Based on the intrinsic characteristics of the development of vocational education in China, a comprehensive evaluation index system was established to measure the development level of majors in vocational colleges. Using panel data from the prefecture-level cities in Guangdong Province during the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" period, the study relied on the entropy method model to investigate the dynamic trends, development index rankings, and variations in the development of majors in vocational colleges in the prefecture-level cities of Guangdong Province. The study also employed K-means clustering and variance decomposition methods to conduct a structural analysis of the spatial patterns and development of these majors.The findings indicate that the development level of majors in vocational colleges in Guangdong Province showed an overall improvement from 2016 to 2020. The overall distribution features a "high concentration in the central region," revealing an imbalance where the development level of majors in vocational colleges is higher in the Pearl River Delta region and lower in non-Pearl River Delta regions. The developmental differences in the scale elements of major settings constitute the main structural source of overall differences in the development of majors in vocational colleges in Guangdong Province.In light of these findings and against the backdrop of the newly revised "People's Republic of China Vocational Education Law," targeted implementation strategies are proposed to promote the high-quality development of major settings in vocational colleges in Guangdong Province. These strategies include seizing important development opportunities presented by the new Vocational Education Law, enhancing the adaptability of major settings, promoting the aggregation of resources to accelerate the integration of industry and education, encouraging interdisciplinary cross-fertilization, and optimizing the mechanisms ensuring the development of vocational education.