* Non-private units mainly include state-owned units, collective-owned units, cooperative units, joint ownership units, limited liability corporations, share-holding corporations, units funded from Hong Kong and Taiwan, and foreign funded units.
Employees of urban companies that are owned or controlled by natural persons, as well as self-employed people are not included in the figures.
One yuan equals approximately 0.14 U.S. dollars and 0.12 euros (as of May 2025).
Figures for earlier years have been taken from previous publications.
Citation formats
Average salary of an employee in urban China 2015-2025
In 2025, 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 2015 and 2025. During that period, average annual salaries of employees in non-private urban units have grown from around * to ** yuan per year. Yet as of 2025, large income disparities still existed between different regions in China. While employees in Shanghai enjoyed the highest annual salaries on average, Henan province in central 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 2025, 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.
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National Bureau of Statistics of China, & MOHRSS. (May 15, 2026). Average annual salary of employees working for urban non-private units* in China from 2015 to 2025 (in yuan) [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved August 01, 2026, from /statistics/278349/average-annual-salary-of-an-employee-in-china/
National Bureau of Statistics of China, und MOHRSS. "Average annual salary of employees working for urban non-private units* in China from 2015 to 2025 (in yuan)." Chart. May 15, 2026. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed August 01, 2026. /statistics/278349/average-annual-salary-of-an-employee-in-china/
National Bureau of Statistics of China, MOHRSS. (2026). Average annual salary of employees working for urban non-private units* in China from 2015 to 2025 (in yuan). ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: August 01, 2026. /statistics/278349/average-annual-salary-of-an-employee-in-china/
National Bureau of Statistics of China, and MOHRSS. "Average Annual Salary of Employees Working for Urban Non-private Units* in China from 2015 to 2025 (in Yuan)." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 15 May 2026, /statistics/278349/average-annual-salary-of-an-employee-in-china/
National Bureau of Statistics of China & MOHRSS, Average annual salary of employees working for urban non-private units* in China from 2015 to 2025 (in yuan) ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/278349/average-annual-salary-of-an-employee-in-china/ (last visited August 01, 2026)
Average annual salary of employees working for urban non-private units* in China from 2015 to 2025 (in yuan) [Graph], National Bureau of Statistics of China, & MOHRSS, May 15, 2026. [Online]. Available: /statistics/278349/average-annual-salary-of-an-employee-in-china/
