(Yicai) Feb. 27 -- Integrated circuit design engineers and cloud computing architects are among the best-paid workers in China, with annual salaries in excess of CNY400,000 (USD58,300), according to a new research report by human resource services provider 51job.

The average annual salary of IC engineers is CNY400,591 in first-tier cities, and is CNY350,132 even in non-first-tier cities, the report said. Cloud computing architects are in high demand amid the country’s ongoing digital transformation, earning an average CNY491,253 a year in first-tier cities.

With the pace of automobile digitalization accelerating, annual salaries for auto algorithm engineers in first-tier cities can be as high as CNY384,258. As more factories go automated, the mean annual remuneration for automation engineers in these cities can reach CNY235,291. 

The high-tech industry ranked first among all industries with wage growth of 4.9 percent last year. People who master underlying technologies such as core algorithms and chip design will be able to command rising salaries, the report predicted.

The report also showed that among major Chinese cities last year, first-tier cities headed the monthly salary rankings. At an average of CNY12,742 (USD1,860) and CNY12,518, respectively, Shanghai and Beijing stood out, reflecting the concentration of high-tech industries and the high density of skilled talent.

Wage rises in emerging first-tier cities are also picking up pace. Monthly remuneration in Hangzhou (CNY10,165) and Nanjing (CNY9,624) are close to that of Guangzhou. Given that living costs in these cities are lower, they are likely to become “highly cost-effective employment centers” in the future, the report pointed out. 

Editor: Tom Litting