Short answer: the COMPASS salary benchmark (criterion C1) is the 65th and 90th percentile of what local PMETs earn in the employer's sector at the candidate's age. A fixed monthly salary at the 65th percentile earns 10 points and at the 90th percentile earns 20. For a 30-year-old in Info-communication Technology, those lines are S$8,971 and S$13,959 for applications in 2026.
The lookup below uses the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) own tables, not estimates: all 22 sectors, every age from 23 to 45, from both the August 2025 release (new applications in 2026) and the August 2026 release (new applications from 1 January 2027). Figures checked 3 Oct 2026 against both MOM PDFs, all 1,012 values.
COMPASS C1 Salary Benchmark Lookup
MOM's 65th and 90th percentile local PMET salaries for your sector and age, from both published C1 tables.
Key Takeaways
- C1 scores 20 points at or above the 90th percentile of local PMET pay for the sector and age, 10 points from the 65th percentile, and 0 below that.
- The benchmark rises with age from 23 to 45 and is flat after 45, so the same salary can score 20 at 26 and 0 at 40.
- MOM publishes a new table each August. The Aug 2025 table covers new applications in 2026; the Aug 2026 table covers new applications from 1 January 2027.
- In 13 of 22 sectors, the EP qualifying salary at age 30 already sits at or above the 65th percentile, so an EP-eligible salary scores at least 10 C1 points there.
- A fixed salary of S$22,500 or more is exempt from COMPASS, and a salary below the EP qualifying salary fails before C1 is looked at.
How the C1 Salary Benchmark Works
COMPASS has four foundational criteria and two bonus criteria, and an Employment Pass application needs 40 points. C1 is the salary criterion. MOM compares the candidate's fixed monthly salary (basic pay plus fixed allowances, without bonuses or commission) with the pay of local professionals, managers, executives and technicians in the same sector, at the same age.
| Fixed monthly salary compared with the sector benchmark | C1 points |
|---|---|
| 90th percentile and above | 20 |
| 65th to below 90th percentile | 10 |
| Below 65th percentile | 0 |
MOM says the benchmarks come from its Manpower Research and Statistics Department's annual Comprehensive Labour Force Survey and are updated once a year. MOM goes by the employer's sector as it appears in MOM's records, and the candidate's job title plays no part. Employers can check and update their sector classification with MOM before applying.
Age Is Part of the Benchmark
Each sector has 23 rows: one for 23 or below, one for every age up to 44 and one for 45 and above, and the figures climb fast with age. In Info-communication Technology the 65th percentile line goes from S$6,939 at 23 to S$13,326 at 45 in the 2026 table. A candidate who earns the same salary as a peer ten years younger can score fewer points for it.
| Age | 10 points (65th pct) | 20 points (90th pct) | EP qualifying salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 or below | S$6,939 | S$9,778 | S$5,600 |
| 25 | S$7,520 | S$10,972 | S$6,064 |
| 30 | S$8,971 | S$13,959 | S$7,223 |
| 35 | S$10,423 | S$16,945 | S$8,382 |
| 40 | S$11,874 | S$19,931 | S$9,541 |
| 45 and above | S$13,326 | S$22,917 | S$10,700 |
C1 Benchmarks for All 22 Sectors at Age 30
The table ranks every sector by its 65th percentile line for a 30-year-old in both of MOM's releases, while the tool above gives the same figures for any age along with the full age ladder for one sector.
| Sector | 2026: 10 pts | 2026: 20 pts | From 2027: 10 pts | From 2027: 20 pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fund management and auxiliary financial services | S$13,030 | S$21,401 | S$13,016 | S$22,151 |
| Banking and other financial services | S$11,251 | S$17,401 | S$11,499 | S$17,473 |
| Info-communication Technology | S$8,971 | S$13,959 | S$9,226 | S$14,204 |
| Public Administration and Defence | S$8,636 | S$12,271 | S$8,935 | S$12,600 |
| Insurance, reinsurance and pension funding | S$8,256 | S$13,486 | S$8,263 | S$14,685 |
| Professional Services | S$8,010 | S$13,772 | S$8,283 | S$14,316 |
| Air and Sea Transport | S$7,665 | S$13,061 | S$8,180 | S$13,786 |
| Utilities and Other Goods Producing Industries | S$7,631 | S$11,883 | S$7,864 | S$12,194 |
| Wholesale Trade | S$7,323 | S$12,197 | S$7,634 | S$12,575 |
| Manufacturing | S$7,153 | S$10,858 | S$7,362 | S$10,916 |
| Administrative and Support | S$6,839 | S$12,015 | S$6,903 | S$11,349 |
| Education | S$6,812 | S$9,117 | S$7,015 | S$9,382 |
| Media | S$6,715 | S$11,313 | S$6,637 | S$11,020 |
| Real Estate Services | S$6,695 | S$12,135 | S$6,802 | S$13,010 |
| Health and Social Services | S$6,650 | S$10,552 | S$6,987 | S$10,620 |
| Construction | S$6,173 | S$9,257 | S$6,199 | S$8,724 |
| Arts, Entertainment and Recreation | S$6,049 | S$9,410 | S$6,548 | S$9,984 |
| Retail Trade | S$5,841 | S$8,906 | S$5,881 | S$8,431 |
| Land Transport and Logistics | S$5,693 | S$9,878 | S$5,810 | S$9,498 |
| Other Community, Social and Personal Services | S$5,328 | S$8,592 | S$5,853 | S$9,771 |
| Accommodation | S$5,063 | S$7,843 | S$5,449 | S$7,860 |
| Food and Beverage Services | S$4,829 | S$7,524 | S$5,034 | S$7,483 |
Where the EP Salary Already Clears the 65th Percentile
The EP qualifying salary at age 30 is S$7,223 for most sectors and S$7,982 in financial services for applications in 2026. In 13 sectors that bar is already at or above the 65th percentile line, so any candidate who is eligible for an EP at all scores at least 10 C1 points: Accommodation, Administrative and Support, Arts, Entertainment and Recreation, Construction, Education, Food and Beverage Services, Health and Social Services, Land Transport and Logistics, Manufacturing, Media, Other Community, Social and Personal Services, Real Estate Services, and Retail Trade. The C1 question in those sectors is only whether the salary reaches the 90th percentile.
