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Hong Kong degree graduate pay growth hits five-year low in 2025

University Grants Committee data show average monthly earnings for degree holders rose to HK$28,000, while underemployment climbed to a record high.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Asia

Salary growth for Hong Kong degree graduates slowed to a five-year low in 2025, with average annual earnings rising by just 2.0% to HK$336,000, or about HK$28,000 per month, according to University Grants Committee graduate employment data cited by SCMP Economy.

SCMP Economy reports that the 2.0% increase was the lowest recorded between 2020 and 2025, after prior years posted annual increments of roughly 4.0% to 8.0%, as underemployment hit a record high.

The University Grants Committee also found that engineering and technology graduates saw earnings fall across sub-degree, degree, and taught postgraduate levels, with declines ranging from 0.3% to 5.0% year on year.

SCMP Economy said an expert warned that artificial intelligence has reduced demand for many entry-level roles, particularly in the technology sector that relies heavily on such software.

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