Information and Communications Engineers and Technicians Digital occupation

How to become a Network Engineer

Official Chinese title (2022 occupational classification): 计算机网络工程技术人员

Researches, designs, installs, tests and maintains computer networks such as the internet, and provides related services.

Main tasks

Researching and applying network technology, protocols, standards and architecture
Planning and designing network systems and running simulation tests
Researching how to keep networks secure, available and reliable, and designing and delivering solutions
Designing, installing and testing network equipment
Installing and configuring network operating systems, databases and application software
Designing, integrating and managing network projects and guiding construction
Monitoring network status and managing and maintaining network systems
Giving technical advice and support on networks

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, Data Science and Big Data Technology, Digital Media Technology. Matched to the occupation by Peernovo.
Vocational majors: Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Automotive Intelligent Technology (510107). Vocational major 510107 Automotive Intelligent Technology (汽车智能技术), 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: Smart Hardware Application Development; Autonomous Driving Software System Applications; Intelligent Connected Vehicle Testing and Setup.; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Computer Application Technology (510201). Vocational major 510201 Computer Application Technology (计算机应用技术), 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: Computer Technology and Software Professional Qualification; Web Front End Development; Network System Construction and Maintenance; Intelligent Computing Platform Application Development.; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Computer Network Technology (510202). Vocational major 510202 Computer Network Technology (计算机网络技术), 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; Network System Construction and Maintenance; Web Front End Development; Cloud Computing Platform Operation and Development; Network Security Operations and Maintenance; WPS Office Applications.; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Industrial Internet Technology (510211). Vocational major 510211 Industrial Internet Technology (工业互联网技术), 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; Industrial Internet Network Operation and Maintenance; Industrial Internet Equipment Data Collection; Industrial Internet Implementation and Maintenance.; 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.; Vocational bachelor (职业本科) major: Industrial Internet Technology (310211). Vocational major 310211 Industrial Internet Technology (工业互联网技术), 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; Industrial Internet Network Operation and Maintenance; Industrial Internet Equipment Data Collection; Industrial Internet Implementation and Maintenance.
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¥88,200 a year (2025).
Middle half: CN¥59,100 to CN¥132,000. One in ten earn less than CN¥45,000 and one in ten more than CN¥201,600.
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¥95,927 a year (2025), middle half CN¥62,700 to CN¥146,663.
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 a Network Engineer?

Ways in include: Computing & IT degrees; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Automotive Intelligent Technology (510107); Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Computer Application Technology (510201).

How much does a Network Engineer earn in China?

Across China, the median pay of enterprise employees is CN¥88,200 a year (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS), 2025). The public sector and the self-employed are not covered. In Guangzhou alone it is CN¥95,927 a year (2025).

Will AI change the work of a Network 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