Chinese high school graduates are increasingly opting for police and military academies and other institutions that provide a clearer pathway to stable public sector employment, a shift driven by ongoing economic challenges and high youth unemployment. Admission scores for some of these programs have risen significantly, with certain undergraduate courses now demanding more than 650 points out of a possible 750 on the national college entrance exam, known as the gaokao. This level of selectivity places these programs on par with entry requirements for less competitive majors at China's top universities.

This trend reflects a growing willingness among young Chinese to prioritize job security over academic prestige amid a sluggish economy. China’s official youth unemployment rate reached 15 percent in June, and surveys indicate that a considerable portion of recent graduates, especially from mid-tier and ordinary universities, have struggled to secure full-time employment. A nationwide survey conducted by Peking University found that over a third of graduates from well-regarded but non-elite universities, and two-fifths of graduates from ordinary institutions, remained unemployed several months after finishing their studies.

As a result, many students are selecting universities and majors based primarily on their prospects of gaining stable positions within the public sector. For example, applicants to the most competitive programs at the People’s Public Security University of China (PPSUC) in Jiangsu province, one of the country's wealthiest regions, required a minimum gaokao score of 652 this year. This threshold was only slightly below that for the least competitive courses at Tsinghua University, China's most prestigious institution. Similarly, Shanghai Customs College demanded a gaokao score of 662 for its top admission group, surpassing the entry score for Shanghai Jiao Tong University, a leading comprehensive university.

The Chinese defense ministry reported that military academy entrants ranked among the top 6 percent of gaokao candidates in their provinces, with incoming students reaching record academic levels, according to a ministry spokesperson. Graduates of tuition-free military academies receive commissions as officers upon graduation, while those from police academies have a more than 90 percent chance of joining the police force, according to public data and insider accounts.

While these careers provide relative job security and competitive local salaries, experts note that choosing such specialized paths entails a strong commitment with limited flexibility. Students who enroll in police academies, for instance, are effectively committing to law enforcement careers, with few opportunities to switch fields after graduation. The growing preference for these paths underscores concerns among China’s youth about their economic futures and reflects broader challenges facing the country’s labor market.