Average Category Manager Salary in China for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Category Manager salary for 2024 in China and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the Chinese yuan. To keep things simple, we are using the CNY currency code instead of the currency symbol ¥.

How Much Does a Category Manager Make in China?

A Category Manager working in China will typically earn around 353,600 CNY per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 192,600 CNY to the highest average salary of 535,800 CNY.

Average Annual Salary
353,600 CNY
Average Monthly Salary
29,466 CNY

Lowest Annual Salary
192,600 CNY
Lowest Monthly Salary
16,050 CNY

Highest Annual Salary
535,800 CNY
Highest Monthly Salary
44,650 CNY

These are average salaries for a Category Manager in China and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Category Manager to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Category Manager salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Category Manager Salaries in China

So we've looked at the average salaries a Category Manager will earn in China. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Category Manager can earn between 192,600 CNY and 535,800 CNY on average in China. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Category Manager in China is 325,900 CNY. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 325,900 CNY, and 50% of the population earn more than 325,900 CNY.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Category Manager salary in China, 25% of the population are earning less than 232,400 CNY while 75% of the population earn more than 232,400 CNY.

75% of the population earn less than 394,500 CNY, and 25% of the population earn more than 394,500 CNY.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Category Manager Salary by Experience Level in China

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average category manager salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Category Manager in China that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 222,300 CNY.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Category Manager salary would increase to 281,500 CNY.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Category Manager, the average salary would be 369,300 CNY.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 433,800 CNY.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Category Manager with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 483,400 CNY.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Category Manager with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 513,300 CNY.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
222,300 CNY
2-5 Years +26%
281,500 CNY
5-10 Years +32%
369,300 CNY
10-15 Years +18%
433,800 CNY
15-20 Years +11%
483,400 CNY
20+ Years +6%
513,300 CNY

Category Manager Salary by Education Level in China

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Category Manager in China based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Category Manager in China with a high school education can earn an average salary of 271,300 CNY.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Category Manager in China with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 305,600 CNY.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Category Manager in China with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 399,900 CNY.

  • Master's Degree. A Category Manager in China with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 499,300 CNY.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
271,300 CNY
Certificate or Diploma +13%
305,600 CNY
Bachelor's Degree +32%
399,900 CNY
Master's Degree +24%
499,300 CNY

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in China is around 146,000 to 439,000 CNY and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Category Manager Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In China, a male category manager will earn an average of 363,000 CNY, while a female category manager will earn around 340,400 CNY.

This means that a male category manager earns approximately 7% more than a female category manager for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in China

Male
363,000 CNY
Female -7%
340,400 CNY

Category Manager Average Pay Raise in China

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Category Manager in China is around 11% every 17 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in China is around 9% every 15 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 11 ÷ 17 ) × 12  = 8%

What this means is that a Category Manager in China can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 8% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in China for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in China.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
8%
Energy
7%
Information Technology
6%
Healthcare
5%
Travel
4%
Construction
3%
Education
2%

Category Manager Bonus and Incentive Rates in China

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Category Manager is a moderate bonus based job, with 52% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

48% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 4% to 5%.

Received Bonus
52%
No Bonus
48%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in China earn approximately 6% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
362,200 CNY
Private Sector -6%
341,400 CNY

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Category Manager

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Category Manager in China.

