Wages in China increased to 120698 CNY/Year in 2023 from 114029 CNY/Year in 2022. This dataset provides - China Average Yearly Wages - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

China is the largest labor force market in the world. China’s economic prosperity wouldn’t exist without the large number of people working in this country. With increasing living standards and growing inflation, the wages of employees in China are increasing as well. As of 2022, average wages in China increased to114,029 yuan from 47,593 yuan in 2012.

Wage gap between regions

The wages vary in China depending on sector, position, gender and region like in any other country. Since China’s different regions have developed unequally, the wage gaps between people working in different regions can also be very large. This is a reason for no single minimum wage being set for the entire nation. The local governments set minimum wages based on local living standards. Considering the city tier, the wage standards are higher in cities with higher rankings. Shanghai and Beijing have the highest minimum wage standards in China. Although the minimum wages in China have been increasing, the standards are still lower than in developed countries.

Challenges of increasing labor costs

Increasing wages also make the labor force market less attractive. Affected by increasing labor costs and the China-United States trade war, many companies are transferring their investment destinations, especially in the manufacturing sector. Local governments are also taking measures to ensure the living costs remain at a reasonable level to retain companies and employees. These measures include regulating the residential housing market more strictly.

In 2025, the minimum hourly wage in Beijing was the highest in China at 26.4 yuan per hour. In the past decade, China has been shifting from a cheap labor driven economy to more matured, service-oriented markets and industries. While the economy continues to grow, prices and wages keep on increasing as well. How do wages differ across the country? China’s provinces and municipalities are divided into districts of different levels. Most provinces set different minimum wages for different districts depending on the cost of living and level of development. Usually, provincial capitals and major cities enjoy higher hourly wages than smaller towns and rural areas of the same province. In 2025, the highest minimum hourly wages in China were to be found in Beijing and Tianjin municipalities with 26.4 and 24.4 yuan respectively, whereas employees in Hainan province who received a minimum wage were paid the least – between 16.3 and 17.9 yuan per hour. Minimum monthly wages that year were the highest in Shanghai and the lowest in Qinghai province. The average annual salary in urban China was around 120,700 yuan in 2023. What are the prospects? Regional governments in China are required to update their minimum wages at least every few years. Hebei, Fujian, and Guangdong – provinces that have not adjusted minimum wages in the past two years – are likely to do so in 2025. Along with economic development, increasing living standards, increasing prices and a shrinking labor force, overall minimum wages will likely continue growing in China.

China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: Low Income data was reported at 993.423 RMB in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 861.017 RMB for 2011. China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: Low Income data is updated yearly, averaging 447.258 RMB from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2012, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 993.423 RMB in 2012 and a record low of 226.380 RMB in 2002. China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: Low Income data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Income and Expenditure by Income Level: Rural.

China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: High Income data was reported at 8,109.603 RMB in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 6,943.618 RMB for 2011. China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: High Income data is updated yearly, averaging 3,930.434 RMB from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2012, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8,109.603 RMB in 2012 and a record low of 2,392.270 RMB in 2002. China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: High Income data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Income and Expenditure by Income Level: Rural.

China Disposable Income per Capita: Year to Date: Wage and Salary data was reported at 23,327.000 RMB in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 17,696.000 RMB for Sep 2024. China Disposable Income per Capita: Year to Date: Wage and Salary data is updated quarterly, averaging 10,115.911 RMB from Mar 2013 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 48 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23,327.000 RMB in Dec 2024 and a record low of 2,849.430 RMB in Mar 2013. China Disposable Income per Capita: Year to Date: Wage and Salary data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Income per Capita.

In 2024, the average annual per capita disposable income of households in China amounted to approximately 41,300 yuan. Annual per capita income in Chinese saw a significant rise over the last decades and is still rising at a high pace. During the last ten years, per capita disposable income roughly doubled in China. Income distribution in China As an emerging economy, China faces a large number of development challenges, one of the most pressing issues being income inequality. The income gap between rural and urban areas has been stirring social unrest in China and poses a serious threat to the dogma of a “harmonious society” proclaimed by the communist party. In contrast to the disposable income of urban households, which reached around 54,200 yuan in 2024, that of rural households only amounted to around 23,100 yuan. Coinciding with the urban-rural income gap, income disparities between coastal and western regions in China have become apparent. As of 2023, households in Shanghai and Beijing displayed the highest average annual income of around 84,800 and 81,900 yuan respectively, followed by Zhejiang province with 63,800 yuan. Gansu, a province located in the West of China, had the lowest average annual per capita household income in China with merely 25,000 yuan. Income inequality in China The Gini coefficient is the most commonly used measure of income inequality. For China, the official Gini coefficient also indicates the astonishing inequality of income distribution in the country. Although the Gini coefficient has dropped from its high in 2008 at 49.1 points, it still ranged at a score of 46.5 points in 2023. The United Nations have set an index value of 40 as a warning level for serious inequality in a society.

In 2024, the average annual per capita disposable income of rural households in China was approximately 23,119 yuan, roughly 43 percent of the income of urban households. Although living standards in China’s rural areas have improved significantly over the past 20 years, the income gap between rural and urban households is still large. Income increase of China’s households From 2000 to 2020, disposable income per capita in China increased by around 700 percent. The fast-growing economy has inevitably led to the rapid income increase. Furthermore, inflation has been maintained at a lower rate in recent years compared to other countries. While the number of millionaires in China has increased, many of its population are still living in humble conditions. Consequently, the significant wealth gap between China’s rich and poor has become a social problem across the country. However, in recent years rural areas have been catching up and disposable income has been growing faster than in the cities. This development is also reflected in the Gini coefficient for China, which has decreased since 2008. Urbanization in China The urban population in China surpassed its rural population for the first time in 2011. In fact, the share of the population residing in urban areas is continuing to increase. This is not surprising considering remote, rural areas are among the poorest areas in China. Currently, poverty alleviation has been prioritized by the Chinese government. The measures that the government has taken are related to relocation and job placement. With the transformation and expansion of cities to accommodate the influx of city dwellers, neighboring rural areas are required for the development of infrastructure. Accordingly, land acquisition by the government has resulted in monetary gain by some rural households.

