<p>In today’s digital era, it has become essential for educators in higher education to strengthen their digital competence to effectively navigate the challenges brought by the rapid technological progress. Despite the growing importance of this topic, research focusing on the digital competence of English teachers in Chinese higher education remains limited. This study seeks to explore how Chinese English teachers perceive their own digital competence in this context. Utilizing a quantitative approach, data were collected through a survey completed by 371 in-service English teachers working in higher education institutions across China. The dataset underwent analysis through methods such as descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), which validated the reliability and accuracy of the instrument. Findings revealed that participants generally reported a high level of digital competence. Among the five assessed dimensions, professional development emerged as the strongest area based on average scores, while scientific research demonstrated the weakest performance. Variations in demographic factors revealed that English teachers limited scientific research competence is associated with variables such as gender, educational background, and institutional level. Additionally, disparities in total TDC scores were observed based on educational background, while professional titles influenced scores in the digital resources domain. These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing educators’ digital competence. Future investigations should consider examining other intrinsic and extrinsic elements that may impact the digital competence of English teachers in higher education settings.</p>