Pursuing higher education in any part of the world would often come with significant university course fees. In Singapore, depending on the school, duration, and type of courses, estimated total tuition fees for an undergraduate degree can range from $25,000 to $170,000.
While some of us pursue further education as a passion, others pursue a university degree as a form of investment to ensure a good career. Regardless, not all degrees are equal, as the skills, knowledge, job market demand (and the commensurate salary) can vary from each course. Considering how much our tuition fees cost, some of us may be curious to know how much salary we can expect after graduation.
Here’s the estimated total university course fees per course and the corresponding gross median graduate starting salary.
Read Also: 2021 Cost Guide: Singapore Universities’ Tuition Fee Comparison
The following data tables are computed with data from the 2023 Graduate Employment Survey (GES) from the respective universities. Please note that:
Gross median salary data is based on full-time permanently employed graduates with employee’s CPF contributions. Bonuses and other extra financial benefits are not included.
Total Courses Fees are only an estimation based on typical course load. If a student takes a longer period to accumulate credits for graduation, the tuition fees will inevitably increase.
Double Degree programmes are not included in the compilation.
SUSS and SIT use total course fee instead of annualised course fees.
All Monthly Gross Median Starting Salary is based on the 2023 Graduate Employment Survey.
University course fees for the 2024/2025 cohort is not available as of the most recent update.
NTU “Interdisciplinary double major**” refers to the following double majors: Economics and Psychology, Economics and Public Policy & Global Affairs, English Literature and Art History, Psychology and Linguistics & Multilingual Studies, Psychology and Media Analytics.
Courses with “*” are based on a sample size of fewer than 30 respondents.
Read Also: Fresh Graduates: Here’s Why You Should Never Pay Your University Loans In Advance
NUS FY2023/2024 Estimated Courses Fees and Monthly Gross Median Starting Salary
NUS Courses
Number Of Years
Annual Cost
Estimated Total Cost
Monthly Gross Median Starting Salary
Bachelor of Arts
3
$8,200
$24,600
$3,745
Bachelor of Arts (Hons)
4
$8,200
$32,800
$4,008
Bachelor of Social Sciences
3
$8,200
$24,600
$3,795
Bachelor of Dentistry
4
$30,200
$120,800
$4,550
Bachelor of Engineering (Biomedical Engineering)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,100
Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,405
Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,000
Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical Engineering)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,800
Bachelor of Engineering (Engineering Science)*
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,500
Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental Engineering)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,243
Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial and Systems Engineering)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,600
Bachelor of Engineering (Materials Science and Engineering)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,346
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,490
Bachelor of Laws
4
$12,700
$50,800
$7,000
Bachelor of Science
3
$8,250
$24,800
$4,250
Bachelor of Science (Hons)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,000
Bachelor of Science (Computational Biology)
4
$8,250
$33,000
NA
Bachelor of Science (Pharmacy)
4
$9,100
$36,400
NA
Bachelor of Science (Pharmaceutical Science) (Hons)
4
$9,100
$36,400
$3,900
Bachelor of Science (Data Science and Analytics)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$5,000
Bachelor of Business Administration
3
$9,650
$28,950
$5,167
Bachelor of Computing (Computer Science)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$6,333
Bachelor of Computing (Information Security)*
4
$8,250
$33,000
$5,500
Bachelor of Computing (Information Systems)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$5,500
Bachelor of Science (Business
Analytics)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$5,500
Bachelor of Arts (Architecture)
4
$8,900
$35,600
NA
Bachelor of Arts (Industrial Design)*
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,000
Bachelor of Science (Project and Facilities Management)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$3,855
Bachelor of Science (Real Estate)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,000
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery
5
$30,200
$151,000
NA
Bachelor of Science (Nursing)
