Monthly salary for fresh private university graduates in Singapore surpasses $2,700

Those from Parkway College of Nursing and Allied Health and ERC Institute reported the highest median monthly pay at S$4,000, followed by those from the Singapore Institute of Management at S$3,600, The Business Times reported, citing the Private Education Institution Graduate Employment Survey 2023/2024 released by SkillsFuture Singapore on Monday.

By field of study, information and digital technologies led with a median salary of S$4,080 per month, while humanities and social sciences came in second at S$3,500. Figures for engineering and arts-related graduates, however, were not disclosed due to small sample sizes.

The survey, conducted between November 2024 and March 2025, collected responses from roughly 3,500 out of 9,600 recent graduates who completed full-time bachelor’s degrees at 27 private institutions, including James Cook University, PSB Academy, and Management Development Institute of Singapore.

People take photos at Merlion Park in Singapore, Sept. 7, 2024. Photo by AP

Of those surveyed, around 2,300 were in the labor force. SkillsFuture Singapore, which released the findings, is a national movement that promotes lifelong learning and skills development for all Singaporeans.

In comparison, fresh graduates from autonomous universities such as Nanyang Technological University and the National University of Singapore entered the workforce with a median monthly salary of S$4,500 in 2024, while post-national service polytechnic graduates started at S$3,000, according to an earlier joint graduate employment survey cited by The Straits Times.

Though the median salary inched up, fresh graduates from private institutions faced tougher job prospects in 2024 amid slowing economic growth and reduced hiring demand, as reported by Mothership.

Less than half (46.4%) of these graduates secured full-time employment, down from 58.7% in 2023. Another 24.2% took on part-time or temporary roles, up from 18.9% the year before, while the share of those freelancing declined from 5.7% to 4.2%.

Among course clusters, engineering had the highest rate of full-time employment at 55.3%, followed by sciences at 51.8%.

In contrast, full-time employment rates were much higher for fresh graduates from autonomous universities (79.5%) and post-national service polytechnic graduates (65.2%).

Angela Tan, director general for private education at SkillsFuture Singapore, said in a press release that the private institution graduate survey offers valuable insights to help prospective students make informed choices about their education and career paths.

She also emphasized that it took place in the context of global economic uncertainty and slower hiring.

"However, there are numerous resources and learning opportunities available through SkillsFuture for Singaporeans today to support their career aspirations, so that they are able to make informed choices based on skills demanded by industries and employers," she added.