Analysis of Employment Trends for Chinese College Graduates from 2003 to 2017

Abstract

This article utilizes data from eight surveys of national samples of college graduates conducted by the Institute of Economics of Education at Peking University in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017 to conduct a trend analysis on employment status and job-seeking status among graduates, summarizing 12 overarching employment characteristics and changing trends for graduates since the expansion of admissions at institutions of higher education in China, and proposing corresponding policy recommendations.

Keywords:

• college graduates
• employment trends
• job placement
• job seeking

Notes

1 As the subjects of the questionnaire surveys were soon-to-be graduates who had not yet left school, they had not yet received wages from their employers. The monthly starting salary was provided by graduates according to the information they had in hand, and deviated to a certain extent from the starting salary they would actually receive. Furthermore, the starting salary only represents a graduate’s income during the initial period on the job, in many cases consisting of internship wages, and relatively large increases would be seen after a period of time on the job. However, generally speaking, if the starting salary is high, the later income will also be high. Therefore, carrying out grouping and comparison of starting salaries is still meaningful.

2 The survey data for 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011 only included the observed values for monthly starting salaries in the range of 300–20,000 yuan; the survey data for 2013, 2015, and 2017 only included the observed values for monthly starting salaries in the range of 500–30,000 yuan.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yue Changjun

Yue Changjun is a professor in the Graduate School of Education and Institute of Economics of Education at Peking University.

Zhou Liping

Zhou Liping is an assistant professor in the School of Education, Guangzhou University.