A True Portrait of Programmers: Age Anxiety Slightly Eased, Monthly Salary of 8k-17k Accounts for the Highest Proportion, 60% Hope for Promotion to Management Positions
Research and development positions increasingly value individual technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and innovative thinking, which is reflected in the report.
According to the survey report, regarding the "youth-oriented" and "age" issues that developers are concerned about, the overall situation has improved. This year, practitioners under 30 years old are still the main force, accounting for 72%. The proportion of practitioners over 30 years old is almost the same as last year, but compared to previous years, especially for developers over 40 years old, there has been a significant increase.
Overall, the software industry covers nearly half of the developers in China, with backend development accounting for the highest proportion.
However, compared to 2023, the number of developers in first-tier cities has decreased compared to previous years. Last year, 41% of practitioners under 30 were in first-tier cities, while this year it's only 31%.
In terms of career development plans for developers, 44% of respondents said they would continue to work in technical positions until retirement. Under this trend, it can be estimated that the proportion of developers over 30 years old will also increase in the future.
As their age increases, skill levels improve, and horizons broaden, 58% of developers have the desire to become managers, of course, this position can provide higher salaries and better career development opportunities. 43% of respondents said they are willing to make efforts for this and plan to become managers in the next 3-5 years.
Nearly 60% of developers haven't changed jobs in the past year, with the highest proportion earning monthly salaries of 8k-17k
Over the past year, the global tech industry has experienced a wave of "layoffs," with many major tech companies such as Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, eBay, and others announcing large-scale layoffs. According to data from Layoffs.fyi, about 32,000 people in the tech industry lost their jobs from the beginning of 2024 to February. This has raised awareness among many people, who have chosen relative stability between work and resignation or job-hopping.
Data shows that 58% of developers have not changed jobs in the past year. The proportion of people who have changed jobs once or more is 38%.
Regarding the reasons for changing jobs, 60% of respondents said it was mainly due to dissatisfaction with salary and benefits. Secondly, limited personal development and complex interpersonal relationships in companies are also important factors influencing developers' job changes, accounting for 51% and 21% respectively.
Regarding the issue of dissatisfaction with salary and benefits, 41% of developers revealed that their wages have not changed at all in the past year, and 10% of developers experienced negative growth. 49% of developers said their wages have increased over the past year, compared to 51% in 2023 and 62% in 2022.
Data shows that the salary levels of most developers are concentrated between 8001-17000 yuan, accounting for 36%. The proportion of developers with salary levels below 5000 yuan and between 5001-8000 yuan is 15% and 15% respectively, which is basically the same as last year.
Notably, the proportion of developers with monthly incomes higher than 17000 yuan has risen from 27.7% last year to 34%. Analyzing the reasons behind this, the AI industry, which has higher skill requirements for positions, has to some extent driven the increase in developers' income.
In addition, factors affecting salaries include not only the overall economic environment and industry, but also the city where developers are located, education level, and length of work experience, which can all lead to fluctuations in salaries.
More high-income groups in first-tier cities
The survey shows that Beijing and Guangdong are areas where developers are more concentrated, accounting for 27% of the national total. The number of developers in Jiangsu and Shanghai regions is in the second tier, accounting for 14% of the national total. Compared to last year, the distribution of developers in these regions has declined.
Among developers with monthly salaries higher than 17,000 yuan, those working in Beijing account for 20%, which has decreased compared to last year but still far exceeds other regions.
The proportion of developers with monthly salaries higher than 17,000 yuan in Guangdong, Hebei, and Jiangsu regions is 10%, 9%, and 9% respectively.
Nearly 60% of masters and doctoral degree holders earn over 17,000 yuan
Education level is also an important factor affecting salary levels. From the data, among developers with higher education levels, the proportion of high-income groups is relatively higher. Among developers with master's and doctoral degrees, more than 50% have salaries reaching 17,000 yuan or above.