Average Salary in China in 2024

With almost double the average salaries in the last decade, the latest data on China’s average salary from 2022 was Yuan 114,029 (USD 16,233) annually in urban non-private sectors. The private sector has lower salaries, standing at Yuan 65,237 (USD 9,279). (Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China)

Please note:

• Urban non-private sectors in the Chinese Government represent urban state-owned enterprises, collectively owned Chinese companies, joint ventures, foreign-invested economies, and Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan-invested companies. 
• All data in this article are based on official statistics and reports, such as the National Bureau of Statistics of China. All data is linked at the end of the article.
• The official currency of China is Renminbi (RMB). However, in this article, I will use the Chinese Yuan (CNY), which is Renminbi’s international name.
• One Chinese Yuan equals 0.14 USD at the moment of writing this article. Please double-check the exchange rate at the time of reading.

Key statistics for average salary in China

• Average annual salary: Yuan 114,029 (USD 16,233) annually in urban non-private sectors, while the private sector had Yuan 65,237 (USD 9,279) in 2022; National Bureau of Statistics of China;
• Average monthly salary: Yuan 9502 (USD 1,355) annually in urban non-private sectors and Yuan 5436 (USD 775.22) average monthly salary in the private space
• Minimum salary: In China, the minimum wage is set at provincial level. You’ll find each salary per province detailed below.

Average Salary in China 

The almost average salary in China in 2022 was Yuan 114,029 (USD 16,233) annually in urban non-private sectors, while workers in the private space had an average salary of Yuan 65,237 (USD 9,279).

Overall, China’s average salary, according to Salaryexplorer.com, is Yuan 29,400(USD 4,192) per month, with an annual average salary of Yuan 353,000 (USD 50,341).

Minimum wage

In China, provincial governments establish the minimum wage. The minimum wage depends on regional variations or factors such as the cost of living, local economic development, labor costs, or employment conditions.

While the different regions have to update the minimum salary range every few years, they can adjust the wages based on local conditions. As might be expected, the larger cities have the highest salaries, while rural areas tend to have lower average salaries. If the provinces do not set minimum wages or these are violated, they are liable to fines and other legal actions.

It’s important to note that there are two minimum wage formats in China:

• Monthly minimum wage: This applies to full-time employees.
• Hourly minimum wage: This applies to part-time and temporary workers.

According to Statista, the regional variations of the minimum wage are as follows:

Average salary by industry

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China reveals notable disparities across sectors, particularly between public and private sectors.

Starting with the non-private sectors, data from 2022 shows that the overall average wage was Yuan 114,029, while the Information Technology and Financial Intermediation sectors were leading the way at Yuan 220,418 and Yuan 174,341, respectively.

Meanwhile, sectors like Hotels and catering Services had the lowest wages at Yuan 53,995. High-growth industries like the Mining and Finance industry saw wage increases of over 12%, while Real Estate experienced a slight decline.

The data highlights strong wage growth in technology and finance, with slower increases in lower-paying industries.

Average annual salary in China by entity type

The average annual wages of employees by registration type in urban non-private units for 2022 show that state-owned enterprises offered the highest average salary at Yuan 123,622, reflecting a 7% growth from 2021.

In contrast, collective enterprises paid the lowest at Yuan 77,868, with a modest increase of 4.5%. Foreign-invested enterprises and those funded by Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan investors provided relatively higher salaries, at Yuan 137,199 and Yuan 124,841, respectively, both seeing significant growth of over 8%.

Overall, wages across all sectors saw a general increase, with the total average wage rising to Yuan 114,029—a 6.7% growth compared to 2021.

Average salary by region

Besides the disparities between different industries, the National Bureau of Statistics of China revealed in 2022 data that showcases that Eastern China offers the highest earnings, followed by Western China.

At the other side of the spectrum is Northeast China with the lowest salaries for both private and non-private sector employees.

Average salary by education

Higher levels of education in China lead to significant salary increases, hence higher disposable income across various industries.

According to Salaryexplorer.com, when examining professionals in similar roles, those with a diploma or certificate earn 17% more than individuals with only a high school education. A further boost in earnings is provided by a bachelor’s degree, with an increase of 24% compared to diploma holders.

Master’s Degree holders enjoy an additional 29% salary increase over their Bachelor’s Degree counterparts. Finally, PhD holders can expect to earn 23% more than those with a Master’s Degree, even in similar positions. This clearly demonstrates the strong link between higher education and better compensation in the Chinese labor market.

