Average Intelligence Research Specialist Salary in Singapore for 2026
An intelligence research specialist in Singapore earns about 154,700 SGD a year. That's 50% above the national average of 103,200 SGD.
Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in Singapore sit around 75,280 SGD a year, while the very top stretches to 240,500 SGD. Everything on this page is in Singapore dollar (SGD, symbol $), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.
The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in Singapore, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.
How much does an intelligence research specialist make in Singapore?
A typical intelligence research specialist working in Singapore brings home around 12,891 SGD a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 75,280 SGD, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 240,500 SGD for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.
The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior intelligence research specialist working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around.
How intelligence research specialist pay ranges in Singapore
A good way to think about salary in Singapore is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all intelligence research specialists in Singapore earn less than 159,500 SGD a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".
Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 104,140 SGD (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 209,700 SGD (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of intelligence research specialists sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.
The very lowest reported salaries sit around 75,280 SGD. The highest stretch to 240,500 SGD, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.
Intelligence research specialist pay by experience in Singapore
Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for an intelligence research specialist in Singapore, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical intelligence research specialist salary changes as you move through the career ladder.
- 0-2 Years85,700 SGD
- 2-5 Years+46% from previous125,100 SGD
- 5-10 Years+29% from previous161,300 SGD
- 10-15 Years+23% from previous197,600 SGD
- 15-20 Years+6% from previous209,500 SGD
- 20+ Years+11% from previous232,900 SGD
The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 46%. That is the point at which a intelligence research specialist typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.
Intelligence research specialist pay by education in Singapore
Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving intelligence research specialist pay in Singapore. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.
Below is the average intelligence research specialist salary in Singapore broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.
- Bachelor's Degree137,400 SGD
- Master's Degree+43% from previous196,800 SGD
Intelligence research specialist gender pay gap in Singapore
The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and Singapore is no exception. Male intelligence research specialists in Singapore earn an average of 159,100 SGD a year, while female intelligence research specialists earn around 152,100 SGD. That works out to a 5% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.
A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.
Intelligence Research Specialist gender pay gap
4%
Men earn this much more than women on average in Singapore.
Pay raises for an intelligence research specialist in Singapore
Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.
A typical worker doing this role in Singapore sees a raise of about 11% every 19 months, which works out to roughly 7% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.
Across all jobs in Singapore, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.
By industry
Industries with the highest pay raises in Singapore:
- Banking
- Energy
- Information Technology
- Healthcare1%
- Travel
- Construction
- Education
By experience level
Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.
- Junior Level3% - 5%
- Mid-Career
- Senior Level
- Top Management
Intelligence research specialist bonus rates in Singapore
Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.
34% of intelligence research specialists in Singapore reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes an intelligence research specialist a low-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.
Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary. The remaining 66% of intelligence research specialists reported no bonus at all over the same period.
Which careers pay bonuses in Singapore
Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.
- Finance
- Architecture
- Sales
- Business Development
- Marketing / Advertising
- Information Technology
- Healthcare
- Insurance
- Customer Service
- Human Resources
- Construction
- Transport
- Hospitality
Intelligence research specialist: public vs private sector pay
Public-sector pay in Singapore is about 5% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.
Public vs private pay gap
5%
Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in Singapore on average.
Intelligence Research Specialist in Singapore: FAQs
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How much does an intelligence research specialist make per month in Singapore?
An intelligence research specialist in Singapore earns about 12,891 SGD a month before tax, based on an annual average of 154,700 SGD.
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What's the salary range for an intelligence research specialist in Singapore?
Entry-level intelligence research specialists in Singapore start near 75,280 SGD. Top-end pay reaches around 240,500 SGD. The middle 50% of earners sit between 104,140 and 209,700 SGD.
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Is the median intelligence research specialist salary in Singapore higher or lower than the average?
The median is 159,500 SGD, higher than the average of 154,700 SGD. Half of intelligence research specialists in Singapore earn below the median, half earn above it.
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What's the gender pay gap for intelligence research specialists in Singapore?
Men working as an intelligence research specialist in Singapore earn around 5% more than women on average (159,100 vs 152,100 SGD a year).
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Do intelligence research specialists in Singapore get bonuses?
About 34% of intelligence research specialists in Singapore reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary.
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Do intelligence research specialists earn more in the public or private sector in Singapore?
In Singapore, the public sector pays an intelligence research specialist about 5% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.
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How often do intelligence research specialists in Singapore get a pay raise?
An intelligence research specialist in Singapore sees a raise of around 11% every 19 months, equivalent to roughly 7% a year.