 10 | 1 of 12 | 1 of 8 | 1 of 12 | 5 of 11 |
| 5How even the exposure isEven means AI touches most tasks a little. Uneven means a few tasks are exposed and the rest are not. | Mixed (0.12) | Mixed (0.10) | Mixed (0.10) | Mixed (0.10) | Mixed (0.10) |
| 6Most exposed taskWhere AI tools are likely to show up first. | Preparing reports and maintaining records such as student… 0.65 | Revising curricula, course content, course materials and… 0.53 | Assigning and correcting work, and preparing and grading… 0.52 | Revising curricula, course content, course materials and… 0.53 | Preparing and maintaining student data and other records… 0.56 |
| 7Least exposed taskThe task AI can help with least. | Instructing and monitoring students in the use of tools… 0.21 | In such cases tasks performed would include - 0.15 | Assisting students in classroom settings where subjects are… 0.23 | In such cases tasks performed would include - 0.15 | Teaching academic subjects and practical and self-help… 0.19 |
| 8Pay trend so farChange in the MOM median since the first year on record. Any AI effect would show here in later years. | +11% S$4,153 (2021) to S$4,629 (2025) | +10% S$3,800 (2020) to S$4,164 (2025) | +51% S$2,740 (2021) to S$4,124 (2025) | +28% S$2,765 (2024) to S$3,550 (2025) | -6% S$4,019 (2024) to S$3,772 (2025) |
Most and least exposed tasks
Technical/Vocational/Commercial education institute teacher/trainer
Most exposed tasks
- 0.65Preparing reports and maintaining records such as student grades, attendance…
- 0.43Developing curricula and planning course content and methods of instruction
- 0.36Determining training needs of students or workers and liaising with…
Least exposed tasks
- 0.21Instructing and monitoring students in the use of tools, equipment and…
- 0.24Providing individualized instruction and tutorial or remedial instruction
- 0.30Observing and evaluating students' work to determine progress, provide…
Private tutor (academic)
Most exposed tasks
- 0.53Revising curricula, course content, course materials and methods of…
- 0.49Preparing and presenting material on the theory of the subject area being…
- 0.36Planning, preparing and delivering programmes of study, lessons and workshops…
Least exposed tasks
- 0.15In such cases tasks performed would include -
- 0.26Instructing and demonstrating practical aspects of the subject area being…
- 0.27Counselling students to help them understand and overcome personal, social or…
Language instructor (extracurriculum)
Most exposed tasks
- 0.52Assigning and correcting work, and preparing and grading exams
- 0.50Designing and producing teaching materials and adapting existing materials
- 0.34Assessing, recording and reporting on students’ progress
Least exposed tasks
- 0.23Assisting students in classroom settings where subjects are taught in a…
- 0.26Planning, preparing and delivering lessons and workshops for groups and…
- 0.27Providing assistance to other teachers by designing special teaching…
Relief teacher
Most exposed tasks
- 0.53Revising curricula, course content, course materials and methods of…
- 0.49Preparing and presenting material on the theory of the subject area being…
- 0.36Planning, preparing and delivering programmes of study, lessons and workshops…
Least exposed tasks
- 0.15In such cases tasks performed would include -
- 0.26Instructing and demonstrating practical aspects of the subject area being…
- 0.27Counselling students to help them understand and overcome personal, social or…
Early intervention teacher for infants and children
Most exposed tasks
- 0.56Preparing and maintaining student data and other records and submitting…
- 0.34Administering various forms of assessment and evaluating progress of each…
- 0.32Designing or modifying curricula and preparing and delivering programmes…
Least exposed tasks
- 0.19Teaching academic subjects and practical and self-help skills to students…
- 0.23Stimulating and developing students’ confidence interests, abilities, manual…
- 0.23Giving instruction on an individual or group basis using special techniques…
Compared with our other guides
Source: ILO Working Paper 140, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (Gmyrek et al., 2025), CC BY 4.0. Singapore jobs matched to ILO groups with the SingStat SSOC 2024 to ISCO-08 correspondence table. Pay: MOM Occupational Wages. The ILO scores international job groups, not Singapore titles. How we read the AI scores.
Cell references
SSOC 23300 to ISCO 2320 (SSOC2024-ISCO08!B251); SSOC 36910 to ISCO 2359 (SSOC2024-ISCO08!B648); SSOC 36201 to ISCO 2353 (SSOC2024-ISCO08!B641); SSOC 36991 to ISCO 2359 (SSOC2024-ISCO08!B649); SSOC 23622 to ISCO 2352 (SSOC2024-ISCO08!B258)What it means for teaching
- Institute trainers: average task score 0.35, higher than 64% of the 427 jobs the ILO scored. The most exposed task is preparing reports and maintaining records; the least is instructing and monitoring students.
- Early intervention teachers: 0.28, higher than 53% of jobs. Most of the work is face to face.
- MOE teachers are not in this panel because the panel follows MOM's job codes.
- What exposure measures: how much of the work AI could do or speed up. It does not measure job cuts. Employers decide how to use AI.
Part 5 · Using the figures
Which figure should you compare with?
Start from who employs you: MOE, a private institute or a tuition centre. Then match your age band.
| You are | Compare with | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| New MOE teacher with a degree | MOE starting pay point, fresh degree holder | S$3,625 |
| New MOE teacher with a diploma | MOE starting pay point, fresh diploma holder | S$2,970 |
| MOE kindergarten teacher | MK teacher range | S$3,250 to S$5,200 |
| NIE graduate, six months after graduating | NTU Arts or Science (Academic Discipline and Education) | S$5,000 to S$5,109 |
| Trainer at a private institute, early career | Institute teacher or trainer, age 25 to 29 | S$3,931 |
| Tutor at a tuition centre | Private tutor (academic) row | S$4,164 |
| Relief teacher | Relief teacher row | S$3,550 |
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$4,629 × 12 = S$55,548 a year before bonus. It is not a total package.
What this data does not coverMOM's wage tables cover private-sector employers, so MOE school teachers are not in them. The MOE figures here are starting points, not medians.
MOM's wage tables cover private-sector employers, so MOE school teachers are not in them. The MOE figures here are starting points, not medians.
- Public school teachers: outside MOM's survey. MOE publishes starting pay points, not a distribution, so there is no median for serving MOE teachers.
- MOE figures are starting points: actual pay depends on qualifications, experience and National Service, and rises with the salary top-up after the PGDE.
- Bonuses: excluded from the MOM figures and from the MOE starting points.
- Polytechnic and university lecturers have separate MOM titles and are not in this guide.
- Residents only: MOM figures cover full-time Singapore citizens and permanent residents. Staff on work passes are not included.
- Small firms with fewer than 25 staff, including many tuition centres, are outside MOM's survey.
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 23300, 36910, 36201, 36991, 23622. Exact cells are listed under each table.
- MOE, NTU GES 2025. Arts (Academic Discipline and Education), NIE; Science (Academic Discipline and Education).
- MOM, Coverage and Methodology 2025.
- ILO generative AI exposure index 2025, matched to SSOC through the SingStat correspondence table.
- MOE Careers, Postgraduate Diploma in Education: Overview. Starting pay for degree holders. Page last updated 6 August 2026.
- MOE Careers, Diploma in Education: Overview. Starting pay for diploma holders. Page last updated 2 April 2026.
- MOE Careers, MK Teacher. MOE kindergarten teacher salary range.