Chinese Graduates Shift to 6.9% Flexible Work as Graduate Exam Rate Falls to 3.4%
Updated
Updated · South China Morning Post · Jun 15
Chinese Graduates Shift to 6.9% Flexible Work as Graduate Exam Rate Falls to 3.4%
2 articles · Updated · South China Morning Post · Jun 15
Summary
6.9% of Chinese university graduates chose flexible work over the past five years, up from 4.2% in 2021, as career choices turned more pragmatic, MyCOS said.
3.4% sat for graduate school entrance exams before finding jobs, down from 5.6% in 2023, while starting salary growth lagged national averages and weakened incentives for further study.
63% of 2025 graduate jobseekers moved to smaller cities at or below the prefecture level, up from 58% in 2021, suggesting first-tier cities are losing some pull.
MyCOS said the old pattern of chasing higher degrees and top-tier cities is giving way to more diversified employment, including a slightly stronger shift toward flexible work among vocational college graduates.