SINGAPORE: Ninety per cent of polytechnic graduates in the labour force found employment within six months of completing school or National Service in 2025, according to the Polytechnic Graduate Employment Survey results released on Thursday (Jan 15).
This was a dip from the 90.4 per cent recorded in 2024 and 95.8 per cent recorded in 2023.
In 2025, the majority of fresh polytechnic graduates and post-NS graduates in the labour force – 54.2 per cent – had secured full-time permanent jobs.
Nearly one-third – 28.2 per cent – were in part-time or temporary employment. This was voluntary for most of the respondents.
Freelancers made up 4.8 per cent. Another 2.3 per cent had accepted an offer at the time of the survey and were starting later, while 0.6 per cent were taking active steps to start their own business venture.
Out of the 10 per cent of graduates who were unemployed, 7.1 per cent had applied but not received any full-time permanent job offer.
About 1.3 per cent had received but rejected full-time permanent job offers, and 1.6 per cent did not search for any full-time permanent job.
These figures are drawn from the proportion of recent polytechnic graduates who were in the labour force, which was 43.9 per cent in 2025.
The remaining 56.1 per cent who were not in the labour force were either pursuing further studies or not looking for a job for various reasons, including taking a break.
The survey is jointly conducted by Nanyang, Ngee Ann, Republic, Singapore and Temasek polytechnics.
The median gross monthly salary among recent polytechnic graduates in full-time permanent employment rose from S$2,900 (US$2,250) in 2024 to S$3,000 in 2025.
The top-paying course cluster was humanities and social sciences, with a median gross monthly salary of S$3,200.
Health sciences came in next with S$3,011. Three clusters – built environment, engineering, as well as information and digital technologies – matched the median of S$3,000.
The median salaries of arts, design and media, business, and sciences graduates were below the overall median.
Graduate employment outcomes for the 2025 cohort are expected to improve beyond the six-month mark, the polytechnics said in a joint press release. This was similar for previous cohorts, according to figures they provided in the press release.
The employment rate for the 2024 cohort was initially 5 percentage points lower than that of the 2023 cohort.
By the 12-month mark, the difference had narrowed. The proportion of the 2024 cohort that was in further studies locally or had wage records had risen to 93 per cent, comparable with 94 per cent for the 2023 cohort.
Singapore's resident employment continued to grow in 2025, while the proportion of workers in permanent roles hit a record high.
"Fresh graduates continue to be in demand, with an increase in the number of entry-level vacancies to 39,000 in September 2025, up from 26,000 in September 2024," said the polytechnics.
Four in 10 entry-level vacancies are in growth sectors like information and communications, financial and insurance services, and professional services, they added.
Support is available for graduates looking for jobs, including at the polytechnics, from Workforce Singapore and the National Trades Union Congress, and through the Graduate Industry Traineeships, said the polytechnics.
Ngee Ann Polytechnic principal and CEO Lim Kok Kiang said polytechnic graduates have continued to demonstrate resilience, securing opportunities in growth sectors including finance, healthcare and social services amid economic uncertainty.
"We will continue to strengthen our industry-focused curriculum, expand workplace immersion opportunities and enhance career guidance, to equip our learners with the skills, confidence and agility to build meaningful and sustainable careers," he said on behalf of the survey committee.
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This was a dip from the 90.4 per cent recorded in 2024 and 95.8 per cent recorded in 2023.
In 2025, the majority of fresh polytechnic graduates and post-NS graduates in the labour force – 54.2 per cent – had secured full-time permanent jobs.
Nearly one-third – 28.2 per cent – were in part-time or temporary employment. This was voluntary for most of the respondents.
Freelancers made up 4.8 per cent. Another 2.3 per cent had accepted an offer at the time of the survey and were starting later, while 0.6 per cent were taking active steps to start their own business venture.
Out of the 10 per cent of graduates who were unemployed, 7.1 per cent had applied but not received any full-time permanent job offer.
About 1.3 per cent had received but rejected full-time permanent job offers, and 1.6 per cent did not search for any full-time permanent job.
These figures are drawn from the proportion of recent polytechnic graduates who were in the labour force, which was 43.9 per cent in 2025.
The remaining 56.1 per cent who were not in the labour force were either pursuing further studies or not looking for a job for various reasons, including taking a break.
The survey is jointly conducted by Nanyang, Ngee Ann, Republic, Singapore and Temasek polytechnics.
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MEDIAN GROSS SALARIES
The median gross monthly salary among recent polytechnic graduates in full-time permanent employment rose from S$2,900 (US$2,250) in 2024 to S$3,000 in 2025.
The top-paying course cluster was humanities and social sciences, with a median gross monthly salary of S$3,200.
Health sciences came in next with S$3,011. Three clusters – built environment, engineering, as well as information and digital technologies – matched the median of S$3,000.
The median salaries of arts, design and media, business, and sciences graduates were below the overall median.
Graduate employment outcomes for the 2025 cohort are expected to improve beyond the six-month mark, the polytechnics said in a joint press release. This was similar for previous cohorts, according to figures they provided in the press release.
The employment rate for the 2024 cohort was initially 5 percentage points lower than that of the 2023 cohort.
By the 12-month mark, the difference had narrowed. The proportion of the 2024 cohort that was in further studies locally or had wage records had risen to 93 per cent, comparable with 94 per cent for the 2023 cohort.
Singapore's resident employment continued to grow in 2025, while the proportion of workers in permanent roles hit a record high.
"Fresh graduates continue to be in demand, with an increase in the number of entry-level vacancies to 39,000 in September 2025, up from 26,000 in September 2024," said the polytechnics.
Four in 10 entry-level vacancies are in growth sectors like information and communications, financial and insurance services, and professional services, they added.
Support is available for graduates looking for jobs, including at the polytechnics, from Workforce Singapore and the National Trades Union Congress, and through the Graduate Industry Traineeships, said the polytechnics.
Ngee Ann Polytechnic principal and CEO Lim Kok Kiang said polytechnic graduates have continued to demonstrate resilience, securing opportunities in growth sectors including finance, healthcare and social services amid economic uncertainty.
"We will continue to strengthen our industry-focused curriculum, expand workplace immersion opportunities and enhance career guidance, to equip our learners with the skills, confidence and agility to build meaningful and sustainable careers," he said on behalf of the survey committee.
Related:
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