This statistic shows the average annual salary of employees in non-private enterprises and organizations in urban China in 2023, by region. In 2023, an employee in the urban regions of the Chinese Jiangsu province earned around 125,100 yuan per annum on average. The national average reached about 120,700 yuan that year. Aside from regional discrepancies, the respective industry had a large influence on the average annual salary of employees in urban China. Employees in the IT sector of China earned about 231,800 yuan on average, whereas people employed in the hotel and catering sector had an average annual salary of about 58,100 yuan in 2023.

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.

In 2023, an employee working for a not privately held company or organization in urban areas of China earned around ******* yuan annually on average. That year, the year-on-year growth rate of the average salary ranged at *** percent nominally and *** percent real. Regional differences in salary levels Salary levels in urban China have seen a significant rise between 2013 and 2023. During that period, average annual salaries of employees in non-private urban units have grown from around ****** to ******* yuan per year. Yet as of 2022, large income disparities still existed between different regions in China. While employees in Shanghai enjoyed the highest annual salaries on average, Henan province and Jilin province in central and northeastern China displayed the lowest average annual salaries. Regions with lower income levels are mainly located in central China or in the former centers of steel and heavy industry in Northeast China, whereas the coastal regions and municipalities in general still provide comparatively higher salaries. Occupational salary differences Moreover, a considerable salary discrepancy exists between different occupational groups in China. As of 2023, people working in IT services were atop the list earning about ******* yuan per year on average, whereas people in the financial service sector reached approximately ******* yuan. The hotels and catering sector ranked at the lower end with an average annual salary of around ****** yuan.

Wages in Manufacturing in China increased to 103932 CNY/Year in 2023 from 97528 CNY/Year in 2022. This dataset provides - China Average Yearly Wages in Manufacturing - 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.

Key information about China Monthly Earnings

• China Monthly Earnings stood at 1,392 USD in Dec 2023, compared with the previous figure of 1,336 USD in Dec 2022
• China Monthly Earnings data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 2000 to Dec 2023, with an average number of 349 USD
• The data reached the an all-time high of 1,393 USD in Dec 2021 and a record low of 83 USD in Jun 2000

CEIC calculates Monthly Earnings from quarterly Earnings divided by 3 and converts it into USD. The National Bureau of Statistics provides year-to-date Average Wage in local currency. Federal Reserve Board average market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. Monthly Earnings cover urban population only.


Further information about China Monthly Earnings

• In the latest reports, China Population reached 1,410 million people in Dec 2023
• Unemployment Rate of China dropped to 5 % in Jun 2024
• The country's Labour Force Participation Rate dropped to 66 % in Dec 2023

Minimum Wages in China increased to 2690 CNY/Month in 2025 from 2590 CNY/Month in 2024. This dataset provides - China Minimum Wages- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Labor Compensation: Earnings: All Activities: Monthly for China (LCEATT03CNA664N) from 1970 to 2014 about compensation, China, and earnings.

Average Wage: Urban Non-private: Water Conservancy, Environment & Public Utility Management data was reported at 68,656.000 RMB in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 68,256.000 RMB for 2022. Average Wage: Urban Non-private: Water Conservancy, Environment & Public Utility Management data is updated yearly, averaging 36,123.000 RMB from Dec 2003 (Median) to 2023, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 68,656.000 RMB in 2023 and a record low of 11,774.000 RMB in 2003. Average Wage: Urban Non-private: Water Conservancy, Environment & Public Utility Management data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GC: Average Wage: by Industry: Urban Non-private.

This statistic shows the average annual salary of employees in not privately held companies and organizations in urban China in 2023, by sector. In 2023, the average annual wage of a construction worker in urban China was around 85,800 yuan, compared to 78,300 in the previous year. IT, research, and financial services are sectors where the average income is the highest.

Average Wage Index: Urban Non-private: Shandong data was reported at 104.777 Prev Year=100 in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 107.892 Prev Year=100 for 2022. Average Wage Index: Urban Non-private: Shandong data is updated yearly, averaging 112.100 Prev Year=100 from Dec 1993 (Median) to 2023, with 31 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 137.800 Prev Year=100 in 1994 and a record low of 104.400 Prev Year=100 in 1998. Average Wage Index: Urban Non-private: Shandong data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GC: Average Wage Index.

The graph shows average monthly salaries of college and university graduates in China until 2023. In 2023, the average monthly salary of bachelor graduates in China had ranged at 6,050 yuan.

This statistic shows the average yearly wages in the manufacturing sector in China from 2012 to 2022. In 2022, the average wages in manufacturing in China increased to approximately 97,500 yuan from 92,500 yuan in the previous year.

