Singapore’s entry-level job market shrinks despite salary growth, data shows

While starting salaries for fresh graduates and entry-level workers in Singapore continue to creep upwards, the number of people in entry-level roles is shrinking, according to new data, indicating an increasingly tough job market for those at the start of their careers.

Data published last month by global professional services firm Aon showed a 2.5 per cent year-on-year salary increase for entry-level employees, alongside a 3.2 per cent drop in entry-level headcount.

The findings come as graduate employment in Singapore has also weakened. A joint survey by the country’s six autonomous universities released in March found that 83.4 per cent of recent graduates who sought jobs were working within six months of their final exams, declining from 87.1 per cent in 2024 and continuing a downward trend since 2022.

Aon’s findings also point to a shift in employer expectations for new workforce entrants, as artificial intelligence takes on a growing role in the workplace.