Salaries in Germany

Germany has a minimum salary, set by law at EUR 8.84 per hour worked (in 2017), which amounts to approx. EUR 1400 per month for a 40 hours work week.
This might seem much, but after taxes, social security and other compulsory deductions, you'd only get a bit over EUR 1000 paid out - and that is just sufficient for a single person (simple lifestyle assumed), NOT for a couple or family!

Average starting salaries for fresh graduates in Germany are shown in this article by a renowned newspaper (in German only):
    http://www.faz.net/aktuell/beruf-chance … 51226.html
Depending on the sector you work in, you can expect to earn between EUR 30000 and EUR 49000 per year in your first job after getting a Bachelor degree, and between EUR 33000 and EUR 54000 per year  with a Master degree.
Please note that these figures are before (considerable) deductions for tax, social security and compulsory insurances, so your actual payout will be far lower.

wow. and here I am in Puerto Rico thinking that in Germany I would make more...ufff

jctroy0619 wrote:

wow. and here I am in Puerto Rico thinking that in Germany I would make more...ufff

So what? Just because one could possibly earn more somewhere else is rarely a good reason to migrate. There are soooo many factors that come into play. For one, one might earn more but have to spend more. One has to look at cost in a country as well as wages. And then there is adapting to the country including the language, culture, making new friends and weather. And even if one can find a legal path to migrating, what makes one think they will get a good paying job there. Unless you speak the language fluently you are not likely to find a job on the same level as in your home country. It's not my purpose to discourage people from immigrating but one should look at a situation realistically. Too many people hear about Germany and think it is a utopia and getting there will mean riches and happiness. Anyone with such an attitude is bound to be frustrated and disappointed with the attempt because even if they succeed the struggle is not easy.

Tom,

I couldn't agree more!  You are right on the money when it comes to your advice.  There are so many other factors to consider before making such a bold move.  A lot of time I see young people making these decisions only on the basis of making money and not think about the real cost of living and the quality of life.

Great post!

Eric

salary in germany is quite good i think

adiads wrote:

salary in germany is quite good i think

That depends on what job you have - and what you expect. The cost of living is also higher than in most other countries - many Germans are struggling and have nothing left at the end of the month.

Hi.
Can you help me with the tax system?
How much tax would you pay if you earn around 1900 euro per month?

Tax dues depend on many factors determined by your personal situation. You can calculate your approximate pay-out after tax and compulsory deductions/insurances on http://www.brutto-netto-rechner.info/
If you are single, €1900 will give around €1300 in your pocket every month.

Okay. Do I need to buy a private insurance if I have the blue card?

Sophsoe: As a Danish citizen (according to your profile) you cannot get and don’t need a Blue Card (which is for non-EU-citizens only).
Furthermore, the Blue Card requires a minimum salary of more than what you indicated in your post above.

Which of the two German health insurance systems, public or private, you need to join depends on many factors including your salary, your profession, where you come from and how you were insured there. You should either engage an expert or just apply in the system of your choice after your arrival - they will check and either admit or reject you.

I don’t know if we are talking about the same blue card, but as a Danish citizen I can get a blue health insurance card to use in EU countries. It gives me the same rights as a German concerning all public health care.

sophsoe wrote:

I don’t know if we are talking about the same blue card, but as a Danish citizen I can get a blue health insurance card to use in EU countries. It gives me the same rights as a German concerning all public health care.

You are talking about the (EHIC) European Health Insurance Card

Yes. What are you talking about ? :-)
Isn’t this enough to have?

I'm not talking about anything, it was Beppi that made the comment. I was just confirming to what you were talking about.

There is a Blue card for Non-EU citizens which is where there was crossed wires.

Important – the European Health Insurance Card:
is not an alternative to travel insurance. It does not cover any private healthcare or costs such as a return flight to your home country or lost/stolen property,

does not cover your costs if you are travelling for the express purpose of obtaining medical treatment,

does not guarantee free services. As each country’s healthcare system is different services that cost nothing at home might not be free in another country.

Please note: when you move your habitual residence to another country, you should register with the S1 form instead of using the EHIC to receive medical care in your new country of habitual residence.

You need to create a new thread as this is about Salaries, not health insurance!

The EU "Blue Card" is a work visa for skilled non-EU citizens.
That there are other cards that happen to be blue in colour, too, creates confusion.
In any case, as far as I understand you can be covered by your home country's health insurance (with an EHIC card) for short and temporary stays (up to six months), but if you take up residence in Germany you need to join the German system.
But the rules are rather complicated, so please consult an expert!

Greetings, I have a query and need some inputs. I have been offered a project at my company HQ in Bielefeld, Germany for a year (blue card being issued by my company).
I want to understand if a netto (net) salary of 2500 EUR is sufficient to live comfortably? Please take into account that my rent/flat with furnishing etc is taken care of by the company and I need not pay for it from my net salary. Can I expect some savings from this salary, if yes then what's a close approximate if i live like a normal 34 year old guy (i am single) with occassional eating outs, entertainment, sports etc..Thank you.

