Many students and parents often wonder if there’s a ranking for polytechnics in Singapore, and how to know which polytechnic is “better.”

While there isn’t an official ranking system for polytechnics, you can look at graduate employment data, course cut-off points (COPs), and industry partnerships to get a clearer idea of which polytechnic might be the best fit. Read on to find out how to do this!

How can we tell which polytechnic is better if there isn’t an official ranking?

Our advice? It helps to shift away from the perception that there is a “best” polytechnic.

In terms of data that you can use, all five polytechnics in Singapore take part in a joint Graduate Employment Survey (GES) each year, which tracks graduates’ employment outcomes and starting salaries across different fields of study.

Here is the GES salary data from 2023 to 2024, and you can get more details from the official media release:

The results are not broken down by institution, so they can’t be used to compare one polytechnic against another. Instead, here’s how you can use this data:

• Identify your teen’s preferred field: What would they enjoy studying?
• Find out which polytechnic is strong in that field: One way to gauge this is by checking the cut-off points for admission.
• Use GES data to see which fields of study have stronger job prospects: Ultimately, students should be guided by their interests, but it doesn’t hurt to be mentally prepared for the road ahead.

Comparing between 2023 and 2024 salaries, polytechnic graduates saw a modest salary growth in 2024, with the overall median pay rising from $2,800 to $2,900. The pay differences across course clusters were not large.

More highlights from the salary data:

• Most fields recorded salary gains of 3–4%.
• Built Environment recorded the largest percentage increase (+6.1%) from 2023 to 2024.
• Arts, Design & Media had the lowest salary gain during the same period, with only a slight uptick (+1%).
• Health Sciences has one of the highest median salaries, but saw no increase over the 2023–2024 period.

Do note that the figures above include graduates who secured jobs right after polytechnic, as well as those who found employment after completing National Service.

Are polytechnic courses better if they have stricter cut-off points?

In general, cut-off points reflect supply and demand. When a course is harder to get into, it’s usually because more students with strong results want that place.

This can happen for several reasons:

• Reputation and perception: The polytechnic is seen as particularly strong in a field e.g. Biomedical Science in Singapore Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
• Graduate pathways: Students believe the course offers better career or university progression opportunities.
• Industry exposure: Strong internship ties or well-known facilities make the programme more attractive.
• Peer effects: Better-performing students often cluster where their peers go, reinforcing competitiveness over time.

In short, cut-off points can tell you where student demand — and confidence — is concentrated, which can be a signal of perceived programme quality or outcomes. But if you want to know about teaching standards or graduate success, it’s better to check with existing students as well as alumni.

Which are the polytechnic courses that are hardest to get into, based on 2025 cut-off points (COPs)?

To qualify for polytechnic entry using the O-Level results, a student would typically need to tally their scores for English and four other subjects.

Below is a list of polytechnic courses with single-digit cut-off points for 2025:

You would notice that most of these courses fall within STEM fields. This pattern suggests that students with stronger academic results continue to be drawn to science, technology, and health-related programmes, which are often seen as offering strong career pathways, with high relevance to future industries.

Not sure where to view cut-off points for polytechnics? You can refer to a community data source, or the official sources below:

➤ Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP)
➤ Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP)
➤ Republic Polytechnic (RP)
➤ Singapore Polytechnic (SP)
➤ Temasek Polytechnic (TP)

How can we tell if a polytechnic course has good career prospects?

While there isn’t a public ranking of industry collaborations or graduate outcomes, you can get a sense of course prospects by looking at a few indicators:

• Internship opportunities (also known as "industry attachments”): Check where students have interned in the past. See if placements were in reputable companies, or if the course description mentions guaranteed or exclusive industry attachments. You can find this information on polytechnic websites.
• Industry-sponsored labs or centres: Look at the polytechnic’s industry partnerships. For example, Nanyang Polytechnic has set up various “Centres of Excellence” with its industry partners.
• Applied projects and competitions: Look out for courses that regularly involve students in real-world projects or national competitions. These not only provide growth opportunities, but also signal that the course has strong ties with employers who mentor or sponsor these activities.
• Faculty: For courses of interest, your teen can do some research on LinkedIn to see who the current lecturers are, and where their experiences and passions lie.
• Graduate placement: In any course, there will always be “star graduates” who shine. Use those stories as inspiration, but also pay attention to “regular” alumni and what they’re doing currently. LinkedIn is a good place to search.

Want to chat with other parents about polytechnics? Visit the KiasuParents forum, and browse the Tertiary Education section!