2016 Spring Internet Salary Report: Trends by Field, Position, Experience, and City

In spring 2016, the internet industry’s financing environment remained tight, and the recruitment market became more rational, with the average salary increase for candidates moving jobs dropping from 35% in spring 2015 to 27%.

This report interprets the salary situation across various fields and positions for this hiring season and compares the market to the same period last year.

Statement: Data comes from 4,801 auction records of high‑end internet professionals (annual salary above 180k) on 100offer during the first ten work weeks of 2015 and 2016. 100offer serves high‑end talent whose salaries are generally above market averages.

1. Which field offers the highest salaries this spring?

Mobile internet, e‑commerce, and internet finance remain at the top, while internet medical salaries have dropped significantly.

Popular fields constantly change, influencing job seekers’ choices.

Mobile internet is booming, attracting more candidates; internet finance and e‑commerce remain stable; O2O has cooled, leading candidates to be cautious.

Although buzzwords continue to flood the industry, the popularity of a field can shift, so job seekers should discern true future directions.

2. Which positions have the highest demand and how are they paid?

In spring 2015, the most contested talents were front‑end, iOS, and Android. Front‑end remains in short supply, while iOS and Android demand has decreased, leading to a supply‑demand imbalance; iOS interview invitations dropped from 13.9 per candidate in 2015 to 3.3 now.

This spring, Scala and algorithm engineers have become highly sought after, while Java, PHP and other back‑end roles stay consistently in demand.

Back‑end developers remain evergreen, with stable demand and salaries at high levels.

For Android and iOS, senior (3+ years) engineers are still in strong demand; 84% of iOS offers went to candidates with three or more years of experience, keeping average salaries attractive.

3. How does salary vary with experience?

Salary differences between 2‑ and 3‑year candidates are small, but a noticeable increase occurs from the 4th year onward.

Employers now favor senior talent that can deliver greater value, resulting in larger salary growth for candidates with over four years of experience compared to the 2015 average.

4. How do salaries differ across cities?

Hangzhou and Guangzhou stand out. Rising housing costs and purchase restrictions in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen push candidates to consider surrounding cities, raising local salary expectations. As cities mature, high‑paying companies increase, demanding more talent.

Hangzhou’s average salary now exceeds Shanghai’s, driven by companies like Alibaba and NetEase, as well as fast‑growing B‑ and C‑round firms attracting talent from other regions (40% of Hangzhou hires come from elsewhere). Guangzhou also shows a striking salary surge, indicating rapid industry development.

5. How does company size affect candidate choices?

Previously, medium‑scale B‑ and C‑round startups were popular, but tightening financing has shifted preferences toward larger companies to mitigate risk.

Early‑stage startup hires have decreased, while A‑round hires have risen; C‑ and D‑round hires slightly declined, with a higher proportion joining large or non‑funded companies.

Over 20 cases of candidates seeking new positions after their early‑stage startups ceased operations highlight the risk aversion toward smaller firms. Nonetheless, many still prefer the growth opportunities of fast‑moving startups, keeping A‑C round hiring ratios stable.

When choosing a company, candidates should assess the business model and the team, especially the founders.

Industry trends constantly evolve; while staying aware of hot fields and roles is important, strengthening personal capabilities remains the timeless priority.

When the talent market returns to rationality, the most valuable contributors to a company will command the highest salaries.