According to a report jointly released by New Oriental and iResearch on April 9, the number of people applying for the postgraduate exams in 2023 is likely to exceed 5.2 million. When asked if they want to continue their education or go directly to work after graduation, 54% of respondents say they want to continue their education.
Why it matters
In recent years, the number of college graduates in China has increased year by year, resulting in greater employment pressure and expansion of graduate enrollment. Due to the impact of COVID-19 and the increasing difficulty of studying abroad, many recent and previous graduates prefer to take the postgraduate exam in order to better improve their knowledge and career competitiveness.
The salary of the job is directly related to the educational background, which is one of the driving factors for college students to pursue higher education. According to the report, in absolute terms, the higher the degree, the higher the starting salary and job satisfaction.
Context
In 2022, there are 4.57 million Chinese postgraduate applicants, an increase of 800,000 or 21%, compared with 2021, hitting a new record high. In 2021, the total enrollment of graduate students reached almost 1.18 million, nearly double that of 10 years ago. The total enrollment of graduate students in 2022 is expected to reach about 1.2 million, with an admission rate of 26.3%.
