SK Employees Surpass Doctors... Semiconductor Company Bonuses Shake Up University Admissions

Take-home Pay Rivals Doctors' High Salaries
Top Students Flock to Semiconductor Departments
Stigma Against Science and Engineering Careers Fades
Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology's
Semiconductor Engineering Department Sees 89:1 Competition
Major Shift in Career Choices Among Top Talent
Hanyang University Semiconductor Engineering Department Posts 11.8:1 Ratio

The boom in artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors and the resulting "record-breaking bonuses" for semiconductor companies are now shaking up the landscape of university admissions.

As the actual take-home pay of semiconductor professionals-now rivaling the salaries of doctors, long considered the epitome of high income-has been made public, top-tier students are increasingly choosing semiconductor contract departments over medical schools. This phenomenon has been dubbed the "Semiconductor Renaissance." In particular, as perceptions of science and engineering careers-once neglected due to low pay and poor working conditions-have improved, these fields are now attracting top talent. SK Hynix is widely recognized as the leader behind this change, as compensation for key personnel in the semiconductor industry has risen to levels comparable to high-income professional fields.

According to industry sources on January 20, the total annual compensation for top-tier personnel at SK Hynix this year is estimated to be in the mid-300 million won range. Compensation is determined by combining base salary and bonuses. Entry-level salaries start in the 50 million won range, while department heads receive a base salary of around 100 million won. On top of this, performance bonuses-tied to company results-can range from 100 million to 200 million won per person in years of strong performance. In comparison, the average annual salary for doctors, representing high-income professionals, is between 350 million and 400 million won, meaning the gap between core semiconductor personnel and doctors has narrowed significantly. An industry insider commented, "As bonuses have grown, compensation is now differentiated by position and individual performance. The annual pay for top-tier personnel has reached levels comparable to high-income professionals."

Last year, SK Hynix reached a labor-management agreement to allocate 10% of its 2025 annual operating profit to the bonus pool and abolished the cap on bonuses. If this system is implemented, the scale of bonus payments could increase significantly depending on performance. Industry observers note that such changes to the bonus structure are raising the annual compensation of individual employees and rapidly narrowing the pay gap with traditional high-income professions.

Industry expectations are that Samsung Electronics' compensation levels this year will be on par with this. In its Device Solutions division, which handles the semiconductor business, employees receive bonuses based on a company policy that allocates 20% of profits exceeding the annual target to the bonus pool. Under this system, employees can receive up to 50% of their annual salary as a bonus.

As news of expanded bonuses across the semiconductor industry spreads, career choices among talented students are shifting. According to private education institutions, competition ratios for semiconductor-related departments have generally risen in the 2026 regular university admissions cycle, while the competition for medical schools-previously dominated by top students-has relatively slowed.

With industry outlook and compensation levels becoming key variables in career decisions, analysts say the admissions culture is shifting toward science and engineering fields.

According to data released by Jongro Academy on January 18, the number of applicants for 16 contract departments operated by seven major companies reached 2,478, a 38.7% increase from last year's 1,787. Among these, eight Samsung Electronics contract departments and three SK Hynix contract departments attracted a combined total of 1,610 applicants-the highest among all companies. The competition ratios are also striking. The Semiconductor Engineering Department at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, in partnership with Samsung Electronics, recorded a competition ratio of 89:1. The Semiconductor Engineering Department at Hanyang University, partnered with SK Hynix, posted a ratio of 11.8:1-the highest among 11 major universities in Seoul. An industry official commented, "There is a clear possibility that AI memory demand will continue this year, and expectations that high bonuses and salary levels will be maintained appear to be influencing students' choices."

The key question now is how long this trend will last. The industry expects semiconductor companies to further strengthen talent recruitment activities, such as expanding industry-academia cooperation and contract departments, in light of these results. At the same time, internal discussions about the sustainability of the bonus system are expected to continue. Last October, SK Hynix introduced its contract department separately at a semiconductor exhibition held at COEX in Seoul, providing information on the curriculum and career paths. Company executives have also mentioned the need to discuss the long-term direction of the bonus system at internal communication events. In August last year, SK Hynix President Kwak Nohjung stated at an internal event that the company would continue to discuss the sustainability of the bonus system to ensure that rewards are commensurate with performance.