As China witnesses a boom in humanoid robotics, companies in the sector are offering salaries more than three times the urban average to lure top engineers and AI talent – underscoring a deepening talent crunch that even industry leaders acknowledge.
The average monthly pay for humanoid robot algorithm engineers now stands at 31,512 yuan (US$4386), rising up to 38,489 yuan for roles requiring more than five years of experience, according to a new report released this week by online recruitment platform Zhaopin.
That is nearly four times the nationwide urban average salary of 10,058 yuan per month, based on the firm’s most recent compensation data for the third quarter of 2024.
Mechanical design engineer roles in the field also command strong wages, with an average salary of 22,264 yuan.
The youth unemployment rate, excluding students, eased slightly to 15.8 per cent in April, down from 16.5 per cent in March, according to official data. But with a record number of graduates set to enter the workforce this summer, the labour market faces growing strain.
