The latest joint employment survey for university graduates, conducted on 10,126 out of 13,656 graduates from SMU, NUS and NTU, showed that a degree pays off in terms of jobs and salaries even as the government opens up new pathways to persuade school leavers to further themselves through work and study schemes. The survey found that the median salaries for the class of 2014 rose to a new high of $3,200, up from $3,050 for the class of 2013. The employment rate also remained at the same high level, with nine in 10 finding jobs within six months of completing their degree studies last year.