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This is how much employees earn in Germany

Ever wondered what employees working in Germany take home every month? These figures shed some light on average incomes.

Published: 21 November 2019 11:59 CET
This is how much employees earn in Germany
How much cash do employees in Germany pocket?

Perhaps you're thinking of getting a job in Germany and wondering what the average wages are. Or maybe you're already based in the country and you're curious to see how your salary measures up to others.

Whatever the case, look no further – here's a rundown of some interesting stats that give a flavour of what employees pocket every month.

Average income in Germany: how much do workers earn?

If you take all employees in Germany – that’s both full-time and part-time workers – the average salary according to Statista, the German online portal for statistics, is around €2,860 (as of 2017).

After all deductions, the average net salary is around €1,890 per month, said Bavarian news site Merkur.de in a recent report.

People who work full-time in the Bundesrepublik (35 to 40 hours a week is common in many companies), receive an average of €3,770 gross per month.

A Statista graph, based on data from 2016, breaks down how much people in each of Germany's 16 states pocket every year. 

READ ALSO: The Local Jobs – English-language jobs in Germany

But women and men still earn different amounts. The gender pay gap in Germany, i.e. the wage gap between men and women, is around 22 percent in favour of men. Men who work full-time earn earn about an average of €3,960 per month (gross), while women working full-time have to make do with just €3,330.

This is the unadjusted pay gap (this means that variables were not taken into account). According to the Federal Statistical Office, a large chunk of the gender pay gap can be explained by the different occupational and sector choices of men and women.

Women also often work less than men, for example in part-time or mini-jobs.

READ ALSO: In eastern Germany, the gender pay gap favours women

Here's an overview of the figures:

Average gross salary of all employees in Germany: €2,860 (per month) 

Average net salary of all employees (after tax): €1,890 (per month)

Average full-time gross salary of employees: €3,770 (per month)

Average gross full-time salary of men: €3,960 (per month)

Average gross full-time salary of women: €3,330 (per month)

Source: Statista (as of 2017)

For a more in-depth break down of salaries read our article: The best and worst paid jobs in Germany

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WORKING IN GERMANY

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Bavaria is no doubt a beautiful state with a strong economy, but can be a hard place for non-German speakers to integrate. The Local takes a look at job opportunities in Germany’s southeastern 'Free State.'

Published: 7 February 2024 10:54 CET
Updated: 10 February 2024 08:20 CET
Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions. 

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds. 

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local. 

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with. 

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