The goal of this study was to identify perceptions of the importance and needs of the essential job competencies required by Korean science and engineering graduates in the context of actual workplaces. We analyzed data from the 11th Youth Panel using the paired t-test, the Borich needs assessment, and the locus for focus model. An important finding was that the science and engineering graduates recognized the competencies pertaining to working with others and professional competencies as important among 15 essential competencies. We also found that they prioritized competencies differently depending on specific departments: the science graduates prioritized professional competencies, but the engineering graduates placed relatively greater importance on the competencies relating to interacting with others. Through this study, we identified the educational needs for essential job competencies from the science and engineering graduates and suggested implications for corresponding educational approaches.