Graduate Employment Survey 2010 (published 2011)

75

Among the Class of 2010 from NUS, SMU and NTU, graduates from the NUS Law Faculty got the highest starting pay. This is according to the 2010 Graduate Employment Survey results.

Featuring for the first time in the Salary.sg ranking tables, the 2010 batch of lawyers from NUS received an average starting salary of $4,770. This average is apparently not skewed by outliers, as 75% of these fresh lawyers got more than $4,250.

No thanks to the lawyers, the 4-year Information Systems Management programme at SMU dropped a notch to 2nd place this year, with an average starting pay of $4,547 for those who graduated cum laude and above.

Fresh doctors coming from NUS, the only university offering medicine, are at a distant 3rd with $3,852.

Interestingly, SMU Accountancy (non-cum laude) has a high average of $3,162 but a low median of $2,650 – what this means is that 50% of them earn less than $2,650 but the rest earns much more to skew the average by a lot.

The same bad skewing is observed for NUS Business Administration (Accountancy) (Honours). But it scored a 100% employment rate.

Also dominating the top of the employability table are: Law, Medicine and Surgery, the NTU-NIE courses (for teachers-to-be), Dental Surgery and NTU Biomedical Sciences.

In terms of employability, NTU Art, Design & Media is once again … last. See our previous year’s rankings.

Without further ado, we present this year’s rankings:

By Average Gross Monthly Salaries (in brackets are the 75th-percentile salaries)

  1. NUS Laws – $4,770 ($5,000)
  2. SMU Information Systems Management (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – $4,547 ($4,950)
  3. NUS Medicine and Surgery – $3,852 ($4,000)
  4. SMU Business Management (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – $3,750 ($4,000)
  5. SMU Accountancy Cum Laude and above – $3,625 ($3,800)
  6. SMU Economics (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – $3,579 ($3,700)
  7. SMU Social Sciences (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – $3,479 ($3,875)
  8. SMU Information Systems Management (4-yr programme) – $3,474 ($4,000)
  9. NUS Architecture – $3,445 ($3,700)
  10. SMU Economics (4-yr programme) – $3,429 ($3,700)
  11. NTU Computer Science – $3,385 ($3,700)
  12. NUS Information Systems – $3,384 ($3,700)
  13. NUS Industrial & Systems Engineering – $3,357 ($3,750)
  14. NTU Aerospace Engineering – $3,344 ($3,800)
  15. NUS Pharmacy – $3,298 ($3,300)
  16. SMU Business Management (4-yr programme) – $3,292 ($3,500)
  17. NUS Computer Science – $3,289 ($3,400)
  18. NTU Arts (with Education) – $3,281 ($3,400)
  19. NTU Computer Engineering – $3,272 ($3,600)
