DeepSeek intern reportedly paid 5,500 yuan a day, sparking salary inversion rule
Word on the street is that DeepSeek offered a Tsinghua Yao Class intern a pre-tax daily salary of 5,500 yuan — which, over a typical 22-day month, comes to over 120,000 yuan. DeepSeek hasn't officially confirmed the number, but for reference, publicly listed intern roles usually pay between 500 and 1,000 yuan a day.
The sky-high pay also brings a phenomenon known as salary inversion. According to rumors, if a newcomer's salary tops that of existing team members, the candidate must first be graded by multiple senior employees. Only if they pass will the offer go through.