Job Title Category Salary
Asset Management Associate Purchasing and Inventory 309,800 CNY
Asset Protection Associate Purchasing and Inventory 296,000 CNY
Asset Protection Specialist Purchasing and Inventory 325,900 CNY
Assistant Buyer Purchasing and Inventory 288,100 CNY
Buyer Purchasing and Inventory 454,300 CNY
Capacity Planner Purchasing and Inventory 341,900 CNY
Category Leader Purchasing and Inventory 327,800 CNY
Category Management Specialist Purchasing and Inventory 318,800 CNY
Channel Services Representative Purchasing and Inventory 313,700 CNY
Contracts Manager Purchasing and Inventory 397,900 CNY
Contracts Specialist Purchasing and Inventory 330,700 CNY
Demand Planner Purchasing and Inventory 348,300 CNY
Demand Planning Manager Purchasing and Inventory 388,100 CNY
Distribution Assistant Purchasing and Inventory 275,800 CNY
Distribution Associate Purchasing and Inventory 294,700 CNY
Distribution Manager Purchasing and Inventory 597,800 CNY
Inventory Analyst Purchasing and Inventory 301,300 CNY
Inventory Control Clerk Purchasing and Inventory 172,200 CNY
Inventory Control Manager Purchasing and Inventory 412,000 CNY
Inventory Management Associate Purchasing and Inventory 330,900 CNY
Inventory Specialist Purchasing and Inventory 309,800 CNY
Logistics Engineer Purchasing and Inventory 288,700 CNY
Master Planner Purchasing and Inventory 283,700 CNY
Material Handler Purchasing and Inventory 187,300 CNY
Material Planning Specialist Purchasing and Inventory 275,800 CNY
Merchandise Manager Purchasing and Inventory 365,400 CNY
Procurement Administrator Purchasing and Inventory 385,300 CNY
Procurement Agent Purchasing and Inventory 232,900 CNY
Procurement Analyst Purchasing and Inventory 403,100 CNY
Procurement Assistant Purchasing and Inventory 240,500 CNY
Procurement Associate Purchasing and Inventory 330,700 CNY
Procurement Clerk Purchasing and Inventory 152,000 CNY
Procurement Engineer Purchasing and Inventory 320,500 CNY
Procurement Manager Purchasing and Inventory 625,000 CNY
Procurement Officer Purchasing and Inventory 154,700 CNY
Procurement Process Analyst Purchasing and Inventory 361,600 CNY
Procurement Specialist Purchasing and Inventory 283,400 CNY
Production Planner Purchasing and Inventory 327,800 CNY
Project Buyer Purchasing and Inventory 377,200 CNY
Purchaser Purchasing and Inventory 454,900 CNY
Purchasing Agent Purchasing and Inventory 263,200 CNY
Purchasing Assistant Purchasing and Inventory 161,600 CNY
Purchasing Manager Purchasing and Inventory 645,800 CNY
Purchasing Officer Purchasing and Inventory 296,000 CNY
Purchasing Supervisor Purchasing and Inventory 430,500 CNY
Shipping and Receiving Clerk Purchasing and Inventory 159,400 CNY
Shipping Coordinator Purchasing and Inventory 294,700 CNY
Stock Clerk Purchasing and Inventory 172,200 CNY
Stock Regulator Purchasing and Inventory 180,300 CNY
Storage Manager Purchasing and Inventory 407,300 CNY
Store Keeper Purchasing and Inventory 152,100 CNY
Stores and Logistics Coordinator Purchasing and Inventory 339,100 CNY
Supply Chain Analyst Purchasing and Inventory 454,300 CNY
Supply Chain Coordinator Purchasing and Inventory 344,600 CNY
Supply Chain Development Manager Purchasing and Inventory 592,600 CNY
Supply Chain Director Purchasing and Inventory 639,100 CNY
Supply Chain Manager Purchasing and Inventory 629,800 CNY
Supply Planner Purchasing and Inventory 315,900 CNY
Warehouse Assistant Purchasing and Inventory 129,000 CNY
Warehouse Clerk Purchasing and Inventory 127,700 CNY
Warehouse Executive Purchasing and Inventory 504,500 CNY
Warehouse Lead Purchasing and Inventory 371,100 CNY
Warehouse Manager Purchasing and Inventory 552,400 CNY
Warehouse Supervisor Purchasing and Inventory 367,200 CNY
Wholesale Buyer Purchasing and Inventory 464,900 CNY

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in China, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Beijing 399,900 CNY
Changchun 363,000 CNY
Changsha 327,300 CNY
Chengdu 390,000 CNY
Chongqing 399,900 CNY
Dalian 325,600 CNY
Dongguan 340,400 CNY
Foshan 352,000 CNY
Fuzhou 341,900 CNY
Guangzhou 414,000 CNY
Hangzhou 413,900 CNY
Harbin 372,600 CNY
Jinan 378,800 CNY
Kunming 315,900 CNY
Nanjing 369,900 CNY
Qingdao 365,400 CNY
Quanzhou 327,800 CNY
Shanghai 426,700 CNY
Shantou 369,900 CNY
Shenyang 357,700 CNY
Shenzhen 369,300 CNY
Suzhou 351,200 CNY
Tianjin 388,100 CNY
Wenzhou 339,100 CNY
Wuhan 385,300 CNY
Wuxi 312,400 CNY
Xi an 382,600 CNY
Xiamen 318,800 CNY
Zhengzhou 327,800 CNY

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in China.

City Average Salary
Anhui 390,000 CNY
Beijing 339,100 CNY
Chongqing 341,400 CNY
Fujian 381,800 CNY
Gansu 330,900 CNY
Guangdong 431,100 CNY
Guangxi 371,100 CNY
Guizhou 354,000 CNY
Hainan 305,600 CNY
Hebei 406,300 CNY
Heilongjiang 340,400 CNY
Henan 412,000 CNY
Hubei 407,300 CNY
Hunan 394,300 CNY
Jiangsu 421,400 CNY
Jiangxi 369,900 CNY
Jilin 351,200 CNY
Liaoning 365,400 CNY
Nei Monggol 341,900 CNY
Ningxia 301,700 CNY
Qinghai 315,700 CNY
Shaanxi 345,700 CNY
Shandong 417,100 CNY
Shanghai 313,700 CNY
Shanxi 351,200 CNY
Sichuan 425,100 CNY
Tianjin 318,800 CNY
Xinjiang Uygur 340,400 CNY
Xizang [Tibet] 301,300 CNY
Yunnan 388,100 CNY
Zhejiang 377,200 CNY

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