By constructing a policy evaluation index system for returning migrant workers’ entrepreneurship policies， this paper uses policy texts at the provincial level and above from 2008 to 2022 as the data source.Based on the PMC index model and text analysis unit coding，the comprehensive effectiveness of policies and the intensity of policy tools usage are calculated.On this basis， this paper finally constructed a fixed effects model to reveal the impact mechanism of returning migrant workers’ entrepreneurship policies on the wage income level of rural residents.The results indicate that these policies can help improve the wage income level of this group by expanding their non-agricultural employment channels.However， the effects of different types of policy tools on wage income vary.Demand oriented policy tools contribute significantly to raising the wage income of rural residents， while supply oriented and environment oriented policy tools show no significant effect.In practice， supply oriented policy tools lack sufficient support in the later stages of entrepreneurship， and environment oriented policy tools exhibit inadequate risk control， leading to a relative weakening of their policy effectiveness.Accordingly，it is recommended to enhance support and risk prevention for returning migrant workers’ entrepreneurship and strengthen coordination among policy-making departments.