A high proportion of graduates also applied for jobs, but did not receive any offers
The employment rate of new graduates from local universities has fallen by 2025, especially for those taking on full-time roles, a graduate employment survey said on Thursday (Mar 5).
A joint study by six Singaporean private universities found that 83.4% of recent graduates found jobs within six months of their final exam. This is down from 87.1% in 2024, and follows a downward trend from 2021.
Of the 83.4% of graduates who found work in 2025, 74.4% found full-time positions, compared to 79.4% in 2024, which also continued to decline from 2022.
A lot has been used, but few offers have been received
There was also a higher proportion of graduates who applied for jobs but did not receive funding in 2025, at 8.5%, up from 5.7% in 2024 and 4.1% in 2023.
In addition, more graduates take part-time or part-time work, with 7.2% doing so in 2025, up from 6% in 2024 and 4.1% in 2023.
Overall, 92.2% of graduates enter the workforce in 2025, choosing work over alternatives such as continuing studies or taking time off, up from 90.7% in 2024.
In a joint press release, six local universities said the number of job vacancies has declined since the post-pandemic peak, amid a decline in the number of jobs and underemployment.
“This reflects a heightened awareness of employment amid broader economic and development uncertainty in the country,” they said.
The universities also shared that although they continue to have entry-level job opportunities, some outward-facing sectors, such as information and communications, have seen lower employment compared to previous years.
It added that the survey shows employment outcomes for graduates six months after graduation, which historically tends to improve past the six-month mark based on the trends of previous cohorts.
Where the jobs are and how much they pay
According to labor market data from the Ministry of Manpower, cited by Business Timesapproximately 40% of entry-level vacancies for recent graduates are in growth sectors such as financial and insurance services, and professional services, as well as occupations such as financial compliance officers, risk analysts and auditors.
By 2025, graduates in information and digital technologies have the highest permanent employment rates, on par with those in life sciences and the built environment, ranging from around 78-89%.
The average monthly salary of students who found jobs within six months remained the same at S$4,500.
Among them, information and digital technology graduates earned the highest monthly earnings, averaging S$5,500 in 2024—unchanged from 2024.
Support for new graduates looking for jobs
About 14,400 students or 73.7% of the cohort from full-time programs at the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore Institute of Technology, and Singapore University of Social Sciences participated in this study.
Six universities checked their employment status from 1 Nov 2025, about six months after completing their final exams.
Graduates who want support in their job search can turn to their universities for job training and participate in career fairs.
They can also access resources from Workforce Singapore or NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute, or consider opportunities through the Graduate Industry Traineeships and GRIT@Gov Programs launched in October 2025.
- Read other articles we have written on Singapore current affairs here.
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