The statistic shows the average annual salary of employees working for privately held companies or entities in urban China between 2013 and 2023. In 2023, the average annual income of a private enterprise employee in urban China ranged at approximately 68,340 yuan, increased by nominally 4.8 percent or real 4.5 percent compared to the previous year. The average salary of privately owned enterprises is generally lower than the average salary of non-private companies and organizations in China.

Average Wage Index: Urban Non-private: Hubei data was reported at 107.732 Prev Year=100 in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 104.530 Prev Year=100 for 2022. Average Wage Index: Urban Non-private: Hubei data is updated yearly, averaging 111.298 Prev Year=100 from Dec 1993 (Median) to 2023, with 31 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 138.100 Prev Year=100 in 1994 and a record low of 104.530 Prev Year=100 in 2022. Average Wage Index: Urban Non-private: Hubei data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GC: Average Wage Index.

According to a survey among 23,726 workers conducted in December 2024 in China, the average monthly salary of blue-collar workers in the country amounted to 6,150 yuan. This was up from 6,043 yuan in the previous year.

The purpose of this project was to measure and estimate the distribution of income in both rural and urban areas of the People's Republic of China. The principal investigators based their definition of income on cash payments and on a broad range of additional components: payments in kind valued at market prices, agricultural output produced for self-consumption valued at market prices, the value of ration coupons and other direct subsidies, and the imputed value of housing. The rural component of this collection consists of two data files, one in which the individual is the unit of analysis and a second in which the household is the unit of analysis. Individual rural respondents reported on their employment status, level of education, Communist Party membership, type of employer (e.g., public, private, or foreign), type of economic sector in which employed, occupation, whether they held a second job, retirement status, monthly pension, monthly wage, and other sources of income. Demographic variables include relationship to householder, gender, age, and student status. Rural households reported extensively on the character of the household and residence. Information was elicited on type of terrain surrounding the house, geographic position, type of house, and availability of electricity. Also reported were sources of household income (e.g., farming, industry, government, rents, and interest), taxes paid, value of farm, total amount and type of cultivated land, financial assets and debts, quantity and value of various crops (e.g., grains, cotton, flax, sugar, tobacco, fruits and vegetables, tea, seeds, nuts, lumber, livestock and poultry, eggs, fish and shrimp, wool, honey, and silkworm cocoons), amount of grain purchased or provided by a collective, use of chemical fertilizers, gasoline, and oil, quantity and value of agricultural machinery, and all household expenditures (e.g., food, fuel, medicine, education, transportation, and electricity). The urban component of this collection also consists of two data files, one in which the individual is the unit of analysis and a second in which the household is the unit of analysis. Individual urban respondents reported on their economic status within the household, Communist Party membership, sex, age, nature of employment, and relationship to the household head. Information was collected on all types and sources of income from each member of the household whether working, nonworking, or retired, all revenue received by owners of private or individual enterprises, and all in-kind payments (e.g., food and durable and non-durable goods). Urban households reported total income (including salaries, interest on savings and bonds, dividends, rent, leases, alimony, gifts, and boarding fees), all types and values of food rations received, and total debt. Information was also gathered on household accommodations and living conditions, including number of rooms, total living area in square meters, availability and cost of running water, sanitary facilities, heating and air-conditioning equipment, kitchen availability, location of residence, ownership of home, and availability of electricity and telephone. Households reported on all of their expenditures including amounts spent on food items such as wheat, rice, edible oils, pork, beef and mutton, poultry, fish and seafood, sugar, and vegetables by means of both coupons in state-owned stores and at free market prices. Information was also collected on rents paid by the households, fuel available, type of transportation used, and availability and use of medical and child care. The Chinese Household Income Project collected data in 1988, 1995, 2002, and 2007. ICPSR holds data from the first three collections, and information about these can be found on the series description page. Data collected in 2007 are available through the China Institute for Income Distribution.

Average wage of employed persons of Shanghai jumped by 11.61% from 171,884 yuan in 2020 to 191,844 yuan in 2021. Since the 14.33% surge in 2011, average wage of employed persons shot up by 153.79% in 2021. Average Wage refers to the average per capita wage in money terms during a certain period of time for employed persons. It shows the general level of wage income of staff and worker during a certain period of time, one major indicator to reflect the wage level. It is calculated as follows: average wage = total wage bill of employed persons at reference time / averaged number of persons employed at reference time

This statistic shows the average yearly wage growth in China from 2010 to 2021. As of 2021, the average wages in China increased by 9.7 percent compared to the previous year.