Wages of full-time employees increased significantly in 2023

• The median wage increased to 3,796 euros per month in 2023
• The gender pay gap is €367, which is almost the same level as in the previous year
• Highest wages in Hamburg, lowest in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

22 Jul 2024 | Press release no.32

In 2023, the median wage of all full-time employees subject to social security contributions was 3,796 euros per month. Compared to 2022, wages and salaries thus rose by 150 euros, or 4.1%. This marked increase can be explained, in particular, by increases in wages as a result of higher collective wage agreements.

Remuneration by gender

While the median wage earned by men was just over 3,930 euros, women earned just over 3,563 euros. The difference was rounded to 367 euros and thus increased by two euros compared with 2022. In 2019, the difference between men’s and women’s wages and salaries was 443 euros, however.

Highest wages in Hamburg, lowest in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

The highest median wages are earned by full-time employees in Hamburg at 4,304 euros, Baden-Wuerttemberg at 4,134 euros and Hesse at 4,087 euros. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (3,098 euros), Thuringia (3,109 euros) and Saxony-Anhalt (3,152 euros) had the lowest wages in the federal states.

Academics among the top earners

How much people earned depended heavily on their qualifications. While people without a vocational qualification earned 2,831 euros, workers with recognised vocational qualifications earned 3,658 euros. Academics earned a median of 5,688 euros.

Age affects pay

As people get older, their pay increases. Workers aged under 25 earned 2,897 euros, while those aged 25 to 55 earned 3,860 euros. Employees aged 55 and over earned 3,954 euros.

Pay atlas with results by profession

The pay atlas of the BA (available in German) has also been updated. The wages for all occupations can be accessed there.

Wichtig:Methodological notes
The BA’s statistics show median pay and not “average salaries” in the strict sense. In addition, only full-time employees are taken into account. The data is based on employers’ notifications of social security. Since wages and salaries are reported only up to the contribution assessment ceiling for pension insurance, which was 7,300 euros in western Germany and 7,100 euros in eastern Germany last year, it is not known how high actual wages were for all employed persons. The BA’s statistics therefore only show median pay, i.e. half of all employees earn less than this median pay, while the other half earn more. The BA always compiles the wages for all full-time employees on the cut-off date of 31st December.