Fresh graduates from the five local polytechnics have seen a slight increase in their starting salaries in 2013, compared to the year before. Their median gross monthly salary was $2,000, a 2.6 per cent increase from $1,950 in 2012.

Post-national service graduates in full-time permanent employment had a median gross monthly salary of $2,250, comparable to the $2,253 in 2012.

This is according to the annual polytechnic graduate employment survey, which was done between October and November last year. A total of 10,296 fresh graduates and 4,043 post-NS graduates took part in the survey.

The results showed that graduates' employment rate dipped slightly. For fresh graduates, the overall employment rate last year was 89.8 per cent, down from 91 per cent in 2012. For post-NS graduates, the figure was 92.8 per cent, a drop from 93.1 per cent in 2012.