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[schumpeter]

What is it like to work as an academic in Singapore? If one gets a tenure-line position, what can one expect in terms of salary? What would be the average cost of living? Would it be comparable to Chicago, New York, or Philadelphia? Would the taxes be crazily high? I welcome any information the forumites might have.

I am a recent PhD from an American university in one of the humanities disciplines.

[sociological]

I've been looking into this issue since I'm moving to Singapore for a one year postdoctoral fellowship. I don't know specifically about TT positions, but pay for postdocs seems to be fairly comparable to the U.S., maybe about 10-15% lower. Taxes are not high for foreign residents (though there are some). However, the cost of renting or buying an apartment seems to have skyrocketed in the last couple of years. I've done a lot of searches for housing on the expat websites (Singapore Expats and Expat Singapore!) and it is apparently almost impossible to find apartments for under $2000 (Singapore dollars) a month. This is partly because many apartments are in these massive, fancy condo developments with swimming pools, elaborate gyms, etc.

Most Singaporeans live in public housing, which is supposed to be pretty decent, and costs a lot less. However, only a few of the apartments are approved for rental to foreigners. But if you are thinking of being there for more than a year or two, it might be worth your while to seek these out.

Feel free to email me if you want more info -- I have found some helpful websites.

[bright]

I worked in Singapore as a postdoc for two years a few years back.  First about rentals.  A postdoc would indeed have to look for private housing (most other faculty have access to university housing).  You'd be looking at the lower end of the market (not necessarily public housing, something in between).  Avoid Expat Singapore, a good website but one that caters for extremely well off expats, which you will not be.  We paid 1,200 Singapore $ for a nice two bedroom flat, a little old, but a beautiful complex.  I'd suggest looking at the ads in the newspaper the Straits Times (not sure if they're available online). 

As I've said, faculty get a good deal on pretty nice university housing.  rental is quite a bit below market value (the downside is that you are surrounded by university people all the time...!).  Salaries are high, particularly from the associate professor level upwards.  They also operate a bonus system (both for individual performance as well as group - i.e. department - performance).  Taxes are very low. 

[schumpeter]

Thank you both! Your comments were very helpful. Obviously I won't have to worry about these until I actually get the offer, which will take some time.

Does anyone have insights on Singapore's university system? I heard from various sources that it is quite different from the US academia.

[frozen]

I had my wallet stolen in Singapore. Don't buy the idea that Singapore is crime-free. In Singapore's defense, it was nonviolent crime and nothing that would seem odd in Newark, NJ.

[expat2007]

Most of higher education in Singapore is controlled by the government.  That is both good and bad.  At any rate, things can be quite bureaucratic at times. 

The people in top management in Singapore often come from either an engineering or an accounting background.  So, they tend to have a different way of looking at things than the typical humanities scholar especially one trained in the West.

The cost of living is still fairly reasonable if you avoid buying a car.  The price of buying a car and the cost of operating a car are both very high in Singapore due mostly to a range of government policies.  However, Singapore is a compact island with a good system of public transportation consisting of a subway (MRT), some light rail (LRT), many buses, and lots of taxis.  Also, one can usually find a range of places to eat and shop just within walking distance of one's home.  So, it is possible to live without a car.

Housing costs have gone up dramatically in the past year or so.  Rents in Singapore are beginning to approach Hong Kong levels. See if you can get staff housing as an alternative.

Food remains fairly cheap.  Moreover, there is a good range of places to eat out esp. if you like Chinese, Indian, and Malay/Indonesian food.  Western, Thai, and Japanese food can also be found.  If you get to know the stalls at the many hawker centers and food courts well enough, then you can find some real gems.

Almost everyone in Singapore (even taxi drivers) can communicate in English. 



 

[histdd]

I have been in Sinagpore for five years and can say without reservation that it is a place to avoid unless you are nearing retirement and are being offered a fantastic salary. Even then, assume that the contract conditions will deteriorate once you get here...