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Legal Average Salaries in China 2024

How much money does a person working in Legal make in China?


Average Monthly Salary
38,100 CNY
( 457,000 CNY yearly)

LOW
10,900
CNY
AVERAGE
38,100
CNY
HIGH
87,200
CNY
All salary figures displayed here are per month except when noted otherwise.
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

A person working in Legal in China typically earns around 38,100 CNY. Salaries range from 10,900 CNY (lowest average) to 87,200 CNY (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).


Salary Variance

The provided figure represents the median compensation that encompasses housing, transportation, and other perks. The salaries within the Legal domain in China exhibit significant discrepancies across various professions. In case you seek information about the remuneration of a specific position, please refer to the salaries listed below for respective job titles.

Salaries for specific jobs

Job TitleAverage Salary
Legal
Administrative Law Judge80,700 CNY
Arbitrator35,900 CNY
Associate Attorney37,900 CNY
Attorney58,300 CNY
Bailiff18,300 CNY
Barrister14,600 CNY
Blockchain Lawyer42,100 CNY
Candidate Attorney33,100 CNY
Conciliator28,600 CNY
Contracts Associate17,800 CNY
Contracts Manager32,200 CNY
Contracts Negotiator27,500 CNY
Contracts Specialist18,600 CNY
Conveyancing Secretary15,800 CNY
Corporate Counsel43,100 CNY
Counsel41,200 CNY
Court Clerk13,400 CNY
Court Judicial Assistant21,100 CNY
Court Liaison Specialist25,600 CNY
Court Reporter21,500 CNY
Court Representative16,700 CNY
Crown Prosecution Service Lawyer76,600 CNY
Data Privacy and Protection Lawyer48,700 CNY
Digital Forensics Lawyer48,100 CNY
E-discovery Lawyer52,100 CNY
General Counsel70,800 CNY
Genetics Lawyer57,200 CNY
Immigration Executive38,300 CNY
In House Counsel42,200 CNY
Intellectual Property Lawyer53,600 CNY
Intellectual Property Specialist28,900 CNY
Judge Advocate60,500 CNY
Law Clerk13,300 CNY
Lawyer54,600 CNY
Legal Administrative Assistant14,600 CNY
Legal Advisor34,600 CNY
Legal Assistant14,800 CNY
Legal Associate27,900 CNY
Legal Compliance Officer38,800 CNY
Legal Consultant36,300 CNY
Legal Consultant36,100 CNY
Legal Content Writer30,300 CNY
Legal Counsel43,400 CNY
Legal Data Analyst32,500 CNY
Legal Data Privacy Officer29,500 CNY
Legal Editor27,000 CNY
Legal Executive51,500 CNY
Legal Executive Secretary15,600 CNY
Legal IP Officer14,300 CNY
Legal Officer17,300 CNY
Legal Operations Manager63,400 CNY
Legal Process Outsourcing Professional33,700 CNY
Legal Project Manager70,600 CNY
Legal Risk Analyst51,700 CNY
Legal Secretary15,800 CNY
Legal Services Director66,400 CNY
Legal Services Manager68,500 CNY
Legal Support Worker10,700 CNY
Legal Technology Consultant27,000 CNY
Legislative Liaison28,200 CNY
Litigation Attorney69,200 CNY
Litigation Paralegal34,200 CNY
Litigation Support Specialist37,200 CNY
Magistrate Judge90,000 CNY
Paralegal22,100 CNY
Patent Attorney43,100 CNY
Privacy Compliance Officer27,400 CNY
Privacy Lawyer49,700 CNY
Social Media Lawyer43,600 CNY
Staff Attorney45,300 CNY
Venture Capital Lawyer60,200 CNY
Web Content Lawyer45,700 CNY


Legal Jobs Pay Scale and Salaries in China

Median and salary distribution China Legal monthly
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Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison

5% of people earn
39,800 CNY or more
10% of people earn
32,400 to 39,800 CNY
20% of people earn
16,300 CNY or less
65% of people earn
16,300 to 32,400 CNY
Minimum Salary
10,900 CNY
Median
32,600 CNY
Maximum
87,200 CNY




Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range

All salary figures displayed here are per month except when noted otherwise.
  • Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary

    Salaries in Legal in China range from 10,900 CNY (starting average salary) to 87,200 CNY (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher). To clarify, the number presented is not the legally mandated minimum wage. Rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that involved thousands of participants and professionals from across the entire country.

  • Median Salary

    The median income in the field of Legal is 32,600 CNY, implying that half of the workforce in China earns less than this figure, and the other half earns more. It represents the central value of salaries. As a rule of thumb, you would prefer to be part of the group earning above the median wage, situated on the right-hand side of the salary distribution chart.

  • Percentiles and Salary Scale

    Two values that are highly correlated with the median are the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution diagram, it is possible to determine that 25% of individuals employed in Legal in China earn less than 24,000 CNY, while 75% of them earn more. Additionally, the diagram reveals that 75% of individuals earn less than 41,300 CNY, while 25% earn more than that.

  • Pay Scale Structure

    Data was regrouped into brackets to provide a better understanding of what salaries can be expected. This approach was deemed more accurate than relying solely on the average salary, as it offers greater insights into the distribution of salaries in the field of Legal in China. The analysis revealed that roughly 65% of all reported salaries fell within the range of 16,300 CNY to 32,400 CNY. Approximately 20% of salaries were below the 16,300 CNY mark, while 10% ranged from 32,400 CNY to 39,800 CNY. Only 5% of individuals earned a gross salary of 39,800 CNY or higher.

Salary Comparison by Years of Experience

How does a person's salary progress over time?

