Annual pay at Samsung, SK hynix and Korea's fabless firms in 2026. Base salaries are solid; bonuses tied to memory profits can add a large share on top in good years.
Korean offers quote an annual base. The big two pay several bonuses tied to company and division results.
Annual, paid monthly. SK hynix reported a ₩4.505M monthly starting base for bachelor's graduates.
Profit-sharing and target bonuses that can be very large in strong memory years and small in downturns.
Master's and PhD hires start higher and are often placed in a higher grade.
Housing support, meals and commuting benefits are common at large companies.
| EXPERIENCE | FABLESS / SMALLER | BIG TWO (BASE) | BIG TWO (WITH TYPICAL BONUS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New grad (BS) | ₩38–50M | ₩52–58M | ₩55–80M |
| New grad (MS) | ₩42–55M | ₩56–64M | ₩60–85M |
| 2–4 years | ₩45–60M | ₩60–72M | ₩65–100M |
| 5–8 years | ₩55–75M | ₩70–90M | ₩80–130M |
| 8–12 years | ₩65–90M | ₩85–110M | ₩100–160M |
Bonus ranges reflect normal-to-strong years. In 2025–26, record memory profits pushed bonuses at the big two well above usual levels.
Big-two annual totals including typical bonus.
| ROLE | NEW GRAD | ~5 YEARS | ~10 YEARS | WHERE THE JOBS ARE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memory circuit design | ₩58–85M | ₩85–130M | ₩105–165M | Samsung, SK hynix |
| Process / integration | ₩55–82M | ₩80–125M | ₩100–155M | Hwaseong, Icheon, Pyeongtaek |
| Packaging (HBM) | ₩55–82M | ₩82–128M | ₩102–160M | SK hynix, Samsung |
| Test / product | ₩52–78M | ₩75–118M | ₩95–145M | Fabs and design |
| SoC design / verification | ₩55–82M | ₩80–125M | ₩100–155M | Samsung System LSI, fabless |
| Analog / mixed-signal | ₩55–82M | ₩82–125M | ₩100–155M | LX Semicon, Samsung |
Fabless and smaller firms typically pay 20–40% less than the big two.
Samsung and SK hynix pay far more than most fabless firms.
Memory cycles move bonuses sharply. Look at several years, not one.
Master's and PhD hires start in higher grades.
Most jobs need Korean; international hires are mostly specialists.
Advanced-packaging skills are in short supply.
Most jobs are south of Seoul.
Base pay for a bachelor's graduate is roughly ₩52–58 million a year (SK hynix reported ₩4.505 million a month), with bonuses on top that vary a lot with company results.
They're tied to profits. Memory prices swing in cycles, so bonuses can be very large in boom years and small in downturns.
Sources and method. Financial News (SK hynix 2026 sustainability report: bachelor's starting base); company disclosures and Korean press coverage of 2025–26 bonuses; self-reported data on Glassdoor and Blind. Ranges are rounded, and they cover typical offers rather than outliers at either end. We revisit this page every quarter. If your offer is well outside a range, tell us, anonymously if you prefer, and we'll use it to improve the data.