Fresh graduates from SMU’s 2012 cohort enjoyed robust employment, as well as high starting salaries, despite the economic uncertainties. This is based on a joint Graduate Employment Survey (GES) covering Singapore's three autonomous universities. It found that 91.7 per cent secured employment within six months after graduation. More than 75 per cent had job offers during the time before they graduate and a month after graduation. In addition, 61 per cent had two to six job offers per person. SMU said the mean gross monthly salary of its fresh graduates in full-time permanent jobs is a record $3,395, since its pioneer cohort graduated in 2004, slightly higher than the previous year's mean gross monthly salary of $3,388. The top 20 per cent of income earners commanded a mean gross monthly salary of $5,187, 2.9 per cent higher than that of 2011. Of the SMU graduates who are working full-time, 30 chose to embark on an entrepreneurial path and start their own businesses