Salary Comparison By Experience Level
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage.

Generally speaking, employees in Legal in China having experience from two to five years earn on average 32% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.

Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average 36% more than those with five years or less of work experience.

As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by 21% and an additional 14% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.

Those figures are presented as guidelines only. The numbers become more significant if you consider one job title at a time.


Change in salary based on experience varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of many different jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.
On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years* experience mark.
* Based on the average change in salary over time. Salary variations differ from person to person.


Salary Comparison By Education

How does the education level affect your salary?

Salary Comparison By Education
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Change in salary based on education varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of multiple jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.

It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income?

We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degree levels across many jobs in Legal in China, below are our findings.

Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average 17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.

Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn 24% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.

Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are 29% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.

Finally, PhD holders earn 23% more than Master's Degree holders on average while doing the same job.


Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?

A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in China costs anywhere from 147,000 CNY to 441,000 CNY and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.

Employees can't expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming they already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.

Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support this tactic. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.

The decision really depends on the situation and experience among many other factors. Putting all variables aside, if a person can afford the costs of higher education then the return on investment is definitely worth it. Degree costs can be recovered roughly in a year or so.



Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Legal / China

Salary comparison by gender China Legal monthly
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? In the field of Legal in China, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 7%.

Male
39,200 CNY
Female-7%
36,600 CNY
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Comparison By Gender in China for all Careers

Salary comparison by gender monthly China
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Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Legal / China

How much are annual salary increments in China for individuals working in Legal? How often do employees get salary raises?

Professionals working in Legal in China are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 11% every 13 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 9% granted to employees every 15 months.

Annual Salary Increment Rate China Legal
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The figures provided here are averages of numbers. Those figures should be taken as general guidelines. Salary increments will vary from person to person and depend on many factors, but your performance and contribution to the success of the organization remain the most important factors in determining how much and how often you will be granted a raise.

China / All Professions

Annual Salary Increment Rate China
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The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.

How to calculate the salary increment percentage?

The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency

The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in China is 7%.

Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs

World Average Annual Salary Increment
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Salary Packages and Schemes

Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.

Bonus and Incentive Rates / Legal / China

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate China Legal
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50% of surveyed staff in Legal reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 50% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.

Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 4% to 5% of their annual salary.

Received Bonus
50%
No Bonus
50%

Types of Bonuses Considered

Individual Performance-Based Bonuses

The most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.

Company Performance Bonuses

Occasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.

Goal-Based Bonuses

Granted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.

Holiday / End of Year Bonuses

These types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.

Bonuses Are Not Commissions!

People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.


What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?

The main two types of jobs

Revenue GeneratorsSupporting Cast

Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business.

Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations.

Example:
A graphics designer working for a graphics designing company.

Example:
A graphic designer in the marketing department of a hospital.


Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.

Try to work for companies where your skills can generate revenue. We can't all generate revenue and that's perfectly fine.

Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level

Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.

Hourly Average Wage / Legal / China


220 CNY per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Legal in China is 220 CNY.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.


Hourly Wage = Annual Salary / ( 52 x 5 x 8 )

About The Hourly Pay Rate

The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.

What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?

The minimum pay rate per hour for people working in Legal in China is 63 CNY. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.

Salary Comparison By City

CityAverage Salary
Beijing43,700 CNY
Changchun36,400 CNY
Changsha34,600 CNY
Chengdu39,900 CNY
Chongqing44,100 CNY
Dalian36,000 CNY
Dongguan34,300 CNY
Foshan33,900 CNY
Fuzhou36,300 CNY
Guangzhou42,100 CNY
Hangzhou42,300 CNY
Harbin40,500 CNY
Jinan42,300 CNY
Kunming34,300 CNY
Nanjing38,100 CNY
Qingdao39,200 CNY
Quanzhou35,700 CNY
Shanghai41,200 CNY
Shantou37,200 CNY
Shenyang39,400 CNY
Shenzhen37,600 CNY
Suzhou36,700 CNY
Tianjin40,000 CNY
Wenzhou37,600 CNY
Wuhan43,600 CNY
Wuxi32,700 CNY
Xi an41,700 CNY
Xiamen34,900 CNY
Zhengzhou33,800 CNY

Salary Comparison By State

StateAverage Salary
Anhui39,300 CNY
Beijing32,400 CNY
Chongqing34,700 CNY
Fujian36,900 CNY
Gansu34,000 CNY
Guangdong42,100 CNY
Guangxi38,500 CNY
Guizhou35,200 CNY
Hainan32,000 CNY
Hebei40,400 CNY
Heilongjiang36,100 CNY
Henan41,600 CNY
Hubei39,500 CNY
Hunan40,200 CNY
Jiangsu41,000 CNY
Jiangxi38,100 CNY
Jilin34,800 CNY
Liaoning37,800 CNY
Nei Monggol34,100 CNY
Ningxia31,900 CNY
Qinghai31,600 CNY
Shaanxi36,900 CNY
Shandong42,500 CNY
Shanghai33,900 CNY
Shanxi36,200 CNY
Sichuan41,900 CNY
Tianjin32,900 CNY
Xinjiang Uygur33,700 CNY
Xizang [Tibet]31,500 CNY
Yunnan39,000 CNY
Zhejiang39,800 CNY

Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison

Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in China is 6% on average across all career fields.

Private Sector
28,600 CNY
Public Sector+6%
30,300 CNY
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide

What is considered to be a good and competitive salary in Legal in China?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 32,600 CNY and 41,300 CNY. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.

Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)

All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

Base / Basic Salary

The base salary for jobs in Legal in China ranges from 10,900 CNY to 24,000 CNY. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.


What is the difference between the median and the average salary?

Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary


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