But even as the 5,377 yuan figure generates debate, it still pales in comparison to the typical wages offered in first-tier Chinese cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen, colloquially known as “Bei Shang Guang Shen”.
China’s 38 major cities, including the four mentioned above, offered an average recruitment salary of 10,420 yuan per month in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to a report by recruitment firm Zhaopin which was reported on by China Daily in January.
Shanghai companies were the most generous paymasters, offering the highest average salary of 13,888 yuan a month. Companies in Beijing and Shenzhen placed second and third respectively.
OTHER FACTORS AT PLAY
So while incomes might have improved, they’re not the sole reason why young Chinese are seeking employment beyond the big cities.
Indeed, the MyCOS report also attributed the trend to graduates wanting to move closer to family, as well as avoid the pressure that comes with working in big cities, according to Chinese news site Sixth Tone.
Jobs in the public sector as well as education have proven key draws, accounting for the highest percentages of university graduates employed in smaller cities, the report said. The education sector accounted for 23.6 per cent, while employment in government and public administration accounted for 14.9 per cent.
According to Sixth Tone, new policy initiatives designed to lure graduates back to their hometowns have also played a role in the trend.
One example was Suichang County in Zhejiang province, which offered master’s degree holders a 300,000 yuan housing subsidy and a 30,000 yuan annual living allowance for five years if they worked for a local employer, Sixth Tone reported.
