The goal of high-quality development has led to an increasing demand for STEM talents across societies, which has resulted in the rising salary of STEM graduates and workers. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies, this study implements a growth curve model to investigate the impact of professional background and occupational choice on starting salary and its growth rate. The results indicate that:(1) There are occupational differences in the effect of profession on starting salary. Among employees in STEM occupations, the starting salary of STEM graduates is about 14.0% higher than non-STEM graduates, while there is no significant difference in the starting salary of graduates from different majors among employees in non-STEM occupations. (2) Among employees in STEM or non-STEM occupations, the salary of STEM graduates tends to increase at a higher rate, by 1.5% and 1.0%, respectively. (3) The impact of STEM education on salary also varies by discipline, with the relative advantages being more pronounced in science, engineering and medicine.(4) The starting salary for STEM graduates varies by occupation, and is about 21.5% higher for those working in STEM occupations than in non-STEM occupations. In contrast, for non-STEM graduates, the group that switched to STEM occupations does not earn a higher starting salary. This study reveals some of the challenges non-STEM majors face in the current higher education training system and emphasizes the importance of career guidance and career planning.