Singapore's 2025 labour market recorded 32,500 entry-level PMET vacancies, spread unevenly across sectors with very different salary outcomes. The Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey (GES) 2025 confirmed that the median gross monthly salary for fresh graduates held at S$4,500, while information and digital technologies graduates reached S$5,500 at entry-level, the highest of any discipline for the third consecutive year. Entry-level and well-paid are not mutually exclusive in Singapore. The graduates who identify and target the sectors where high-paying entry-level jobs are concentrated are the ones who close that gap.
The sectors below are drawn from MOM's own list of higher-productivity, higher-paying industries, sourced from Ministry of Manpower data as at June 2025. Readers can cross-reference each sector directly using MOM's published vacancy figures.
What "Entry-Level" Actually Pays in Singapore
MOM's June 2025 definition sets entry-level PMET starting salaries at S$2,300 to S$5,000. These are roles defined as high-paying, no-experience-required job positions open to candidates entering the workforce for the first time.
Salary at entry level varies by institution, GPA, internship experience and employer. The figures below reflect published medians and verified ranges, not guaranteed outcomes.
Technology & Information Communications
Information and communications is Singapore's highest-paying entry-level sector, with the Joint GES 2025 confirming it as the best-paid discipline cluster for the third consecutive year.
Top High-Paying Entry-Level Jobs in the IT Industry
MOM's June 2025 vacancy data lists the following roles among the highest-demand positions in information and communications:
- Software developer (240 openings): Accessible with a computing or engineering degree, with demand spanning financial services, professional services and dedicated tech employers
- IT support technician (160 openings): A strong entry point combining technical skills with client-facing aptitude
- Computer engineer (150 openings): Engineering degree pathways accepted across hardware and systems integration roles
Salary Range
Information and digital technologies graduates earned a median gross monthly salary of S$5,500 in the Joint GES 2025. Computer science and information systems graduates from NUS, NTU and SMU reported medians of S$6,000 to S$6,400.
What Employers Look For
MOM's Labour Market Q2 2025 identifies cloud computing, cybersecurity and data analytics as the skills driving hiring in this sector. EY and Deloitte are actively recruiting graduates with data science and coding backgrounds for consulting and audit functions, not only for specialist technology roles.
Caveat
Top-band salaries of S$6,000 to S$7,500 are concentrated among NUS, NTU and SMU computer science and information systems graduates. Those entering from adjacent disciplines should expect starting offers in the S$4,500 to S$5,500 range without specialist qualifications.
Financial & Insurance Services
Finance and insurance is one of MOM's three-starred high-productivity industries and consistently produces some of the best-paying entry-level jobs in Singapore.
Top High-Paying Entry-Level Jobs in the Finance & Insurance Industry
MOM's June 2025 entry-level vacancy list includes:
- Financial/investment adviser (70 openings): accessible with a business, finance or economics degree; MAS licensing pathways are a standard early-career step
- Financial compliance officer/risk analyst (50 openings): growing in demand as Singapore's financial regulatory requirements continue to expand
- Operations officer (50 openings): a broad entry point across banking, insurance and asset management
Salary Range
Published 2025 graduate intake figures for the Big Four: PwC Singapore from S$4,350 per month, EY from S$4,300, Deloitte from S$4,000 to S$4,500 depending on business unit and internship track, and Grant Thornton raised its 2025 starting salary to S$4,000, up from S$3,400 the year prior.
What Employers Look For
Finance hiring has expanded beyond accountancy and law, with firms including EY and Deloitte actively recruiting technology graduates for consulting and advisory functions. Coding skills are now cited as differentiators in a sector historically led by accounting backgrounds. Grow your network early: a meaningful share of roles at the Big Four and boutique firms fill through referrals before they reach public listings.
Caveat
Top-band starting salaries at the Big Four are tied to competitive cohorts and strong academic performance. The median across all finance and business employers sits lower, making the sector highly competitive at the higher salary levels.
Engineering & Construction
Engineering and construction is one of Singapore's most vacancy-rich entry-level sectors, making it one of the most accessible routes into in-demand jobs that pay well without a technology background.
