The latest Graduate Employment Survey (GES) 2024 underscores Singapore Management University’s (SMU) enduring appeal to employers, amidst lower hiring demand. With an 89.8% overall employment rate, SMU graduates remain in high demand, with their salaries continuing an upward trajectory across key industries. The results were revealed in the annual Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey (JAUGES), jointly conducted by SMU and the other Autonomous Universities. Of the 2,300-strong graduating cohort, 1,742 students (75.7%) participated in the survey, offering a snapshot of employment trends that reflect both resilience and adaptation in an evolving economic landscape.
Strong Graduate Employability
SMU continues to achieve strong overall employment rates (89.8%) and full-time permanent employment rates (83.4%).
Graduates Command Higher Salaries
SMU graduates are also commanding higher wages, with the average gross monthly salary rising to $5,057, a 3.4% increase from last year. The median gross salary of SMU graduates also increased from $4,500 to $4,600 (see Annex A for more details).
Internships Cement Career Pathways
A hallmark of SMU’s industry-centric education, the university’s mandatory internship programme has played a pivotal role in preparing students for the workforce.
- 79.9% of graduates completed more than one internship, with an average of 2.8 internships per student, ensuring they enter the job market with real-world experience.
- 31.6% of graduates who found full-time permanent employment had secured roles at the companies they interned with, underscoring SMU’s strong industry linkages.
SMU graduates remain highly sought after in Finance & Insurance, Legal, Accounting & Auditing, and Information & Communication, reflecting sustained employer demand across key industries. More than 60% secured employment before graduation, demonstrating the strong market confidence in SMU’s talent pipeline and the university’s emphasis on experiential learning and industry-aligned education, where students are challenged to use their disciplinary knowledge to tackle real world issues through interdisciplinary approaches.
Through collaborations within the SMU community and with external stakeholders, opportunities are provided for students to establish valuable new contacts for securing future internships and/or employment locally and globally.
SMU Graduates Credit University for Personal and Professional Growth
98% of graduates reported that their time at SMU had a positive influence on their personal growth. Beyond academics, SMU’s distinctive education approach has equipped graduates with essential life and career skills. A strong 97.1% credited the university with enhancing their interpersonal and collaboration skills, while 97.5% felt they had significantly improved in communication and engagement. Additionally, 96% of graduates stated that SMU had effectively prepared them with critical thinking capabilities and a strong sense of personal development ownership.
These findings underscore SMU’s commitment to developing well-rounded, future-ready leaders equipped to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.
SMU’s Commitment to Future-Ready Education
SMU’s high employment rates stem from its distinctive experiential learning model, which integrates academia with real-world application. The SMU-X programme connects students with industry leaders to tackle live business challenges, while its mandatory internships, community service and global exposure requirements ensure graduates develop adaptability, cross-cultural fluency, and a sense of social responsibility—attributes highly valued in today’s evolving job market.
SMU Provost, Professor Timothy Clark, remarked: “SMU’s graduate success is no accident—it is the result of an education model designed for relevance and lifelong impact. Our emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, experiential internships, and close industry collaboration ensures our graduates are not just job-ready, but future-ready. The strong employment outcomes reaffirm SMU’s role as a university that produces distinctive, adaptable, purpose-driven, high-calibre talent, well-prepared to navigate a rapidly evolving global economy.”
As Singapore navigates a rapidly transforming economic landscape, SMU remains committed to equipping students with the skills, agility, and industry experience to lead and succeed.