According to the latest Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey (JAUGES) 2025, nine in 10 graduates from SMU secured employment within six months of graduation, despite a cautious labour market. SMU graduates recorded a secured employment rate of 91.4%, with an overall employment rate of 87.1% and a full-time permanent employment rate of 79.8%. Graduate salaries also increased from the previous year. SMU reported an average gross monthly salary of $5,116, up from S$5,057 in 2024, whilst the median salary increased to S$4,747 from S$4,600. Of SMU’s 2,331 graduates in the Class of 2025, 1,710 responded to the survey, representing a 73.4% response rate. These findings suggest that SMU’s focus on industry-linked education and internships plays a crucial role in preparing graduates for the workforce, even amidst a cautious hiring climate.
SMU Provost Alan Chan, who is also Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Chair Professor of Inter-Religious Studies and Harmony (with courtesy appointment in the School of Social Sciences), remarked that while hiring conditions are becoming more cautious as organisations manage uncertainty and accelerate automation, this is precisely where SMU's learning model proves its strength. He said that they are intensifying the efforts to equip the students with essential human-centred competencies, such as strong critical thinking and communication skills, as well as a high degree of artificial intelligence (AI) fluency, which are vital to flourishing in a rapidly changing work environment. Prof Chan added that they will further enhance experiential and interactive learning that is the hallmark of an SMU education.