Top High-Paying Entry-Level Jobs in the Engineering Industry
MOM's June 2025 data lists the following among the highest-vacancy entry-level roles in this sector:
- Building construction engineer (300 openings): the highest single vacancy count among engineering roles; accessible with a civil or structural engineering degree
- Quantity surveyor (290 openings): BCA-accredited pathways provide structured entry with defined career progression
- Civil/structural engineering draughtsman (120 openings): steady demand across infrastructure and private development projects.
Singapore's ongoing BIM adoption and green building digitalisation are creating additional demand for graduates who bridge engineering and software competencies.
Salary Range
Engineering graduates reported a median gross monthly salary of S$4,600 in the Joint GES 2025, slightly above the all-disciplines median. Process and mechanical engineer roles in manufacturing typically cluster between S$4,000 and S$5,000, depending on sub-sector and employer.
What Employers Look For
MOM lists resident technical officer (80) and quantity surveyor (80) under professional services as well as construction, giving engineering graduates options beyond construction firms. Accreditation pathways (BCA, PE registration) are valued alongside degree qualifications, and graduates who begin that process early tend to advance faster.
Caveat
Engineering and construction produce the largest raw vacancy counts in MOM's dataset, making entry more accessible than tech or finance. Meaningful salary growth in this sector tends to come post-accreditation rather than at the graduate intake stage.
Health, Social Services and Public Sector Research
Health and social services ranked among Singapore's highest-vacancy sectors in MOM's June 2025 data, and several roles within the sector offer entry-level jobs that pay well alongside government-linked stability.
Top High-Paying Entry-Level Jobs in the Healthcare and Social Services Industry
MOM's June 2025 vacancy data includes:
- Registered nurse (290 openings): Structured career pathway with Singapore Nursing Board (SNB) registration as the entry requirement.
- Social worker (220 openings): BSW or accredited equivalent required; a growing share of roles are government-linked.
- Pre-primary education teacher (110 openings): ECDA-regulated entry pathway with structured progression.
R&D manager (510) and research officer (350) in public administration and education carry the two highest single-role vacancy figures in the entire MOM dataset.
Salary Range
Nursing and social work starting salaries typically sit in the lower-to-mid portion of the S$2,300 to S$5,000 band, with NUS GES 2025 showing nursing graduates at a gross monthly median of S$4,000 to S$4,200. R&D roles at research institutions and statutory boards can reach the mid-to-upper end of the range depending on programme and funding source.
What Employers Look For
Registered nursing requires an approved degree or diploma plus SNB registration. Social work roles require a BSW or accredited equivalent. R&D positions at public sector institutions increasingly favour graduates with postgraduate qualifications or strong research output, making them more competitive than the vacancy numbers alone suggest.
Caveat
Health and social services recorded the largest number of vacancies in MOM's Q2 2025 Labour Market Report. Graduates who prioritise job security, structured career progression and public sector benefits alongside salary will find this sector more consistent than outward-oriented industries subject to global hiring slowdowns.
Tips to Land a High-Paying Entry-Level Job in Singapore
- Target MOM's starred high-productivity sectors first: Information and communications, finance and insurance, and professional services are consistently where the best-paying entry-level jobs in Singapore cluster, sitting toward the upper end of the S$2,300 to S$5,000 band.
- Pair your degree with sector-specific certifications: CFA for finance, AWS or GCP for tech, and ACCA for accountancy each signal immediate practical value to hiring managers comparing candidates with equivalent degrees.
- Build visibility through the right professional environments, not just job boards: Freelancer platforms are worth exploring for early-career professionals building a portfolio while actively job hunting. For those investing in face-to-face relationships, event spaces for corporate events, networking sessions and industry briefings are one of the most direct routes to the referrals that fill roles before they reach public listings.
Find Your Start in Singapore's Job Market
Singapore's highest-paying entry-level roles are concentrated in a handful of sectors. Information and communications, finance and insurance consistently sit at or above the S$4,500 all-disciplines median, while engineering and health offer the largest raw vacancy pools for graduates who prioritise access over peak starting salary.
The MOM vacancy data and Joint GES figures together point to a market where deliberate industry targeting produces better early-career outcomes than broad, undifferentiated applications. Sector trajectory matters more than entry-level salary alone.
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