Gender wage gap barely closed in 11 years

The median monthly income for males is 18% higher than for females.

The gender income gap in Singapore has not improved at all for 11 years, according to a report by analyst firm ValuePenguin.

According to ValuePenguin, the median monthly income for males in Singapore in 2016 was $3,991, 18% higher than the $3,382 for females.

This was barely different from the figure in 2006, wherein the difference stood at 19%.

The widest income gaps in the country were in health & social services, manufacturing, public administration & education, information & communications, financial services, and professional services where men made over $1,000 per month more than women.

Amongst the industries, Transport and Storage stood out as the only sector where women earned more than men.

Industries where there is most equal pay for men and women tended to be the most low-paying.

Median wages for industries such as arts & entertainment, agriculture, fishing, and administrative & support services range from $2,000 to $4,000 a month, whilst the wide-gap industries pay $5,000 to $6,4000 per month.

ValuePenguin said, "Sure, Singapore has been a world leader in gender equal pay for a long time. However, being a leader doesn't mean there's no room for improvement. The fact that even one of the most equal countries in the world still has a wage gap of 20% or more just means that there's still ways to go before men and women reach parity in terms of their work compensation."