Expectations for a university position?

[Pines39]

I am considering an assistant professor position at NIE (NTU). The unofficial offer has been made, but until the official word comes I won't know the terms. I am wondering if anyone can tell me what kind of salary to reasonably expect. I have pretty good experience and publications and a (newly minted) PhD from a top-tier US uni. Also, I am wondering if it is typical to negotiate salary in Singapore. One other thing: the job includes a housing subsidy. Does anyone know what that means in real terms? What might I expect to pay?

I would be very grateful for any advice!

[Meeeetoooo]

At NTU/NIE subsidised housing means, you will be able to live in an appartment on campus (pretty nice and spacy appartments, beautiful campus) on a significantly lower price than you would have to pay outside.

Advantage is, you will be able to walk to your office or take the Campus Shuttle Bus (very low fee) so you save money on transportation and housing. The other side of the coin is, you are far away from downtown, to get there it will take you 1 hour (if using Bus and MRT) or 1/2 hour by cab. Not sure about subsidised housing if you prefer to live outside.

And yes, you definitely should negotiate the salary before you come here. Reason is, once you have agreed to a salary, you will only get small salary increases a year, which is eaten up by the inflation. Especially now, as housing prices at least doubled! So you will get stuck on the salary you negotiated at first.

Also take in consideration, that you won't get a 13. and 14. month salary, nor do they pay for your medical insurance or your pension fund. And the salary, they offer you, is before Tax!

Salary depends more or less on how much NTU/NIE appreciates your education and how much they need you. Salary depends also on your position Associate Prof. or Assistant Prof... Average income for an Assocciate Prof. (only my feeling) around S$ 10.0000,-- to 12.000,--plus Performance and Group Bonus (depends on the economy). Your lifestyle will influence the amount you can save, good to live on a salary like that if you are single, becomes harder with not/working wife and children in tow. International schools are very expensive, University will pay for the schooling a limited amount and stop paying for your children's after your 2nd 3year contract.

Overall, a nice place to life for a few years.

There should be more information about salary range in the net!

Hope, I could help you a bit.

[MeeeeToooo]

Thanks so much, MeeeToooo! This information is very helpful. I am a bit surprised that health insurance is generally not included. What do people usually do about that? Is health insurance available at an additional cost?

[Meeeetoooo]

Most of us use an international insurance company, fees are affordable, around S$ 4.000,-- per year for a family of four.

There is maybe some kind of health subsidy mentioned in the contract, but it surely will not cover all expenses and not always 100% to be safe use a private insurance too.

Good luck!

[Salary]

An assistant professors salay is more like 6 to 7k per month. Which is OK if housing is included, just don't get married and have kids that need schooling.

[Pines39]

Thanks, Salary. 6-7k is not too exciting, eh. Comparable to a entry-level US appointment, but with a higher cost of living. I had heard the salaries would be better than that. The housing subsidy helps, as you say, but I don't know how much that is.

Is that 6-7k before tax or after?

[homer]

> And the salary, they offer you, is before Tax!

I'm curious about this comment, because I've seen this before.

How is an employer supposed to offer a post-tax salary when they don't know your tax obligations?

[Meeetooo]

You obviously never have crossed the borders of Singapore   

[homer]

Uh - I have. I've just never received a post-tax package so I'm asking. I have always had a tax-equalisation consultation which helps me know what it all works out to, but that's only for expat postings. Maybe that's what is meant by a post-tax package. But when I was a local hire in US, France & in Singapore, the offer was always pre-tax.

Hey - things work differently in different places! Who woulda thunk?

[Pines39]

Admittedly, I am not very familiar with the tax structure in Singapore. I was just curious to know whether 6-7k represents a typical pre-tax salary figure for a asst prof in S'pore or an approximate figure for take-home pay (in education-related fields). I only wanted a ball-park estimate, but I'll have to investigate the variables that affect tax burden, I guess. Is age the main factor? Kids? Both?

[homer]

I don't know about salary markets, but you can get the full details on taxes from the IRAS website. The tax structure in Singapore is DEAD easy, there are only a small handful of reliefs you can claim. Age is not a factor, kids are, as are parents/grandparents. Check out the IRAS website for individual income tax for salaried employees. It's not that bad!

[Venice]

If it helps, back home EU my husband needed 1 day to fill out the tax form, here it is a matter of 20 minutes. Dead easy, as mentioned before. Not much to bring down the tax, but not too bad at all, it still is a tax/haven, curious how long this situation will go on.

[Pines39]

Thanks very much for the clarification. Helps a lot. I'll follow it up. And please wish me luck with offer, when it comes!

[thinking]

hello,

i am thinking of a asst prof position at NIE too. would you kindly let me know how much is the university offering for a new PhD guaduate and how do they determine starting pay? (you may wish to give a range if that is too direct a question!) many thanks!

[My 2 cents worth...]

I saw a job advertised for an academic staff member at a local polytechnic in Sing, no PhD requirement, they were offering a package of up to S$140k p.a.  I wouldn't move to SGP unless you were gonna get that at least!  Living on campus would be a good idea while you get used to the job/country, then you can renegotiate at the end of your contract to move somewhere else - housing is expensive though!