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Hardware Engineers in China
Average Salary Nationwide, July 2024
Average Salary: ¥21,965 per month
Median Salary: ¥20,733 per month
Job Data Points: 543,529
Hardware Engineers in China: Salary Overview
The average salary for Algorithm Engineers in China is ¥21,965 per month, based on a sample of 543,529 positions. This data, updated in July 2024, provides insights into the salary landscape for Hardware Engineers across various experience levels and cities in China.
- Average Monthly Salary: ¥21,965
- Median Monthly Salary: ¥20,733
- Salary Range: ¥2,001 – ¥79,850 (within data set)
- Most Common Salary Bracket: ¥22,000 – ¥30,000 (21% of the jobs in the sample)
Job Responsibilities
Common job responsibilities for Hardware Engineers in China often include:
- Circuit design and development
- PCB layout and design
- Firmware development and integration
- Prototyping and testing of hardware components
- Troubleshooting and debugging hardware issues
- Collaborating with software engineers on system integration
- Component selection and bill of materials (BOM) management
- Design for manufacturability (DFM) and cost optimization
- Documentation of designs, test results, and technical specifications
- Compliance with industry standards and regulations
Additionally, given China’s strong focus on emerging technologies, Hardware Engineers might also be involved in:
- IoT device development
- 5G and wireless communication systems
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning hardware
- Robotics and automation systems
Keep in mind that language requirements (such as proficiency in Mandarin & English) and familiarity with local manufacturing processes are also common in job postings for Hardware Engineers in China.
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Most Requested Qualifications
Common qualifications for Hardware Engineer positions in China often include:
- Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related field
- A Master’s degree often preferred for senior positions
- Technical skills:
- Proficiency in circuit design and PCB layout tools (e.g., Altium Designer, OrCAD, KiCad)
- Experience with microcontrollers and embedded systems
- Knowledge of analog and digital circuit design
- Familiarity with programming languages like C, C++, or Python
- Understanding of communication protocols (e.g., I2C, SPI, UART)
- Experience:
- Typically 2-5 years for entry to mid-level positions, 5+ years for senior roles
- Hands-on experience with hardware prototyping and testing
- Industry-specific knowledge:
- Familiarity with relevant industry standards and regulations
- Experience in specific domains like IoT, telecommunications, or consumer electronics
- Soft skills:
- Problem-solving and analytical thinking
- Teamwork and communication skills
- Project management abilities
- Language skills:
- Proficiency in Mandarin Chinese (often required)
- English language skills (frequently desired, especially in multinational companies)
- Tools and software:
- Proficiency in CAD software
- Familiarity with simulation tools (e.g., SPICE)
- Knowledge of version control systems (e.g., Git)
- Additional desirable qualifications:
- Experience with FPGA design
- Knowledge of RF design principles
- Familiarity with AI/ML hardware implementation
- Understanding of manufacturing processes and DFM principles
- Certifications:
- Relevant professional certifications (e.g., IEEE certifications) may be valued
Related:
Popular Hardware Engineer Employers in China
Here are the top Hardware Engineer employers in China by number of jobs in our data set, ordered from highest to lowest average monthly salary:
1. Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book)
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥60,722
– Salary Range: ¥31,600 – ¥78,800
2. Qihoo 360
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥53,385
– Salary Range: ¥47,300 – ¥63,100
3. ByteDance
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥50,046
– Salary Range: ¥12,700 – ¥78,800
4. Alibaba
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥45,821
– Salary Range: ¥10,000 – ¥78,800
5. Tencent
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥45,726
– Salary Range: ¥4,356 – ¥78,800
6. Eleme
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥43,575
– Salary Range: ¥29,500 – ¥57,800
7. NIO
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥42,600
– Salary Range: ¥8,500 – ¥78,800
8. DiDi
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥40,813
– Salary Range: ¥21,100 – ¥78,800
9. Meituan
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥39,071
– Salary Range: ¥14,800 – ¥78,800
10. Kuaishou
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥38,820
– Salary Range: ¥19,000 – ¥63,100
11. Yonyou Software
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥38,471
– Salary Range: ¥33,700 – ¥57,800
12. Xiaomi
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥37,289
– Salary Range: ¥4,900 – ¥78,800
13. JD.com
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥35,308
– Salary Range: ¥15,000 – ¥59,900
14. Baidu
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥33,979
– Salary Range: ¥2,900 – ¥73,600
15. NetEase
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥33,656
– Salary Range: ¥8,500 – ¥68,300
16. Microsoft China
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥32,726
– Salary Range: ¥9,254 – ¥63,100
17. SF Express
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥31,629
– Salary Range: ¥2,200 – ¥75,700
18. Huawei
– Average Monthly Salary: ¥25,763
– Salary Range: ¥2,640 – ¥78,800
All salaries are in Chinese Yuan (CNY).
Hardware engineering roles at major Chinese tech companies are generally well-compensated, with all the above employers offering salaries above the national average.
The highest-paying company, Xiaohongshu, offers an average salary nearly triple the national average. Even mid-range salaries in this sector are typically 1.5 to 2 times higher than the national average.
This data suggests that hardware engineering in China’s tech industry is a lucrative career path, with salaries at top companies ranging from ¥25,000 to over ¥60,000 per month on average.
Related:
Hardware Engineers: Average Salary by Region
Here are the top 10 paying cities for Hardware Engineers, according to our data set.
Most of these are megacities. The smaller/lesser-known ones usually land on these lists due to smaller sample sizes (Danzhou, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture). These ‘smaller’ cities are still prettysizeable compared to non-China locations.
