Is the Embedded Industry Really Dead? A Reality Check

Blinded by Internet Salaries

Many people think embedded development is dying because they compare its salaries to the inflated offers from big internet firms, where starting salaries can reach 40k and AI positions are even higher. In reality, senior embedded engineers at companies like Huawei HiSilicon, BYD, and DJI earn dozens of thousands of yuan annually.

The problem is not that the industry lacks prospects, but where you position yourself within it.

Traditional embedded work—writing simple microcontroller programs for small appliances—is indeed shrinking, as such tasks are either replaced by modular solutions or outsourced to Southeast Asia.

Conversely, sectors such as new‑energy vehicles, smart hardware, and industrial IoT are experiencing explosive growth in embedded demand. The required skill set has changed: knowing a 51‑series MCU is no longer enough; you now need Linux kernel knowledge, high‑performance driver development, and a systems‑level understanding.

Technical Depth Determines Your Value

Low salaries often reflect low technical content. Writing simple serial communication or blinking an LED does not command high pay.

However, engineers who can optimize real‑time operating systems, handle heterogeneous multi‑core scheduling, or solve complex hardware‑software integration problems are in high demand and can command premium salaries.

Embedded development has a higher entry barrier than web development; you must master hardware, low‑level software, and operating systems, which typically takes two to three years to grasp.

Because of this steep learning curve, the attrition rate is high—many abandon the field after a year—leaving only those with solid technical foundations.

Technical Barriers Are the Moat

A friend of the author spent five years in embedded work; his salary grew slowly at first but surged in the fourth year after he accumulated deep low‑level experience that allowed him to solve problems others could not.

He now works on domain‑controller development at a new‑energy vehicle company, earning over 500,000 CNY annually.

This kind of technical moat cannot be crossed by people who only know how to call APIs.

If you only want to be a "screw" writing simple code, the prospects are limited. But if you dig deep, understand the underlying principles, and keep up with industry shifts, the ceiling is much higher than most assume.

All intelligent devices ultimately rely on engineers who bridge hardware and software, and that expertise will never be replaceable.

Don’t be scared by headline salary numbers; true value comes from solving difficult problems, not the programming language you use.