The other nine sectors (the three financial services sectors, Info-communication Technology, Professional Services, Air and Sea Transport, Public Administration and Defence, Utilities and Wholesale Trade) have a gap between the EP bar and the 10-point line, which is where a salary decision moves the score.
What Changes With the 2027 Table
MOM's page says the Aug 2025 table applies to new EP applications from 1 January to 31 December 2026 and to renewals of passes expiring from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. The Aug 2026 table applies to new applications from 1 January 2027 and to renewals of passes expiring from 1 July 2027.
- Most benchmarks rise. At age 30 the 90th percentile line goes up by S$1,199 in Insurance, S$1,179 in Other Community, Social and Personal Services and S$875 in Real Estate Services.
- A few sectors go the other way: at age 30 the 90th percentile line drops by S$666 in Administrative and Support, S$533 in Construction and S$475 in Retail Trade, so a salary that scored 10 in 2026 can score 20 in 2027.
- The EP qualifying salary also rises from 1 January 2027, to S$6,000 at 23 or below and S$11,500 at 45 and above (S$6,600 to S$12,700 in financial services). For renewals the new EP salary applies to passes expiring from 1 January 2028.
Timing matters for borderline cases. An application filed in December 2026 is scored on the 2026 table; the same application filed in January 2027 is scored on the new one. Run both in the tool before choosing a submission date.
How to Use the Benchmark Before an EP Application
- Confirm the employer's sector on MOM's records. A firm classified differently from what it expects will be scored against a different line.
- Check the EP qualifying salary for the candidate's age first. C1 points count for nothing if the salary is below it.
- Look up the 65th and 90th percentile figures for the candidate's age in the table that applies on the submission date.
- Score the other criteria in the COMPASS points calculator to see whether 10 C1 points are enough or 20 are needed.
- Confirm the result with MOM's COMPASS Self-Assessment Tool before submitting. MOM's assessment is the one that counts.
What This Page Does Not Cover
C1 uses MOM's sector tables only and does not vary by job title, seniority or firm size, so a tool that asks for a seniority band is not using MOM's method. Bonuses, commission and equity sit outside the fixed monthly salary and are ignored. Passing COMPASS is one part of MOM's assessment, and MOM still decides the application as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions About COMPASS Salary Benchmarks
What is the COMPASS salary benchmark?
It is MOM's C1 criterion: the 65th and 90th percentile of local PMET fixed monthly salaries in the employer's sector, at the candidate's age. Reaching the 65th percentile earns 10 points and the 90th percentile earns 20.
Which C1 table applies to my application?
New applications from 1 January to 31 December 2026 use the table released in August 2025. New applications from 1 January 2027 use the August 2026 release. Renewals follow the pass expiry date: 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 uses the 2025 release, and from 1 July 2027 the 2026 release.
Does the benchmark depend on the job or on the company?
On the company. MOM uses the employer's sector classification and the candidate's age. Job title and seniority are not inputs.
Can a salary below the 65th percentile still pass COMPASS?
Yes, if the other criteria add up to 40. C1 gives 0 points below the 65th percentile, but the salary must still meet the EP qualifying salary for the candidate's age.
What counts as fixed monthly salary?
Basic monthly salary plus fixed monthly allowances. Variable pay such as bonuses, commission and stock awards is not counted.
Is anyone exempt from the salary benchmark?
Candidates earning a fixed monthly salary of at least S$22,500 are exempt from COMPASS altogether, so C1 does not apply to them.
Official Sources and References
- COMPASS C1 salary benchmarks (MOM)
- C1 salary benchmarks by sector, released Aug 2025 (PDF) (MOM)
- C1 salary benchmarks by sector, released Aug 2026 (PDF) (MOM)
- Employment Pass eligibility and EP qualifying salary (MOM)
- What is a fixed monthly salary? (MOM)
- How to check your organisation's sector classification (MOM)
Explore Catalyst Immigration’s other services:
- COMPASS Points Calculator
- EP Salary Requirement Calculator
- EP COMPASS Framework in Singapore
- Employment Pass Salary Threshold
- Employment Pass and Work Visa Service
Talk to Catalyst Immigration
A benchmark lookup tells you where a salary lands. It does not tell you whether to raise the offer, wait for the 2027 table, or build the application on C2 and C5 instead. Catalyst Immigration prepares Employment Pass applications and can check the whole COMPASS score with you before you submit. MOM makes the decision; we make sure the application is built on the right numbers.