China Income per Capita: Urban: Wage data was reported at 18,929.790 RMB in 2013. This records an increase from the previous number of 17,335.620 RMB for 2012. China Income per Capita: Urban: Wage data is updated yearly, averaging 8,282.250 RMB from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2013, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18,929.790 RMB in 2013 and a record low of 1,149.700 RMB in 1990. China Income per Capita: Urban: Wage data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Income and Expenditure per Capita: Urban.

Cash Income per Capita: ytd: RH: Wage data was reported at 4,014.700 RMB in Dec 2013. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,957.900 RMB for Sep 2013. Cash Income per Capita: ytd: RH: Wage data is updated quarterly, averaging 769.770 RMB from Dec 1995 (Median) to Dec 2013, with 61 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,014.700 RMB in Dec 2013 and a record low of 190.730 RMB in Mar 1998. Cash Income per Capita: ytd: RH: Wage data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s China – Table CN.HD: Income per Capita.

According to an annual survey about Chinese women's workplace, the average monthly income of the female respondents in 2025 amounted to 8,978 yuan, about 15 percent lower than the monthly salary of the male respondents. In the previous year, the average monthly income of female respondents was 8,958 yuan.

As of 2022, the median annual salary of a data analyst in the Chinese data and artificial intelligence industry reached 37 thousand yuan. According to the source, junior-level employees in the technology industry gained the most from changing their jobs. In contrast, from the middle-level upwards, the salary increases are much lower after taking a position at a new employer.

Standard of Monthly Minimum Wage: Liaoning data was reported at 2,100.000 RMB in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,910.000 RMB for 2023. Standard of Monthly Minimum Wage: Liaoning data is updated yearly, averaging 1,300.000 RMB from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2024, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,100.000 RMB in 2024 and a record low of 350.000 RMB in 2005. Standard of Monthly Minimum Wage: Liaoning data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GC: Standard of Monthly Minimum Wage.

The statistic shows the average annual salary of employees working for urban non-private companies and organizations in China between 2013 and 2023, by geographic region. In 2023, the average income of an employee working at an urban unit in West China ranged at approximately 108,000 yuan per year.

The statistic shows the average salary growth of employees working for privately held companies and entities in urban China between 2010 and 2023. In 2023, the average annual income of a private enterprise employee in urban China increased nominally by approximately 4.8 percent and real 4.5 percent compared to the previous year. The average salary of privately owned enterprises in urban areas is generally lower than the average salary of non-private companies and organizations in China.

China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: Middle Income data was reported at 3,196.412 RMB in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,739.837 RMB for 2011. China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: Middle Income data is updated yearly, averaging 1,450.075 RMB from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2012, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,196.412 RMB in 2012 and a record low of 716.180 RMB in 2002. China Net Income per Capita: Rural Household: Wage: Middle Income data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table CN.HD: Income and Expenditure by Income Level: Rural.

Average Wage: Guizhou: South Guizhou data was reported at 94,821.000 RMB in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 92,881.000 RMB for 2022. Average Wage: Guizhou: South Guizhou data is updated yearly, averaging 57,270.000 RMB from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2023, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 94,821.000 RMB in 2023 and a record low of 14,054.000 RMB in 2005. Average Wage: Guizhou: South Guizhou data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by South Guizhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GP: Average Wage: Prefecture Level Region.

Based on the vertical connection between upstream and downstream industries, a unique theoretical model is constructed to analyse the impact mechanism of the opening of producer services on downstream manufacturing wage growth. The empirical tests are carried out using the data of China’s manufacturing listed companies from 1999 to 2020. Our findings indicate that the opening of producer services has an inverted-U-shaped impact on downstream manufacturing wage growth, and the average level of the opening of producer services in the sample period is lower than the corresponding threshold. Overall, it is in the stage of promoting the wage growth of the downstream manufacturing industry. The opening of producer services mainly affects the wage growth of the downstream manufacturing industry through two channels: labour productivity and labour income share. The results of heterogeneity analysis show that the wages of capital and technology-intensive and low-competitive manufacturing industries are relatively strongly promoted by the opening of producer services. Therefore, promoting the orderly opening of producer services and strengthening the technological links between industries will help promote the wage growth of downstream manufacturing industries.

Average Wage: On Duty: Guangdong: Chaozhou data was reported at 85,052.000 RMB in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 83,437.000 RMB for 2020. Average Wage: On Duty: Guangdong: Chaozhou data is updated yearly, averaging 20,600.985 RMB from Dec 1996 (Median) to 2021, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 85,052.000 RMB in 2021 and a record low of 6,200.000 RMB in 1996. Average Wage: On Duty: Guangdong: Chaozhou data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Chaozhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GG: Average Wage: On Duty: Prefecture Level City.

Average Wage: On Duty: Shandong: Zibo data was reported at 90,860.000 RMB in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 84,758.000 RMB for 2020. Average Wage: On Duty: Shandong: Zibo data is updated yearly, averaging 28,145.755 RMB from Dec 1996 (Median) to 2021, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 90,860.000 RMB in 2021 and a record low of 6,200.000 RMB in 1996. Average Wage: On Duty: Shandong: Zibo data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Zibo Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GG: Average Wage: On Duty: Prefecture Level City.