The average monthly salary this year's university graduates expected has been lowered to 3,684 yuan ($594), a survey has indicated.

The figure has been reduced by about 2,000 yuan over the last two years, according to the survey.

The average monthly salary university graduates expected was 4,593 yuan in 2012 while the figure in 2011 was 5,538 yuan.

The survey, which was conducted by Beijing Youth Pressure Management Service Center under the Beijing Committee of the Communist Youth League, interviewed 16,090 university students nationwide from April 1 to 28.

A record of more than 6.99 million university students will graduate in July this year. Less than 30 percent of them have successfully sought jobs so far.

The average monthly salary doctoral students expected has also been reduced to about 6,000 yuan this year, a reduction of 1,160 yuan from last year.