  20. NUS Chemical Engineering – $3,259 ($3,500)
  21. NUS Electrical Engineering – $3,235 ($3,500)
  22. NUS Business Administration (Honours) – $3,232 ($3,600)
  23. NTU Science (with Education) – $3,199 ($3,300)
  24. NTU Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering – $3,182 ($3,525)
  25. NUS Computer Engineering – $3,163 ($3,700)
  26. SMU Accountancy (4-yr programme) – $3,162 ($3,500)
  27. NTU Bioengineering – $3,160 ($3,800)
  28. NTU Mathematics & Economics – $3,147 ($3,450)
  29. NUS Computer Engineering – $3,140 ($3,500)
  30. NTU Chinese – $3,118 ($3,400)
  31. NUS Dental Surgery – $3,116 ($3,400)
  32. NTU Electrical & Electronic Engineering – $3,110 ($3,400)
  33. NUS Material Science and Engineering – $3,107 ($3,200)
  34. NUS Business Administration (Accountancy)(Honours) – $3,081 ($3,375)
  35. NTU Materials Engineering – $3,079 ($3,300)
  36. NUS Mechanical Engineering – $3,067 ($3,200)
  37. NTU Mechanical Engineering – $3,064 ($3,400)
  38. NUS Social Sciences (Honours) – $3,062 ($3,335)
  39. NUS Science (Honours) – $3,049 ($3,300)
  40. NUS E.Commerce – $3,049 ($3,500)
  41. NTU Mathematical Sciences – $3,022 ($3,100)
  42. NUS Arts (Honours) – $3,021 ($3,200)
  43. NUS Business Administration (3-yr programme) – $3,008 ($3,000)
  44. NTU Economics – $2,995 ($3,200)
  45. NUS Communication and Media – $2,993 ($3,494)
  46. NTU Environmental Engineering – $2,982 ($3,200)
  47. NTU Chemistry & Biological Chemistry – $2,981 ($3,300)
  48. NTU Biological Sciences – $2,952 ($3,200)
  49. NTU Biomedical Sciences – $2,950 ($3,175)
  50. NTU Sociology – $2,950 ($3,200)
  51. NUS Applied Science (Honours) – $2,944 ($3,100)
  52. NUS Computing – $2,935 ($3,200)
  53. NTU Business (3-yr direct Honours programme) – $2,933 ($3,200)
  54. NTU Psychology – $2,932 ($3,300)
  55. NTU Civil Engineering – $2,911 ($3,100)
  56. NUS Environmental Engineering – $2,895 ($3,200)
  57. NTU Physics – $2,862 ($3,250)
  58. NTU Maritime Studies – $2,857 ($3,125)
  59. NTU Communication Studies – $2,836 ($3,200)
  60. SMU Social Sciences (4-yr programme) – $2,824 ($3,200)
  61. NUS Bioengineering – $2,804 ($3,000)
  62. NTU Accountancy (3-yr direct Honours programme) – $2,778 ($2,775)
  63. NUS Real Estate – $2,762 ($3,000)
  64. NUS Civil Engineering – $2,757 ($2,800)
  65. NUS Business Administration (Accountancy) – $2,692 ($2,600)
  66. NUS Project and Facilities Management – $2,657 ($2,800)
  67. NUS Nursing – $2,655 ($2,800)
  68. NUS Science – $2,653 ($2,900)
  69. NUS Arts – $2,627 ($2,900)
  70. NTU English Literature – $2,603 ($3,050)
  71. NTU Art, Design & Media – $2,600 ($3,150)
  72. NUS Engineering Science – $2,571 ($3,000)
  73. NUS Applied Science – $2,427 ($2,800)

