2025 University Graduate Employment Survey: Fewer Fresh Grads Secure Full-Time Jobs Amid Cautious Market

Understanding the Latest Trends in Singapore's Graduate Job Market

The 2025 University Graduate Employment Survey, officially known as the Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey (JAUGES), paints a nuanced picture of the job landscape for fresh university graduates from Singapore's top institutions. Conducted annually by the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), this survey captures employment outcomes six months after students complete their final exams. Released in early 2025, the results highlight a dip in full-time job securing amid a cautious hiring environment, even as median salaries continue to rise.

This shift reflects broader economic pressures, including global trade tensions, geopolitical uncertainties, and rapid technological changes like artificial intelligence (AI) reshaping entry-level roles. Yet, the data also underscores resilience: while fewer graduates landed full-time permanent positions, those who did enjoyed higher pay, signaling demand in high-skill sectors.

Key Highlights from the 2025 Survey

Across the six autonomous universities, 87.1 percent of fresh graduates in the labour force secured employment within six months, a slight decline from 89.6 percent in 2023. More strikingly, the proportion in full-time permanent roles fell to 79.5 percent from 84.1 percent the previous year. This marks the continuation of a downward trend since 2022's peak of 93.8 percent overall employment.

Despite the challenges, the median gross monthly salary climbed 4.2 percent to S$4,500, up from S$4,317. Part-time, temporary, or freelance work rose marginally, with 6 percent of employed graduates in such arrangements, compared to 4 percent previously. Unemployed graduates actively seeking work stood at 8.5 percent.

Health sciences saw the sharpest drop in employment rates, from 97.6 percent to 91.2 percent, while business, information technologies, and health clusters still boasted the highest full-time permanent rates.

Performance Across Singapore's Autonomous Universities

Individual universities showed varied outcomes, with NUS maintaining strong results. At NUS, 88.1 percent of fresh graduates were employed (down slightly from 90.5 percent), and 80.9 percent secured full-time permanent roles. Their median salary rose to S$4,600 from S$4,400, with accountancy and dentistry achieving 100 percent employment.

SMU and SUTD also featured prominently in high-salary rankings, with computing and law programmes leading. For instance, SMU's Computer Science (Cum Laude and above) hit 97.3 percent full-time permanent employment at a median of S$7,500. NTU's double degrees in business and computing averaged S$7,000 median.

SIT and SUSS graduates in applied fields like diagnostic radiography and public safety saw near-perfect employment, though overall medians were lower around S$4,000-S$5,000. These differences highlight how institution-specific strengths in tech and professional programmes buffer against market caution.

Top-Performing Courses and Salary Benchmarks

Computing, law, and business degrees dominated salary and employability charts. NUS Bachelor of Laws led with a mean gross salary of nearly S$7,000 and median S$7,000. Computing fields across NUS, NTU, and SMU averaged S$6,500-S$7,500, reflecting tech sector demand despite layoffs globally.

• NUS Bachelor of Computing (Computer Science): Median S$7,500, high employability
• SMU Law (Cum Laude): Median S$7,000, 95.9% full-time permanent
• NTU Data Science & AI: Median S$6,500
• SIT Information Security: Median S$6,050

Conversely, arts, music, and some design programmes lagged, with NUS Bachelor of Music at 27.8 percent full-time permanent. Yet, even here, salaries edged up, showing selective hiring favouring versatile skills.

Why Fewer Full-Time Jobs? Unpacking the Cautious Market

Several factors contributed to the decline. Employers adopted a wait-and-see approach amid U.S.-China trade frictions, Middle East conflicts, and slowing global growth impacting Singapore's export-driven economy. Ministry of Manpower (MOM) data for the 2025 cohort revealed only 51.9 percent employment by June 2025, though up year-on-year, with 1,700 more active jobseekers due to 2,400 additional graduates entering the market directly.

AI automation threatened routine entry-level tasks in finance, admin, and even some tech roles, prompting firms to prioritize experienced hires. Manpower Minister Tan See Leng noted heightened competition, with young unemployment ticking up to 5.7 percent by mid-2025.

• Global economic headwinds and tariffs
• AI displacing junior positions
• Larger graduate cohorts entering job market
• Hiring freezes in tech and finance post-layoffs

Real-World Impacts on Fresh Graduates

Many graduates faced prolonged job hunts, with CNA polls citing peer pressure, low offers, and instability. A NUS computing grad shared applying to 100+ roles before landing a data analyst position at S$5,200—above median but after months of traineeships. Arts majors turned to freelancing or further studies, while business grads benefited from sector resilience.

Stakeholders like parents worry about debt repayment, but universities report 97.2 percent post-grad employment for prior cohorts, suggesting temporary hurdles. Regional context: Singapore's low overall unemployment (2 percent) contrasts with youth challenges, mirroring Asia-Pacific trends.

Government and University Initiatives to Bridge the Gap

The government launched the Graduate Industry Traineeships in October 2025, offering 800 spots in growth sectors like ICT and finance at firms including DBS, Grab, and ST Engineering. Subsidized at S$1,800-S$2,400 monthly (capped at half median grad salary), these 3-6 month programmes prioritize conversion to full-time roles.

Universities ramped up industry partnerships: NUS emphasizes AI literacy and resilience training; NTU's career services expanded mock interviews and alumni networks. Check out higher-ed career advice for resume tips tailored to Singapore's market.

Success Stories and Lessons from the Field

Consider SMU law graduate Priya, who leveraged internships at a Big Four firm to secure S$7,000 despite market slowdown—her moot court wins stood out. An NTU AI specialist pivoted from tech layoffs to fintech via upskilling in machine learning on Coursera, landing at Sea Group.

These cases illustrate: Internships boost employability by 20-30 percent per surveys; networking via LinkedIn and career fairs is key.

Looking Ahead: Optimism Amid Challenges

MOM projects stabilization in 2026 with growth in semiconductors, green tech, and biomedicine. Salaries may rise further as firms compete for talent. Grads in digital tech could see 10 percent+ gains. Universities predict rebound to 90 percent+ employment as AI skills differentiate candidates.

Actionable Advice for Aspiring Graduates

To navigate this market:

• Build portfolios with internships—aim for 2-3 by Year 3
• Upskill in AI, data analytics via SkillsFuture credits
• Network aggressively; join higher-ed jobs platforms
• Tailor applications: Quantify achievements (e.g., 'Boosted project efficiency 25%')
• Consider traineeships as bridges to permanency

Explore Singapore university jobs and rate my professor for course insights.

Photo by Mia de Jesus on Unsplash

Final Thoughts and Next Steps

The 2025 survey signals adaptation over alarm—fewer full-time starts but brighter long-term prospects. Position yourself via university jobs, higher ed jobs, and career advice. Share your experiences below and stay proactive in Singapore's dynamic higher education landscape.