Neither is wrong. I have studied both paths myself. This post is just for the ones that are practical. Here are the localized facts on industries based on 2010 graduates from our three universities.
Top Median Gross Monthly Salaries (in brackets are the 75th-percentile salaries)
SMU Information Systems Management (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – $4,000 ($4,600)
SMU Economics (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – $3,200 ($4,000)
SMU Economics (4-yr programme) – $3,000 ($3,763)
NUS Business Administration (Honours) – $3,000 ($3,600)
SMU Business Management (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – $3,000 ($3,500)
NUS Chemical Engineering – $3,000 ($3,500)
NUS Industrial & Systems Engineering – $3,000 ($3,450)
NUS Dental Surgery – $3,000 ($3,400)
NTU Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering – $3,000 ($3,300)
NTU Aerospace Engineering – $3,000 ($3,250)
NTU Arts (with Education) – $3,000 ($3,200)
NUS Information Systems – $2,975 ($3,250)
NTU Physics & Applied Physics – $2,950 ($3,000)
NUS Computer Engineering – $2,900 ($3,440)
NTU Chemistry & Biological Chemistry – $2,900 ($3,300)
NUS Computer Science – $2,900 ($3,290)
NTU Computer Science – $2,900 ($3,250)
NTU Science (with Education) – $2,900 ($3,200)
NTU Computer Engineering – $2,900 ($3,200)
NUS Mechanical Engineering – $2,900 ($3,200)
NUS Science (Honours) – $2,900 ($3,200)
The Dumping Grounds by Starting Pay (Gross Monthly)
NTU Art, Design & Media – $2,300 ($2,800)
NTU Accountancy (3-yr direct Honours programme) – $2,400 ($2,500)
NUS Business Administration (Accountancy) – $2,400 ($2,500)
NUS Applied Science – $2,500 ($2,500)
NUS Science – $2,500 ($2,600)
NUS Arts – $2,500 ($2,600)
NUS Business Administration (3-yr programme) – $2,500 ($2,700)
SMU Social Sciences (4-yr programme) – $2,500 ($2,850)
NTU Maritime Studies – $2,500 ($2,900)
SMU Accountancy (4-yr programme) – $2,500 ($2,950)
NUS Nursing – $2,550 ($2,700)
NTU Environmental Engineering – $2,600 ($2,900)
NTU Communication Studies – $2,600 ($2,900)
NUS Real Estate – $2,600 ($3,000)
NUS Applied Science (Honours) – $2,600 ($3,000)
SMU Accountancy (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – $2,600 ($4,000)
Top Permanent Employment Rate (in brackets are the average salaries)
NUS Nursing – 100.0% ($2,568)
NTU Science (with Education) – 100.0% ($3,030)
NTU Arts (with Education) – 100.0% ($3,109)
NUS Dental Surgery – 100.0% ($3,176)
NTU Chinese – 98.0% ($2,756)
NUS Business Administration (Accountancy) – 97.1% ($2,448)
SMU Accountancy (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – 96.8% ($3,586)
NUS Computer Engineering – 95.7% ($2,890)
SMU Accountancy (4-yr programme) – 95.3% ($3,073)
NUS Applied Science (Honours) – 94.7% ($2,674)
NTU Computer Science – 94.3% ($2,930)
NUS Material Science and Engineering – 93.8% ($2,880)
NUS Civil Engineering – 92.9% ($2,801)
SMU Economics (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – 92.6% ($3,606)
NUS Industrial & Systems Engineering – 92.5% ($3,099)
NUS Business Administration (Honours) – 92.1% ($3,389)
NUS Information Systems – 91.1% ($2,918)
NTU Civil Engineering – 90.8% ($2,769)
NTU Accountancy (3-yr direct Honours programme) – 90.0% ($2,529)
The Dumping Grounds by Employability
NTU Art, Design & Media – 61.7% ($2,431)
NUS Environmental Engineering – 63.2% ($2,667)
NUS Communication and Media – 70.8% ($2,536)
SMU Social Sciences (4-yr programme) – 72.0% ($2,613)
SMU Information Systems Management (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – 72.2% ($3,754)
SMU Social Sciences (4-yr programme) Cum Laude and above – 73.3% ($2,673)
NTU Materials Engineering – 75.3% ($2,745)
NUS Arts – 75.9% ($2,511)
NTU Environmental Engineering – 76.3% ($2,777)
NUS Science – 76.5% ($2,525)
NUS Computing – 76.9% ($2,841)
NUS Applied Science – 76.9% ($2,393)
NTU Physics & Applied Physics – 77.8% ($2,900)
NTU Communication Studies – 78.2% ($2,562)
NTU Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering – 78.6% ($2,990)
NTU Mechanical Engineering – 79.1% ($2,794)
Source: Transitioning
The real main source is actually from MOE but Transitioning did a real nice job compiling all of them :)