3
$8,950
$26,850
$3,850
Bachelor of Science (Nursing) (Hons)
4
$8,950
$35,800
$4,000
Bachelor of Music
3
$14,700
$44,100
$4,000
Bachelor of Arts with Honours (Yale-NUS)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,250
Bachelor of Science with Honours* (Yale-NUS)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,600
Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Engineering)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$5,595
Bachelor of Environmental Studies
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,000
Sources: NUS Annualised Course Fees, 2023 NUS GES
NTU FY2023/2024 Estimated Courses Fees and Monthly Gross Median Starting Salary
NTU Courses
Number Of Years
Annual Cost
Estimated Total Cost
Monthly Gross Median Starting Salary
Accountancy
3
$9,450
$28,400
$3,600
Accountancy and Business
3
$9,450
$28,400
$4,650
Business
3
$9,450
$28,400
$4,255
Business and Computing
4
$9,450
$28,400
$6,210
Business and Computer Engineering
4
$9,450
$28,400
$6,210
Aerospace Engineering
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,763
Bioengineering
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,043
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,200
Civil Engineering
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,000
Computer Engineering
4
$8,250
$33,000
$5,400
Computer Science
4
$8,250
$33,000
$5,200
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,800
Environmental Engineering
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,115
Information Engineering and Media
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,800
Maritime Studies
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,200
Materials Engineering
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,200
Mechanical Engineering
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,400
Art, Design and Media
4
$8,250
$33,000
$3,498
Chinese
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,090
Communication Studies
4
$8,250
$33,000
$3,675
Economics
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,314
English
4
$8,250
$33,000
$3,775
History
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,000
Inter-Disciplinary Double Major**
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,000
Linguistics and Multilingual Studies
4
$8,250
$33,000
$3,950
Philosophy
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,000
Psychology
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,000
Public Policy and Global Affairs
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,202
Sociology
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,008
Biological Sciences
4
$8,250
$33,000
$3,980
Biomedical Sciences and Chinese Medicine
5
$8,250
$41,250
$3,350
Chemistry and Biological Chemistry
4
$8,250
$33,000
$3,800
Environmental Earth Systems Sciences
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,138
Mathematical Sciences
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,250
Mathematics and Economics
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,250
Physics and Applied Physics
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,000
Sports Science and Management
4
$8,250
$33,000
$3,850
Arts (with Education)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,200
Science (with Education)
4
$8,250
$33,000
$4,300
Medicine
5
$35,000
$175,000
NA
Sources: NTU Annualised Course Fees, 2023 NTU GES
SMU FY2023/2024 Estimated Courses Fees and Monthly Gross Median Starting Salary
SMU Courses
Number Of Years
Annual Cost
Estimated Total Cost
Monthly Gross Median Starting Salary
Accountancy
4
$11,500
$46,000
$3,900
Accountancy (Cum Laude and above)
4
$11,500
$46,000
$4,500
Business Management
4
$11,500
$46,000
$4,436
Business Management (Cum Laude and above)
4
$11,500
$46,000
$4,875
Economics
4
$11,500
$46,000
$4,500
Economics (Cum Laude and above)
4
$11,500
$46,000
$4,833
Information Systems
4
$11,500
$46,000
$5,400
Information Systems (Cum Laude and above)
4
$11,500
$46,000
$5,625
Social Sciences
4
$11,500
$46,000
$4,000
Social Sciences (Cum Laude and above)
4
$11,500
$46,000
$4,312
Law
4
$12,700
$50,800
$7,000
Law (Cum Laude and above)
4
$12,700
$50,800
$7,000
Sources: SMU Annualised Course Fees, 2023 SMU GES
SUTD FY2023/2024 Estimated Courses Fees and Monthly Gross Median Starting Salary
SUTD Courses
Number Of Years
Annual Cost
Estimated Total Cost
Monthly Gross Median Starting Salary
Bachelor of Engineering (Engineering Product Development)
4
$13,500
$54,000
$4,200
Bachelor of Engineering (Engineering Systems and Design)
4
$13,500
$54,000
$4,500
Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Science and Design)
4
$13,500
$54,000
$5,190
Bachelor of Science (Architecture
and Sustainable Design)
4
$13,500
$54,000
$4,100
