"Why Work a White-Collar Job? This Chinese Occupation Now Earns Over 5 Million Won a Month"

Blue-collar income growth outpaces white-collar for seven years
Some skilled postpartum caregivers earn more than 5 million won per month

In China, the income of blue-collar workers, particularly in platform and service industries such as delivery workers and postnatal care helpers, has been steadily rising. Some skilled postnatal care helpers are now earning more than 5 million won per month.

According to recent reports from Chinese media such as Southern Metropolis Daily, the China New Employment Form Research Center estimated through the "2025 China Blue-Collar Employment Group Research Report" that the number of blue-collar workers in China reached approximately 427 million last year.

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The report states that last year, the income growth rate of blue-collar workers outpaced that of white-collar workers for the seventh consecutive year. The average monthly income gap between the two groups has narrowed by 32.7%, from 3,344 yuan (about 670,000 won) in 2013 to 2,250 yuan (about 450,000 won) last year. If the current trend continues, the gap is expected to narrow further to 2,020 yuan (about 410,000 won) by 2027.

Average Monthly Income of Postnatal Care Helpers Exceeds 2 Million Won... Skilled Workers Earn Over 5 Million Won

By occupation, postnatal care helpers had the highest average monthly income at 10,128 yuan (2.04 million won), followed by delivery workers at 8,325 yuan (about 1.68 million won), and truck drivers at 8,279 yuan (about 1.67 million won). Notably, the income of delivery workers has increased by over 10% annually, on average, over the past three years.

In terms of hourly wages, postnatal care helpers also ranked among the highest at 38.5 yuan (about 7,800 won), followed by delivery workers at 37.3 yuan (about 7,500 won). The hourly wage of delivery workers rose 11% from the previous year, far surpassing the average for restaurant part-time workers at 24.7 yuan (about 5,000 won) and construction workers at 23.4 yuan (about 4,700 won).

The report analyzed that the structure of blue-collar income is shifting away from being determined simply by hours worked, and is now increasingly based on skill level and service quality. Platforms differentiate unit prices and order assignments based on ratings and service assessments, resulting in higher earning opportunities for workers with better evaluations.

In fact, some skilled postnatal care helpers earned monthly incomes exceeding 25,000 yuan (about 5.04 million won), and skilled delivery workers earned more than 12,000 yuan (about 2.42 million won) per month. The intensification of competition among delivery platforms last year, which drove companies to secure more delivery workers, also contributed to rising incomes.

Regionally, platform-based blue-collar workers such as delivery workers, couriers, and ride-hailing drivers increasingly tend to work near their place of residence, rather than relocating to other regions. Last year, the interregional employment rate for ride-hailing drivers dropped by 6% and for courier drivers by 2.5%, compared to the previous year.

On the other hand, mobility increased for skilled technical jobs such as new energy vehicle maintenance technicians, smart manufacturing specialists, and elderly care workers. Small- and medium-sized cities with relatively lower living costs and flexible working hours are emerging as new blue-collar job markets.

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Flexible Employment Expands in China... Expected to Reach 320 Million People This Year

The scale of flexible employment is also growing in China. According to related research, the number of people engaged in flexible work reached 280 million last year, and is projected to expand to 320 million this year, exceeding 40% of all urban employees.

However, there are limitations when it comes to social security and long-term career prospects. While 91.5% of flexible employees were enrolled in basic medical insurance and 86.2% were covered by occupational injury insurance, the proportion who trust their retirement preparedness was only 42.3%, and just 54.8% responded positively about promotion opportunities.

Although platform workers have become core personnel for everyday urban services, significant mobility restrictions remain at the workplace. More than 68% of delivery workers and couriers reported being denied entry to apartment complexes or office buildings.

Researchers pointed out that, as the size of the platform workforce has grown, it is important to enhance not only short-term income and basic social security, but also vocational training, long-term career development, and overall working conditions within cities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.