By Permanent Employment Rate (in brackets are the median salaries)

  1. NUS Laws – 100.0% ($5,000)
  2. NUS Medicine and Surgery – 100.0% ($3,700)
  3. NTU Arts (with Education) – 100.0% ($3,200)
  4. NTU Science (with Education) – 100.0% ($3,200)
  5. NUS Dental Surgery – 100.0% ($3,000)
  6. NTU Biomedical Sciences – 100.0% ($2,800)
  7. NUS Business Administration (Accountancy)(Honours) – 100.0% ($2,600)
  8. SMU Accountancy (4-yr programme) – 97.9% ($2,650)
  9. NUS Architecture – 97.7% ($3,500)
  10. NTU Accountancy (3-yr direct Honours programme) – 97.0% ($2,600)
  11. NTU Aerospace Engineering – 95.9% ($3,200)
  12. SMU Accountancy Cum Laude and above – 95.8% ($3,000)
  13. NTU Civil Engineering – 95.2% ($2,900)
  14. SMU Information Systems Management (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – 95.0% ($4,350)
  15. SMU Economics (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – 95.0% ($3,300)
  16. SMU Business Management (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – 94.1% ($3,400)
  17. NUS Nursing – 93.9% ($2,600)
  18. NUS Civil Engineering – 93.5% ($2,700)
  19. SMU Social Sciences (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – 93.3% ($3,250)
  20. SMU Information Systems Management (4-yr programme) – 93.0% ($3,100)
  21. NUS Computer Science – 92.9% ($3,000)
  22. NUS Pharmacy – 92.3% ($3,200)
  23. NTU Maritime Studies – 92.0% ($2,750)
  24. NTU Computer Science – 91.8% ($3,200)
  25. NUS Computer Engineering – 91.8% ($3,000)
  26. NTU Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering – 91.0% ($3,200)
  27. NTU Computer Engineering – 90.8% ($3,100)
  28. SMU Business Management (4-yr programme) – 90.7% ($3,000)
  29. SMU Social Sciences (4-yr programme) – 90.5% ($2,675)
  30. NUS Industrial & Systems Engineering – 90.4% ($3,000)
  31. SMU Economics (4-yr programme) – 90.2% ($3,100)
  32. NUS Information Systems – 90.0% ($3,200)
  33. NUS Communication and Media – 90.0% ($2,800)
  34. NUS Business Administration (Honours) – 89.6% ($3,100)
  35. NUS Applied Science (Honours) – 89.5% ($3,000)
  36. NUS Project and Facilities Management – 89.0% ($2,500)
  37. NUS Computing – 88.9% ($2,880)
  38. NTU Mechanical Engineering – 88.6% ($3,000)
  39. NUS Electrical Engineering – 88.5% ($3,000)
  40. NUS Real Estate – 88.5% ($2,650)
  41. NUS E.Commerce – 87.5% ($3,000)
  42. NUS Computer Engineering – 87.2% ($3,000)
  43. NTU Business (3-yr direct Honours programme) – 86.3% ($2,800)
  44. NTU Mathematics & Economics – 85.7% ($3,200)
  45. NUS Business Administration (Accountancy) – 85.7% ($2,600)
  46. NUS Mechanical Engineering – 85.2% ($3,000)
  47. NTU Electrical & Electronic Engineering – 84.7% ($3,000)
  48. NTU Economics – 84.6% ($3,000)
  49. NUS Chemical Engineering – 82.9% ($3,100)
  50. NUS Environmental Engineering – 82.6% ($2,800)
  51. NTU Materials Engineering – 82.2% ($3,000)
  52. NTU Mathematical Sciences – 81.8% ($2,800)
  53. NTU Psychology – 81.7% ($3,100)
  54. NTU Communication Studies – 81.7% ($2,750)
  55. NTU Chinese – 81.0% ($3,100)
  56. NUS Social Sciences (Honours) – 80.9% ($3,000)
  57. NUS Business Administration (3-yr programme) – 80.9% ($2,650)
  58. NTU Bioengineering – 80.0% ($3,000)
  59. NUS Material Science and Engineering – 77.4% ($3,000)
  60. NUS Science (Honours) – 77.2% ($3,000)
  61. NTU Sociology – 76.7% ($3,100)
  62. NTU Environmental Engineering – 76.4% ($3,000)
  63. NTU Biological Sciences – 76.3% ($2,800)
  64. NUS Arts (Honours) – 76.0% ($3,000)
  65. NUS Bioengineering – 75.6% ($2,700)
  66. NUS Engineering Science – 75.0% ($2,750)
  67. NTU Chemistry & Biological Chemistry – 74.8% ($3,000)
  68. NTU Physics – 73.7% ($3,000)
  69. NUS Arts – 73.7% ($2,550)
  70. NTU English Literature – 72.5% ($2,700)
  71. NUS Science – 71.4% ($2,500)
  72. NUS Applied Science – 62.5% ($2,400)
  73. NTU Art, Design & Media – 60.4% ($2,600)
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75 Comments

  1. Seems like Singapore’s economy is giving very low emphasis on innovation and creativity. Low wages for Science and engin as well as ADM grads discourages talents in these fields. Innovation in technology as well as creative industry should be the drivers for a developed economy in the long term. Turning into a pure service hub will be a huge risk in the future, as Singapore will slowly lose its comeptitive advantages over fast developing countries.

    The future seems gloomy for Singapore.

  2. SMU is a bullshit school which likes to cook up statistics. I personally know some “big” employers who I interned under and they all said the same thing “SMU students are very rehearsed but they are not innovative or knowledgeable.”