Sources: SUTD Annualised Course Fees, 2022 SUTD GES
SUSS FY2023/2024 Estimated Courses Fees and Monthly Gross Median Starting Salary
SUSS Courses
Number Of Years
Estimated Total Cost
Monthly Gross Median Starting Salary
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education*
4
$30,000
$3,400
Bachelor of Human Resource Management
4
$30,000
$3,500
Bachelor of Social Work
4
$30,000
NA
Bachelor of Accountancy
4
$33,640
$3,600
Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics
4
$30,000
$4,800
Bachelor of Science in Finance*
4
$30,000
$4,500
Bachelor of Science in Marketing
4
$30,000
$3,600
Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain Management
4
$30,000
$4,000
Sources: SUSS Course Fees 2023 SUSS GES
SIT FY2023/2024 Estimated Courses Fees and Monthly Gross Median Starting Salary
SIT Courses
Number Of Years
Estimated Total Cost
Monthly Gross Median Starting Salary
Bachelor of Arts in Game Design * (DigiPen Institute of Technology)
4-year
$43,320
$3,600
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Art and Animation (DigiPen Institute of Technology)
4-year
$43,320
$3,500
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Game Design *(DigiPen Institute of Technology)
4-year
$43,320
$4,490
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation (DigiPen Institute of Technology)
4-year
$43,320
$5,500
Bachelor of Accountancy with Honours
3-year
$27,900
$3,600
Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Information & Communications Technology (Information Security)
4-year
$30,000
$4,800
Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Information & Communications Technology (Software Engineering)
4-year
$30,000
$5,200
Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Pharmaceutical Engineering
4-year
$30,000
$3,955
Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Sustainable Infrastructure Engineering (Building Services)
3-year
$22,500
$3,775
Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Sustainable Infrastructure Engineering (Land)
3-year
$22,500
$4,000
Bachelor of Hospitality Business with Honours
3-year
$27,900
$3,300
Bachelor of Engineering in Systems
Engineering (Mechatronics Systems) * (SIT-DigiPen Institute of Technology)
4- year
$43,320
$4,800
Sources: SIT Course Fees, 2022 SIT GES
Please note that this guide only compiles local university courses. Other overseas university programmes from SIT are not included apart from DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore. For more information do visit SIT courses website and SIT’s GES.
Popular Or Prestigious Courses Doesn’t Always Lead To Higher Starting Salaries
It is important to take into consideration all factors when choosing a course to study. Certain courses are relatively more expensive and prestigious than the rest, but they do not immediately translate to a higher starting pay.
Based on NUS 2022 GES survey, taking up Bachelor of Dentistry with a total 4-years university course fees of $120,800 may not translate to higher starting pay in comparison to spending $33,000 for a 4-years Bachelor of Computing in Computer Science.
Another interesting bit of information that we gleaned from the GES survey was that the NUS Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree, which might receive disapproval from the more traditional folks, has a median starting salary of $4,008. This is the same as traditionally popular NUS Bachelor of Business Administration (Accountancy) (Hons).
Regardless, we should be careful to jump to conclusions about courses without considering the full picture of our desired career pathway. Professionally accredited degrees such as dentistry and accountancy are prized due to the demand for their unique expertise.
Read Also: 7 High-Paying Jobs In Singapore That Don’t Require A Degree
Focusing solely on the starting pay would be myopic. Having a good career is not only dependent on being able to command a high starting pay. There are many factors to take into consideration such as personal interest, growth of the industry, and career growth pathway.
For the rest of us that have since graduated, our degree does not set our career pathway in stone. Based on a 2019 YouGov research, as much as 53% of Singaporeans work in a job unrelated to their degrees. Education is a life-long journey, and the learning process should not end with our degree.
Read Also: Guide To Education Financial Aid In Singapore
This article was first published on 14 April 2021 and updated with the latest information. Additional reporting by Sarah Hannah Charles.
The post NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD, SIT & SUSS: Complete Guide For Local University Courses Fees And How Much Starting Salary You Will Earn As A Fresh Graduate appeared first on DollarsAndSense.sg.