- Hong Kong: ¥25,143/month
- Danzhou: ¥23,200/month
- Shanghai: ¥21,927/month
- Sansha: ¥21,567/month
- Shenzhen: ¥20,128/month
- Suzhou: ¥20,114/month
- Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture: ¥20,000/month
- Beijing: ¥18,575/month
- Hangzhou: ¥18,212/month
- Ningbo: ¥17,991/month
Related:
Hardware Engineers: Demand by Region
This list ranks the top regions in China by the number of Hardware Engineer positions available from our data set.
The percentages reflect the top 10 cities only:
- Shenzhen: 27.5%
- Beijing: 17.3%
- Shanghai: 14.9%
- Hangzhou: 7.0%
- Wuhan: 6.5%
- Nanjing: 6.4%
- Suzhou: 6.1%
- Dongguan: 5.1%
- Chengdu: 4.8%
- Guangzhou: 4.1%
Shenzhen dominates the hardware engineering job market with over a quarter (27.5%) of all listed positions, followed by Beijing and Shanghai, which together account for about another third of the jobs.
The top three cities (Shenzhen, Beijing, and Shanghai) collectively represent nearly 60% of all hardware engineering job opportunities in this dataset.
There’s a significant drop in job share after the top three, with the remaining seven cities each accounting for between 4% to 7% of the total job market, indicating a concentration of hardware engineering opportunities in China’s major tech hubs.
Educational Requirements of Job Postings
The distribution of educational requirements among job postings in the data set is as follows:
- Bachelor’s degree: 73.96%
- College degree: 16.13%
- Master’s degree: 4.93%
- No educational requirements: 3.49%
- Technical secondary school: 0.71%
- PhD: 0.39%
- High school: 0.34%
- Junior high school and below: 0.04%
Related:
Experience Requirements of Job Postings
The distribution of work experience requirements among Hardware Engineer job postings in the data set is as follows:
- 3-5 years: 37.47%
- 5-10 years: 23.52%
- 1-3 years: 19.36%
- No experience limit: 13.67%
- In school/fresh graduate: 2.27%
- 10+ years: 2.09%
- Less than 1 year: 1.63%
In terms of experience, mid-career professionals are in the highest demand, with positions requiring 3-10 years of experience accounting for 61% of all job listings.
Hardware Engineer Job Examples from Top Chinese Companies
Real jobs! Here are some summaries of recent, public job postings we pulled from Zhaopin:
- Hardware Engineer (Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd)
- Salary: 10-15K/month
- Experience: 1-3 years
- Education: Undergraduate
- Skills: MCU development, Circuit design, Board development, Hardware testing
- Hardware Engineer (Hangsheng Electronics)
- Salary: 12-18K/month
- Experience: 3-5 years
- Education: Undergraduate
- Skills: Electronics/electrical/automation, Hardware development, PCB Layout, Schematic diagram
- Electromagnetic Safety and Compatibility System Engineer (Honor Terminal Co., Ltd)
- Salary: 30-60K/month
- Experience: 3-5 years
- Education: Undergraduate
- Skills: Interference and anti-interference, RSE, EMC, Hardware development, Mobile phone/computer/communication terminal
- Hardware Engineer (Galanz Group)
- Salary: 14-20K/month
- Experience: 1-3 years
- Education: Undergraduate
- Skills: Electrical Engineering, Hardware Engineering, PCB Process
- Embedded Hardware Team Leader (Makeblock Kids’ Creations)
- Salary: 25-45K/month
- Experience: 5-10 years
- Education: Undergraduate
- Skills: Hardware (specific skills not listed)
- Analog Hardware Engineer (JPT Optoelectronics)
- Salary: 15-25K/month
- Experience: 3-5 years
- Education: Undergraduate
- Skills: Chip/semiconductor/integrated circuit, Electronics/electrical/automation, Computer, Communication, Analog circuit design, Software development
- Hardware Expert/Senior Engineer (Daotong Technology)
- Salary: 30-40K/month
- Experience: 3-5 years
- Education: Undergraduate
- Skills: Chips/semiconductors/integrated circuits, Automotive hardware products, Batteries/power products, Computer, Electronics/electrical/automation, Hardware project management
- Hardware Engineer (Delanminhai)
- Salary: 15-30K/month
- Experience: 1-3 years
- Education: Undergraduate
- Skills: Battery/Power Products
- Hardware Engineer (Beijing Zhixin Microelectronics)
- Salary: 20-40K/month
- Experience: 5-10 years
- Education: Undergraduate
- Skills: Chip/Semiconductor/IC, Hardware Development Experience
- Principal SI Engineer (Amphenol Electronics)
- Salary: 20-30K/month (with 13th month salary)
- Experience: 3-5 years
- Education: Undergraduate
- Skills: PCIE GEN 6, 112G
Related:
Algorithm Engineers in China - A Summary
So there we have it! In this article, we explored essential insights for companies looking to hire Hardware Engineers in China.
We hope this analysis has provided you with valuable insights to help you attract and retain top engineering talent in China’s vast and talented job market!
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References
The two main sources of data for this series on individual job salaries in China are local HR companies BOSS Zhipin and Zhilian Zhaopin. They are both among China’s biggest job portals and have some of the largest amounts of local, first-hand, public data points. It’s important to note that the data most often reflects recruited salaries – or the publicly listed salary information companies advertise on their platforms.
Data sets used in this article can be found here. More coverage and further sources can be found in our Salary Guides and Resources collections.
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