A recent Ministry of Manpower (MOM) School-to-Work Transition Study found that graduates across most disciplines are earning less than they expected when they first entered the workforce. Analysts speaking to CNA said the findings reflect the priorities and concerns of younger job seekers, particularly as employers become more cautious amid global economic uncertainty.
Singapore ans are questioning how they can stay 'hungry' in the job market after analysts urged fresh graduates to temper their salary expectations amid a more uncertain economic outlook.
A recent Ministry of Manpower (MOM) School-to-Work Transition Study found that graduates across most disciplines are earning less than they expected when they first entered the workforce. The findings have reignited concerns over wages, rising living costs, and the challenges facing younger Singaporeans navigating an increasingly competitive labour market. The study polled about 2,500 Singapore resident graduates aged between 22 and 28 who held at least a bachelor's degree.
It examined employment outcomes and early career experiences, including salary expectations, to better understand how graduates transition from education into work. One of the study's most notable findings was that low pay was the most common reason graduates rejected job offers, with 30.6% of respondents citing salary concerns. Another 26.7% said they were holding out for a better offer. The survey also revealed significant gaps between what graduates expected to earn and what they were actually paid.
Information technology graduates reported a median monthly salary of S$5,150, compared with an expected S$6,000. Engineering sciences graduates earned a median of S$4,450 against expectations of S$5,000. The gap was similarly pronounced among business and administration graduates, whose median salary was S$4,000 despite expecting S$5,000. Natural and mathematical sciences graduates earned a median of S$3,700, compared with an anticipated S$5,000.
Only graduates in law, education, as well as fine and applied arts reported earnings that met or exceeded their expectations. Analysts speaking to CNA said the findings reflect the priorities and concerns of younger job seekers, particularly as employers become more cautious amid global economic uncertainty.
Professor Lawrence Loh of the NUS Business School said he expects the gap between expected and actual salaries to narrow in the coming years, not because wages are necessarily rising faster, but because graduates are likely to become more realistic about what employers are offering. While MOM expects wages to continue growing this year, it has also warned that employers are likely to be more conservative with salary increments due to inflationary pressures and global uncertainty.
Recruitment experts cautioned that unrealistic salary expectations could prolong job searches and create frustrations for both candidates and employers. Mr Anurag Garg, country lead at recruitment firm Michael Page Singapore, said job seekers who hold out for salaries that significantly exceed market rates risk missing opportunities altogether. The findings have sparked strong reactions online, with many Singaporeans arguing that salary expectations cannot be discussed in isolation from the rising cost of living
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