ADIUV: Congratulations for this excellent offer!
2500 €/month (after taxes and deductions) plus accommodation is more than the average German family with kids has. Of course it is possible to spend it all (and still want more), but if that happens you have only yourself to blame. If you live reasonably, you will save lots.

Thank you for your feedback, @BEPPI

Thanks!
There is a "Like" button after every post for this purpose.

@BEPPI Thx....the information was very useful. I am in Dubai on work permit in IT field earning 3000 EURO a month. I am trying for 6 month job search for Germany. Give me idea that will I be able to find career on same or more per month income?

Whether you can find a job  very much depends on your educational background, work experience, niche skills and German language level. Since I don't know these, I cannot comment further.
Regarding salary, you did not specify whether you mean before or after tax and compulsory deductions, which are considerable in Germany. I suggest you do some research about salaries in your industry in Germany first and then come back with more specific questions.

Yes you are right , will do so thx .... let me be more specific...I ve bachelor degree in IT, 10 yrs experience, got average skills,will definitely do German language.And Dubai is income tax free.

A cashout of €3000/month, after all taxes and deductions, would require a pre-tax income of €5400/month (assuming you are single).
This is achievable if your specific skills are sought after (and you speak German).

I am married, I have one kid 6 yrs, how hard is schooling in terms of admission, fees, etc ? and to maintain family living status. What income should I target then? and how hard it will be to achieve?

There are no school fees for public schools and admission is automatic - but teaching is in German. Private or international schools cost around €1000/month for each kid.
Your income target should be the maximum you can get. But what you actually need depends largely on your lifestyle and spending habits, which nobody other than you can judge.
An average German family of three has approx. €2500/month. As a foreigner you will need more.

@ Beppi you are right....
and plz tell me abt medical expenses also.
one more important thing. once I get permanent work and contract ready. when and how to bring family in Germany. what will be the standard procedure?

It is compulsory to enrol in a German health insurance - and that then pays all necessary medical expenses (except small co-payments in some cases). The cost of the public health insurance is already included in the before/after tax calculation above.
To bring your dependants, you need to apply for a family reunion visa at the German embassy.

Hi!

I was recently approached by an engineering and consulting company that operates in some EU countries, one of them being Germany. After some talk, we discussed salary numbers. They said to me that I would receive a swiss contract but I would be working in Germany. I would be receiving 53000 CHF annual gross.

We are talking about an entry level engineering position in Germany. Converting those CHF to EUR gives 45000€ . After taxes, they were telling me that it would be about 2200~2300€ net monthly.  I tried using online calculators and the net annual value would be something along 27500€ , which would result in similar monthly values.

If true, are these values considered ok for an entry level engineering position in Germany? I don't really know the city where I would eventually work, since the company has many offices in the country.

Thanks

Zomito: Congratulations, this is a very good income for a fresh graduate (at least by German standards, I don‘t know about Swiss, where salaries are higher).

Hi beppi,

Yes, I didn't understand the need for a swiss salary... They just told me that the contract would be swiss. Do you recommend any website pertaining the calculation of the wages after tax? I assume you agree with my calculations?

I did not verify your tax calculations - and can‘t unless you tell me a lot of details of your personal situation, which the tax due depends on.
You better do that yourself using one of the online calculators, which you can find with Google. The one I usually use was linked to in my forum posts.

Hey Bippi,

I am a mechanical engineer from Turkey. I am actually a Structural Test Engineer. I have 4 years experience in test area. I will made an interview with a start-up company in Munih. How much salary should i demand from recruiter? Do you have any suggestion?

First, you should learn to pay attention to spelling errors. This might seem picky, but German employers do notice (and dislike) if you write their city wrongly (and personal names as well).
As for the salary, you can consult online comparison tables to figure out your market value. Whether you will get that, however, is uncertain - especially if you are from outside the EU and your German is not fluent.

Hey Bippi,
In my opinion, it is very normal to make a spelling error at the first time. A person should be very kind in such a situaton and he/she may tell the correct spelling kindly. it is easy to dislike or getting angry for such moments. We do not have to live with their personal rules, We should live with tolerances.
Best Regards

Sorry, but that is not how the German job market worls: one spelling error or other sign that you didn’t put 100% effort and dedication into your applicatio and you are out.
My comment was not meant as criticism, but serious advice. Germans really dislike sloppyness!

I am quite surprised at the average salary for electricians. Certainly more than in the UK.

Has anyone any exerience of certification for trades people in Germany? Do they recognise foreign certificates?

You should check with the apropriate trade body (in this case probably the Elektriker-Innung or similar) about recognition of your certificates.
Usually electricians need a three year apprenticeship to be allowed.