  3. So you interned. And what did your employer say to other interns about you? That NUS and NTU students aren’t innovative and knowledgeable, and worse aren’t “rehearsed” at all?

    Everyone knows singapore students all lack creativity cos someone wants us to shut up and just get a job in finance. What’s new?

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  5. Hey aren’t you forgetting there’s Duke-NUS producing doctors as well? YLL at NUS isn’t the only medical school in Sg.

  6. My company (in the finance sector) sadly tend to employ more SMU grads in our past and current MA program even though the school like u all mentioned is much smaller. Dont think is anything bullshit here they are doing – think they jut got te formula right.

    Anyway lets not talk bad about others. Let’s the stats and employers judge. Wake up call perhaps?

  7. i did a quick look, NUS indeed reported their law grads are getting 5k at 75th level, and SMU also likewise reported $4,950 for their IS grads.

    which numbers are wrong? what data analysis are you talking about? if the numbers reported by the unis are inflated, are you saying the unis themselves are not being “biased” (which i take to mean “untruthful”)?

  8. As mentioned earlier by tons of enlightened professionals in the high paying sectors, local law grads starting pay remains unchanged from 2001 figures, when it was 3.5k and 4 month bonus including AWS.

    If you multiply 3.5k and 16, you will get $60k per annum. Local law grads pay hence has remained the same and the monthly figure is FRONTLOADED.

  9. not so fresh grad on

    Firstly, I came across this site and read the comments after a colleague of mine highlighted that a certain group of fresh graduates were earning >$10,000 a month. After reading through comments, I figured I would leave some thoughts
    and hopefully someone would find them helpful if not, at least informative.

    Having been fixated on starting salaries myself, and now having worked for 4 years, here are my 3 main thoughts:

    1) Averages tell alot but hide even more- Don’t be misled by averages. The top talents of each field earn significantly more vs the average. We should not be aiming to be in the average category. Pick a field of study that you can excel in. More imptly, pick a career path that you will excel in. Being good at something is highly correlated to genuine interests & inclinations. Don’t let what your course of study dictate on what your career should be.

    2) Remuneration can be very different just 3-4 years down the road. If remuneration is at the top of your wish-list (seems like it since every comment here is about compensation), look at a larger time frame. Don’t look at monthly, look at annually. Better still, look at a 3-4 year time frame. I myself started at a pay somewhere in the mid/upper percentile of my cohort. 3-4 years later, my compensation has grown >4x, and have overtaken alot of peers who started at much higher salaries in (similar/other professions included). Putting it into perspective, my starting pay was between 3-4k a mth.

    3) There is too much emphasis on university choice and course selection. From a dollars/cents angle: I believe that firms ultimately pay you what you are worth. Your market value is continually being built/eroded and not dictated to the 3-4 years spent at university. In other words, the uni you go to and the course you studied is but a small phase in the value creation process of oneself. Unfortunately, we often use them to dictate & limit our own development.

    Starting salaries are interesting and good info points but they are just one source of data. Don’t be too overly fussed.

  10. Hi Is there anybody who can give opinions(pros and cons of each choices) on which school to go, smu economics or nus fass(economics).

    And how is the studying of accountancy like?

    Sorry, i know such questions should be asked during open houses but i didn’t have time due to enlistment. This year. I’m applying next year.

  11. can any 1 please tell me how much a post graduate from nus inmasters of computing itpm with two years prior work exp could expect to earn?

  12. Thank you, I have just been searching for info approximately this subject for ages and yours is the best I’ve came upon till now. However, what about the conclusion? Are you positive concerning the source?

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  17. young associate on

    I’m a young associate in a mid sized firm and I’m earning 5k basic not including bonus. After bonus I earn about 7 – 8 k. My friends in the big 4 firms who perform well earn even more than me.

  18. @young associate: that is fantastic!!

    as i was dicussing with some of my friends the other day, the higher pay you youngsters have, the better you can afford the properties that old timers like us have been holding on to for ages. many of my own properties have more than doubled in price.

    clearly our retirement in a couple of years will be a very carefree one.

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