China graduates expect less pay as salary hopes turn ‘very rational’ and blue-collar jobs shine
- Findings from Chinese recruitment platform, based on surveys and résumés, show how China’s slow economic recovery is affecting job outlooks among those struggling most to find work
- ‘New first-tier cities’ such as Xian and Hefei are seeing some firms offer much larger salaries to lure talent and invigorate their local economies
The average monthly salary expectation of this year’s college graduates is 8,033 yuan (US$1,100) – or 100 yuan less than last year, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Liepin Big Data Research Institute, a Chinese recruitment platform, citing information from the résumés it handles.
Still, that is 8.3 per cent higher than the average salary expectation of 7,417 yuan in the pandemic-hit 2021.
Additionally, Liepin polled more than 4,000 members of the class of 2024 and found that they expect to make at least 8,000 yuan a month.
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“Employment is tied to the overall market performance. In recent years, with the increase in uncertainties, the macroeconomy has been under pressure, but overall it is stable and improving,” the report said, adding that fresh graduates have “very rational” salary expectations.