Software developers get paid more in China than India

Software developers in China earn nearly 30% more than their counterparts in India, according to the results of a survey conducted by Mercer Human Resources Consulting.

According to the survey, the average base pay of a software development engineer in Beijing is $13,400 per year. By comparison, the average base pay for a software development engineer in India is $10,300, it said.

Mercer concluded that multinationals that set up shop in China face higher wage costs than they would in India, noting that in 95% of the 42 job roles surveyed the average base pay was higher in China than in India. At lower levels, the salary differences between India and China are not that great but increase rapidly with seniority.

Mercer found that some senior managers in China earn more than double the salary paid to their counterparts in India.

Looking ahead, the salary differences between India and China may decrease as demand rises in India for skilled workers and executives. Indian salaries increased an average of 11.5% per year during the last five years, Mercer said. During the same period, salaries rose by an average of 7.5% per year in China, it said.

Mercer noted that Beijing salaries are not indicative of wages paid throughout the rest of the country. Salaries in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are around 20% higher than in other Chinese cities, Mercer said, adding that this difference is greater still when compared with China’s rural areas.