🇰🇷 South Korea · STEM Researcher
From KRW 66M / yr (≈$46K USD) by industry
Mean salary — KRW 66M / yr (≈$46K USD).
KRW 66M / yr (≈$46K USD)
💰 Pay spread — by industry / specialty
The mean is the headline; the spread is what matters.
130,000,000 KRW
Samsung / SK Semiconductor R&D
PhD + RSU + PS
🟢 Tier 1 — KOSIS Wage Structure Basic Statistics Survey 2023
90,000,000 KRW
Govt-funded research (KIST / ETRI)
Stability + research grants
🟢 Tier 1 — KOSIS Wage Structure Basic Statistics Survey 2023
85,000,000 KRW
Pharma / Bio R&D
Celltrion / Hanmi etc.
🟢 Tier 1 — KOSIS Wage Structure Basic Statistics Survey 2023
150,000,000 KRW
AI Researcher
Naver / Kakao / startups
🟢 Tier 1 — KOSIS Wage Structure Basic Statistics Survey 2023
🗺️ The path — stage by stage
- 1. STEM Bachelor / Master / PhD (10~12 yr) — Field depth
- 2. Postdoc 0~3 yr — Common in STEM
- 3. Industry / institute / academia (— yr) — Choose track
- 4. Senior / Lead (— yr) — Org leader
🏛️ Top schools
| School | Location | Notable |
|---|---|---|
| KAIST | Daejeon | Top STEM |
| POSTECH | Pohang | Top private |
| SNU Sciences / Engineering | Gwanak-gu, Seoul | Top comprehensive university |
| GIST/UNIST/DGIST | Gwangju / Ulsan / Daegu | Specialized science institute |
🟠 Tier 3 — context only
🩺 Apprenticeship / Residency
Postdoctoral researcher (postdoc, 0~3 yr)
STEM PhDs typically do 1~3-yr postdoc.
💵 Specialties — same title, different number
| Specialty / Industry | Mean / yr | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung / SK Semiconductor R&D | 130,000,000 KRW | PhD + RSU + PS |
| Govt-funded research (KIST / ETRI) | 90,000,000 KRW | Stability + research grants |
| Pharma / Bio R&D | 85,000,000 KRW | Celltrion / Hanmi etc. |
| AI Researcher | 150,000,000 KRW | Naver / Kakao / startups |
| Postdoc (academia track) | 50,000,000 KRW | Pre-faculty appointment |
🏢 Employer types — base vs total comp
Large-corp R&D
Base + RSU + PI/PS
Govt-funded institute
Stability + tenure
Academia (postdoc / faculty)
Lower pay + autonomy
📈 Income across years
PhD / postdoc
50,000,000 KRW
0~3 yr
Senior researcher
80,000,000 KRW
5 yr
Principal researcher
110,000,000 KRW
10 yr
Lead / executive level
160,000,000 KRW
15+ yr
📚 Go deeper
Four sub-pages — gift, vision, path, history.