Get hired: Ten highest-paying jobs for fresh graduates revealed

Expect higher starting salaries this year.

Despite Singapore’s conservative GDP growth, fresh graduates should expect marginally higher starting salaries this year.

According to Hay Group’s Fresh Graduate Pay Survey, 2014 he average monthly starting salary for degree holders in the three qualification categories — without Honors, with Honors (Second Lower) and with Honors (Second Upper) — is S$2,741, S$2,853 and S$2,939 respectively, for 2014.

Last year’s average monthly starting salary was S$2,683 for Bachelor Degree (without Honors), S$2,795 for Bachelor Degree (Honors, Second Lower) and S$2,892 for Bachelor Degree (Honors, Second Upper).

For degree holders, Engineering graduates command the highest average starting salary of $2,888 a month. Legal graduates come in second at $2,856 per month, while Information Technology graduates can ask for an average of $2,816 a month.

Project Management graduates come in fourth at $2,813 a month, while Production graduates can command $2,767 per month.

New graduates in Finance and Accounting can ask for $2,765 a month, while those in corporate affairs can expect $ 2,755 per month.

Property Management graduates will have an average starting salary of $2,750, while those in Research and Development can expect an average salary of $2,738 per month. Quality Assurance graduates close the top 10 at $2,708.

Here’s more from the report:

For diploma holders, Engineering graduates command the highest average starting salary of S$1,976 per month, with Marketing graduates coming in second at S$1,938 per month and Administration/ Support/Service graduates taking third place at S$1,925 per month.

The survey also showed that one out of five employers placed an average premium of S$214 per mont
h for local university graduates compared with non-local university graduates.

Meanwhile, diploma holders can look forward to an average starting salary of S$1,878 per month, about 2.0 per cent more than last year’s $1,840 per month.

Mr Andrew How, Managing Director, Hay Group, said that even though the Ministry of Trade and Industry had adjusted the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rate to 2.5 to 3.5 per cent, this year’s findings show promise with increases of 2 to 3 per cent in starting pay for fresh graduates.

He added, “Accelerated career development and not just money is the primary motivation for fresh graduates to work for a company. New entrants now have a wide spectrum of opportunities to choose from – from start-ups to entrepreneurial ventures to freelancing and contract work. With this widening range of choices, individuals are expecting acceptance and freedom to be themselves with the emphasis shifting to more cerebral needs, such as belonging, autonomy, and self-expression in the workplace”.