(Yicai Global) June 17 -- Most new higher education graduates in China would like to start their careers in Shanghai, and their expected pre-tax monthly salary is CNY8,720 (USD1,363), according to a survey.

Shenzhen is No. 2, and Guangzhou No. 3 on the list of desired locations, according to a research report classifieds platform 58.Com released yesterday. Other top cities include Chengdu, Beijing, and Hangzhou. The average salary is based on the answers of those respondents who already received a job offer.

Shanghai, which has a large number of multinational corporations, is very attractive to graduates from universities and colleges in the Yangtze River Delta and central China.

First-tier cities attract young adults who appreciate these big municipalities' diverse job opportunities and their economic strength. Those who are willing to live in emerging first-tier cities like the cities' environmental conditions, food offering, and the urban hubs' proximity to their home towns.

Best Pay in IT, Online Services

Pay is important for jobseekers. The sectors of information technology, communications, electronics, and internet companies are most popular among new graduates as these fields have higher salaries than others, an average of CNY10,815 (USD1,684).

China's information services sector has developed rapidly, benefitting from the huge market scale and innovative business models, but the quantity of core science and technology inventions is still small so companies are likely to focus on improving that, Ding Changfa, associate professor at Xiamen University’s economics department, said to Yicai Global.

Among emerging occupations, we-media and live-streaming professionals earn the most at CNY14,682, according to the survey. The three more traditional sectors of design, research and development, as well as technology, are also comparatively well-paid. They offer a monthly salary of almost CNY10,000.

Editor: Zhang Yushuo, Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi