Fewer university graduates in Singapore found full-time employment in 2025, continuing its downward trend.
74.4 per cent of the university graduates in Singapore secured full-time jobs in 2025, six months after completing their final examinations, according to the Graduate Employment Survey jointly conducted by NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD, SIT and SUSS.
This represented a 5 per cent fall from 79.4 per cent in 2024.
The latest full-time employment rate for university graduates reflects a continuing downward trajectory over the last four years.
The full-time employment rate was 84.1 per cent in 2023, falling from 87.5 per cent in 2022.
Graduates across the course clusters found full-time jobs, ranging from 50 per cent to 89.2 per cent in 2025.
The survey showed full-time employment rates for graduates across all course clusters had fallen since 2023.
Health science graduates had the highest full-time employment rate of 89.2 per cent in 2025, which fell from 95.7 per cent in 2023.
Arts, design & media graduates saw the lowest full-time employment rate at 50 per cent, from 66.7 per cent for the same period.
Including those working on part-time, temporary or freelance basis, the current employment rate for graduates was higher, ranging from 77.5 per cent to 94.7 per cent in 2025.
The current employment rate for all course clusters for the last three years also showed a downward trend.
Current employment rate for health science was the highest, at 94.7 per cent, falling from 98.2 per cent in 2023.
Arts, design & media graduates also saw the lowest current employment rate at 77.5 per cent, from 84.9 per cent for the same period.
A study titled ‘Education at a Glance 2023’ released in September 2023 revealed that the employment rate was higher among the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries and also “higher three to four years after graduation than one to two years.”
“The average employment rate among tertiary graduates is 88% one to two years after graduation, climbing to 91% in the three to four years following graduation, then 89% after five years or more,” the report stated.
The latest study released in September 2025 showed the employment rate at “86% for those with a bachelor’s degree” among the adult population aged 25 to 64 across OECD countries.
Rising Median Salary
University graduates in all course clusters saw an increase in gross monthly median salary in 2025, except for information & digital technologies.
The monthly median salary for graduates in the information & digital technologies was the highest at $5,500, holding steady for the last three years.
Graduates in arts, design & media saw the lowest median monthly salary of $3,840.
The median monthly income for all graduates in other course clusters was at least $4,050.
