Average monthly income of 7,814 yuan ranks first! China's highest-paying undergraduate major has a new leader.

According to a report recently released by the MyCOS Research Institute, the 2026 Chinese Undergraduate Employment Report shows a major reshuffling of high-paying majors for the class of 2025 graduates. Microelectronics Science and Engineering has topped the list with an average monthly salary of 7,814 yuan six months after graduation, officially replacing Information Security, which had long dominated the rankings, as the highest-paying undergraduate major for starting salaries in China.

Data shows that the overall average monthly salary for 2025 undergraduate graduates six months after graduation is only 6,435 yuan, with Microelectronics significantly outpacing the national average — a standout advantage.

The high-paying majors following closely behind are all core engineering disciplines: Electronic Science and Technology ranks second at 7,752 yuan, Automation ranks third at 7,573 yuan, and the long-time high-paying major Information Security has fallen to fourth place.

The changes compared to previous years' rankings are particularly striking: formerly top-tier high-paying majors like Computer Science and Technology and Software Engineering — popular internet-related fields — have dropped out of the top ten entirely this year. In contrast, advanced manufacturing majors such as Integrated Circuits, Electronics, Automation, and New Materials have collectively surged, sweeping the top spots on the high-paying list.

Behind this significant shift lies the massive talent gap driven by the wave of domestic chip substitution. China's semiconductor industry chain is currently expanding rapidly, with the entire chain — chip design, manufacturing, packaging and testing, and equipment materials — urgently needing specialized technical talent. Companies are continuously raising starting salaries to compete for outstanding new graduates, ushering in a full-blown boom period for the Microelectronics major.

In terms of employment destinations, Microelectronics graduates primarily join leading semiconductor companies, chip design firms, and optoelectronic technology enterprises, with positions spanning core areas such as chip R&D, circuit design, process engineering, and semiconductor equipment commissioning.

It is worth noting that salary differentiation within this major is significant. Undergraduate fresh graduates typically take on roles in process, testing, and mass-production operations with stable pay, while high-paying positions in high-end chip design and cutting-edge R&D mostly require graduate studies — further education significantly raises the salary ceiling.