2021 Average Salary Data Released by China’s National Bureau of Statistics: IT Industry Leads

On May 20, the National Bureau of Statistics released the 2021 average salary data for China.

For urban non‑private units, the annual average wage was 106,837 CNY, with the highest‑paying three sectors being information transmission, software and IT services (201,506 CNY), scientific research and technical services (151,776 CNY), and finance (150,843 CNY).

For urban private units, the annual average wage was 62,884 CNY, and the top three sectors were information transmission, software and IT services (114,618 CNY), finance (95,416 CNY), and scientific research and technical services (77,708 CNY).

The data sparked extensive discussion online, with netizens debating the realism of the figures, the value of average salary as a metric, and comparing IT salaries to those in public service, law, and finance.

Comments highlighted that the reported figures include pre‑tax wages plus employer contributions to social insurance, that average values can be misleading, and that IT entry‑level salaries appear relatively high.

Wang Pingping, director of the Bureau’s Population and Employment Statistics Department, explained that the rapid development of information transmission, software and IT services, together with pandemic‑driven online consumption, has sustained high wage growth in the internet and related service sectors.

The article concludes by asking readers whether their 2021 personal income reached the reported averages.