‘I can't stop comparing my salary with others' — Fresh grad opens up about pay gap among peers

Independent Singapore

27-05-2025

SINGAPORE: Salary comparison among peers is something many fresh graduates quietly struggle with, especially when everyone seems to be starting their careers at different speeds and pay scales. For one young man, this quiet struggle became overwhelming enough that he turned to Reddit to ask: 'How do I stop comparing my salary with my peers?'
In a post on the r/AskSingapore subreddit on Monday (May 26), the man shared that he had recently graduated from university and secured a full-time job that pays a median salary. He rents a unit with a group of friends who, like him, have just entered the workforce.
While he acknowledged that he earns enough to sustain himself and even save a little, he admitted that living with housemates who bring home noticeably higher salaries has made it difficult not to compare.
'I earn less compared to my housemates and can't seem to stop comparing my salary to them,' he wrote.
'I know I'm supposed to be grateful, but as a high-achieving student, it feels upsetting to be at the 'bottom' now, relative to my friends. I worked just as hard, studied just as hard, yet the outcome is different,' he added.
Turning to the Reddit community, he asked others if they've ever experienced the same thing and how they managed to cope with the pressure of measuring up.
'Has anyone struggled with the same feelings? How to deal/cope with them? Advice is appreciated, thank you,' he wrote. 'Use it as inspiration for you to work harder.'
Under his post, many users advised him to stop comparing himself to others, pointing out that career paths are rarely linear and that salary differences, especially early on, don't necessarily reflect long-term success or personal worth.
One user stated, 'Everyone runs their own race! There isn't a need to compare. Just work hard to reach your own goals and be contented.'
Another wrote, 'Comparison is the thief of joy. No point comparing. You get S$4,000 salary now, you'll think S$8,000 shiok. Then you get S$8,000, then you see people earn S$12,000, you get sad. What's the point?'
To make the man feel better, a third user said, 'I suggest you not compare. For someone who started as a poly grad and has been in the workforce for 20 years. My starting pay was low compared to my friends in university. However, now at 42, I'm earning more than most of them.'
Others, however, suggested that the man use this as motivation to improve his career prospects. One said, 'Use it as inspiration for you to work harder, or in strategising your way into a different industry, or in pursuing a side hustle.'
In other news, a 31-year-old Singaporean woman who accepted a lower salary in hopes of gaining experience is now regretting her decision, less than a week into the job.
In a post on the r/askSingapore forum on Friday (May 23), the woman shared that she had accepted a lower salary during the interview process because she believed this 'would help her secure the job, gain experience, and get higher negotiating power in the future.'
Read more: 'Should I just leave this job?' — Woman regrets accepting lower salary in less than a week into the job, as her assignment turns out to be different from what she applied for
Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)