Fresh graduates in Hong Kong are receiving the highest starting salaries in the Greater Bay Area, with a 9.3% increase from last year, according to a recent study conducted by universities. The average starting salary for fresh graduates in Hong Kong is HK$19,806 (US$2,550), surpassing Macau’s 14,996 patacas (US$1,870) and Guangdong province’s 5,843 yuan (US$820).
Macau saw the highest growth rate of 16.4%, while Guangdong trailed behind at 4.2% increase. The pay rise for new graduates in all three places exceeded the average for all employees, highlighting a demand for fresh talent.
Huang Xu, director of Baptist University’s Centre for Human Resource Strategy and Development, noted that the salary growth reflects a shift in the market. “Over the last few decades, Hong Kong fresh graduate salaries were more or less suppressed,” Huang said.