Technology · China

Software Engineer Salary in China

The China median is $118,464 per year, with observed city pay up to Shanghai at $93,673.

Showing amounts in USD (USD default; source data is CNY). FX as of Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:02:31 +0000. Convert currencies

Software Engineer pay in China: Shanghai leads, Chengdu trails

The China national median for a software engineer is ¥798,000 a year. Among 6 metros with observed data, pay runs from about ¥418,000 in Chengdu to ¥631,000 in Shanghai (1.5×).

Software engineers design, build, and maintain the applications and systems that power modern businesses. Common screening skills include JavaScript, Python, System design, and Git.

A modeled national band runs about ¥510,700–¥1,149,100 around that midpoint. Licensing and immigration rules are independent of this cash sort. Employment outlook for the occupation is sketched at +17% over a decade — a national demand guess, not a hiring guarantee in every Chinese city.

Shanghai sits -21% vs the national median; Chengdu sits -48%. Relocating inside China for this title can move cash more than a small raise at the same desk. Open a city page for take-home and rent context — this national page is the map, not the offer.

China shows about 0.1% CPI in 2025. A software engineer raise that trails inflation is a real-pay cut even if it still beats last year’s peers. This occupation is also covered in 39 other countries — useful for remote or relocation shortlists, after FX and local tax. Nearby technology titles on this site include Frontend Developer, Backend Developer, Data Scientist, and DevOps Engineer.

How to use Software Engineer pay data in China

Start with the national median (¥798,000), then pick the metro where you would actually work. Observed city rows below are stronger than a pay-index guess. If your city is missing, stay on this page for the country figure and check the China hub for other careers.

Convert gross through the salary calculator before comparing two cities — tax and rent often reorder a cash ranking. Figures are estimates for research, not employer bands.

National band vs top metro

National sketch: ¥510,700 (10th) → ¥798,000 (median) → ¥1,149,100 (90th). Shanghai’s observed median is ¥631,000, with a local band about ¥408,000–¥976,000. If an offer is “at the China median” but the job is in Shanghai, you may still be under local market.

National median
$118,464
per year
Monthly (national)
$9,872
per month, before tax
Highest-paying city
$93,673
Shanghai, CN
Hourly (national)
$56.95
varies by city

Software Engineer salary by city in China

Cities below have observed metro percentiles for this role. Prefer these over national-only estimates when you are relocating to a specific market.

CityPer year
Shanghai, CN$93,673
Beijing, CN$90,407
Shenzhen, CN$87,438
Guangzhou, CN$76,304
Hangzhou, CN$71,702
Chengdu, CN$62,053

Software Engineer salary in other countries

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Related Technology salaries in China

Frontend DeveloperBackend DeveloperData ScientistDevOps EngineerProduct ManagerUX DesignerData AnalystIT Support SpecialistFull-Stack DeveloperWeb DeveloperData EngineerQA EngineerSite Reliability EngineerCloud ArchitectNetwork EngineerSystems AdministratorDatabase AdministratorAI Engineer

Frequently asked questions

How much does a software engineer make in China?
The national median is about ¥798,000 per year. Across 6 observed cities, pay ranges from about ¥418,000 to ¥631,000.
Which China city pays software engineers the most?
Shanghai, CN leads observed metros at about ¥631,000 per year (-21% vs national).
Which China city pays software engineers the least?
Among observed cities, Chengdu, CN is on the lower end at about ¥418,000 per year.
How many China cities have software engineer salary data?
6 metros list observed software engineer percentiles in CNY on this site.
Is software engineer in demand in China?
Occupation-level employment is projected at about +17% over ten years. Local hiring still follows Chinese industry mix.