Digital Technology Engineers and Technicians Digital occupation

How to become an Internet of Things Engineer

Official Chinese title (2022 occupational classification): 物联网工程技术人员

Researches and develops Internet of Things architecture, platforms, chips, sensors, smart tags and related technology, and designs, tests, maintains, manages and supports IoT projects.

Main tasks

Researching and applying IoT technology, protocols, standards and architecture
Researching, designing and developing IoT chips and hardware and software systems
Planning, researching and designing IoT solutions
Planning, designing, integrating and deploying IoT systems and guiding project delivery
Installing, testing and maintaining IoT systems and keeping them running properly
Monitoring and managing IoT systems and keeping them secure
Giving technical advice and support for IoT systems

Ways in

University: Computing & IT degrees, Offered by 100 universities in China Related undergraduate subject classes in the Ministry of Education catalogue (2025): Computer Science (0809); majors such as Internet of Things Engineering, Computer Science and Technology, Network Engineering, Software Engineering, Digital Media Technology, Information Security. Matched to the occupation by Peernovo.
Vocational majors: Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Intelligent Internet Network Technology (510307). Vocational major 510307 Intelligent Internet Network Technology (智能互联网络技术), 3 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向). Example certificates: Computer Technology and Software Professional Qualification; Intelligent Network Applications and Optimisation; IoT Engineering Implementation and Maintenance; Network Equipment Installation and Maintenance.; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Internet of Things Application Technology (510102). Vocational major 510102 Internet of Things Application Technology (物联网应用技术), 3 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向). Example certificates: Sensor Network Application Development; Mobile App Development; Computer Vision Application Development; Big Data Application Development (Java); IoT Smart Home System Integration and Applications; IoT Engineering Implementation and Maintenance.; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Modern Mobile Communications Technology (510302). Vocational major 510302 Modern Mobile Communications Technology (现代移动通信技术), 3 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向). Example certificates: Telecommunications Professional Qualification; 5G Mobile Network Deployment and Maintenance; 5G Mobile Network Operation and Maintenance; 5G Base Station Construction and Maintenance.; Vocational bachelor (职业本科) major: Internet of Things Engineering Technology (310102). Vocational major 310102 Internet of Things Engineering Technology (物联网工程技术), 4 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向). Example certificates: Computer Technology and Software Professional Qualification; Sensor Network Application Development; Mobile App Development; Computer Vision Application Development; Big Data Application Development (Java); IoT Smart Home System Integration and Applications.
National qualification: National professional qualification: Computer Technology and Software Professional Qualification. A national qualification that shows your level; it is not required to work. Listed in the national vocational qualifications catalogue (国家职业资格目录, 2021) as Computer Technology and Software Professional Qualification (计算机技术与软件专业技术资格), run by Ministry of Industry and Information Technology; Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Peernovo links it to this occupation.

Pay · AI and this job

Median pay in China: CN¥79,500 a year (2025).
Middle half: CN¥55,200 to CN¥123,700. One in ten earn less than CN¥42,000 and one in ten more than CN¥192,300.
This is the figure for the mid group Engineering and Technical Personnel, not for this job alone.
National figure: wage prices of enterprise employees from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) enterprise pay survey. The public sector and the self-employed are not covered.
Guangzhou only: median CN¥172,500 a year (2025), middle half CN¥119,287 to CN¥317,400.
This is the figure for the minor group Digital Technology Engineers and Technicians, not for this job alone.
Generative AI could change many tasks in this job, which usually reshapes the work more than it replaces it, by the ILO's global estimate.

Who does this work

The census group Engineering and Technical Personnel holds 2.35% of everyone employed in China; 17.1% of its workers are women (2020 Census).
48.9% are under 35, 45.1% are 35 to 54 and 6% are 55 or older. The middle age band is 35 to 39.
Census figures for the whole mid group (2020 long-form sample), not for this job alone.

Questions people ask

How do I become an Internet of Things Engineer?

Ways in include: Computing & IT degrees; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Intelligent Internet Network Technology (510307); Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Internet of Things Application Technology (510102).

How much does an Internet of Things Engineer earn in China?

Across China, the median pay of enterprise employees is CN¥79,500 a year (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS), 2025). The public sector and the self-employed are not covered. It is the figure for the mid group Engineering and Technical Personnel. In Guangzhou alone it is CN¥172,500 a year (2025).

Will AI change the work of an Internet of Things Engineer?

Generative AI could change many tasks in this job, which usually reshapes the work more than it replaces it, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS): 2025 enterprise pay survey information: wage prices of enterprise employees by occupation mid group, and digital occupations (P10 to P90 annual CNY) (2025 (published 2026-07-08)), retrieved 5 October 2026
Guangzhou Human Resources and Social Security Bureau: Guangzhou 2025 labour market wage prices (P10 to P90 annual CNY by occupation) (2025 (enterprise pay survey)), retrieved 4 October 2026
National Bureau of Statistics of China: China Population Census Yearbook 2020, long-form tables 4-6 and 4-7 (employed by occupation mid group, sex, age) (2020 Census long form (10% sample)), retrieved 4 October 2026
International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, State Administration for Market Regulation, National Bureau of Statistics: Occupational Classification of the People's Republic of China, 2022 edition (public consultation draft) (2022 public consultation draft (1,636 occupations; final edition 1,639)), retrieved 4 October 2026

Sources: Occupational Classification of the People's Republic of China (2022 edition, public consultation draft), Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, State Administration for Market Regulation and National Bureau of Statistics; Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, 2025 enterprise pay survey information; Guangzhou Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, 2025 labour market wage prices; National Bureau of Statistics of China (www.stats.gov.cn), 2020 Population Census yearbook; Ministry of Education, vocational education major profiles (2022 revision) and undergraduate major catalogue (2025); Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, national vocational qualifications catalogue (2021); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Figures processed by Peernovo. English text, translations and the matching of occupations to ISCO-08, majors, degree fields and qualifications by Peernovo.

Descriptions and tasks are Peernovo's own words, written from the facts in the Occupational Classification of the People's Republic of China (2022 edition). Job titles and work types are the classification's own.

Updated 5 October 2026