Average salary by occupation(jobs)

According to the highest employment and jobs portal in China, Zhilian Zhaopin, the highest average monthly salaries in 2023 were led by Chip Engineers at Yuan 26,000 (3,617 USD). This clearly highlights the importance of semiconductor technology.

Senior Managers and Artificial Intelligence Engineers follow closely with Yuan 22,739 (3,164 USD) and Yuan 21,701 (3,019 USD), reflecting the demand for leadership in tech sectors. Other high-paying roles, like Investment/Finance Managers and Software Developers, further illustrate the lucrative opportunities within technology and finance.

These figures demonstrate the significant earning potential tied to specialized skills in China’s economy.

Gender wage gap

The gender pay gap is a metric that shows the difference between the average salaries of men and women as a percentage of men’s earnings. The concept of an “unadjusted” pay gap does not account for aspects like education, age, working hours, and other similar factors, but it shows raw differences in salary information.

As in many countries, the gender pay gap is influenced is influenced by certain factors:

• Maternity and family responsibilities: Women are often unwillingly party penalized for taking maternity leave or working fewer hours due to caregiving duties. This limits their opportunities for career growth and higher salaries for a certain period.
• Industry and occupation segregation: Women are concentrated in lower-paying sectors like education, healthcare, and services, while men dominate higher-paying industries such as finance, technology, and engineering.
• Cultural norms: Traditional gender roles still influence career choices and work expectations, often pressuring women to focus on family and caregiving over career advancement.

However, according to the Global Gender Gap Insight Report from 2024, in 2024, China has bridged 68.4% of its gender gap, improving by 0.5 percentage points from 2023.

The economic participation of women has increased, with a labor-force participation parity of 81.5%; however, women’s labor-force participation is still 13.4 percentage points below its peak in 2009.

Salary growth trends

From a country with small production and labor prices, China has grown into a more productive and wealthier country, indirectly leading to higher wages.

Average salaries have doubled in the last ten years, according to China-briefing and the National Bureau of Statistics, in all sectors, whether private or non-private.

Source: China-Briefing.com

Some of the factors that influenced the increase in salary in China were:

• The accelerated economic growth: China’s rapid economic expansion over the last few decades has driven overall wage increases. As industries have modernized, the economy has shifted towards more high-tech and service sectors, and the workers have become more skilled, leading to higher wages.
• Industrial upgrading: China has been transitioning from low-cost manufacturing to advanced industries like technology, research, and finance. These sectors offer higher wages, especially in areas like IT and software, where skilled professionals are in high demand.
• Urbanization and cost of living: The urban population continues to grow, especially in major cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen. Higher costs of living in these cities have pushed employers to upgrade wages, particularly for experienced workers.
• Government policies: China’s government has implemented policies to improve living standards, including raising the minimum wage across provinces. This has contributed to an overall increase in average salaries, particularly in Shanghai, Beijing, and other cities.

These factors, along with global economic pressures and China’s focus on technological innovation, have driven significant wage growth across the country.

Comparison with other countries

When comparing salaries across Asian countries like China, Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines, significant differences emerge. Japan has the highest average annual salary at 4,553,218 JPY (about USD 30,993), reflecting its strong, developed economy.

China follows, with an average annual salary of Yuan 114,029 (USD 16,233) in urban non-private sectors. Vietnam and the Philippines trail behind, with Vietnam’s average salary at VND 90,000,000 (USD 300/month) and the Philippines’ family income at PHP 353,230/year.

Economic development levels, industrial composition, and labor market policies strongly influence these disparities. Japan and China have more robust tech and manufacturing sectors, while Vietnam and the Philippines are more service-oriented, often lower-wage industries.

FAQ

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Sources:

https://www.gov.cn/banshi/2005-08/05/content_20677.htm

https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2024.pdf

https://www.statista.com/statistics/233886/minimum-wage-per-hour-in-china-by-city-and-province

https://www.stats.gov.cn/english/PressRelease/202305/t20230517_1939617.html

https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/ndsj/2023/indexeh.htm

https://www.zhaopin.com

https://www.salaryexplorer.com/average-salary-wage-comparison-china-c44

https://www.statista.com/statistics/233886/minimum-wage-per-hour-in-china-by-city-and-province

https://www.stats.gov.cn/english/Statisticaldata/yearbook