The answer is “Doctors” earn the most money in Germany.
The medical profession in Germany has high starting salaries and doctors are well paid throughout their careers. They are the leaders in a comparison of academics’ salaries: The salary of a medical or dentistry graduate in 2016 was €79,538 gross per year – 40% higher than the average of all specialists and executives. They are top earners right from the start of their career: At the beginning of their career, physicians earn €52,036 – more than any other degree course.
They are followed by engineers and IT professionals, who have become increasingly important over the course of the coronavirus pandemic. Other important business roles, such as corporate consultants and human resource employees, round off the top five. The jobs have been ranked by median income (followed by the average income for each job in brackets).
Doctors – 78.320 euros (92.600 euros)
Engineering – 59.280 euros (64.330 euros)
IT – 56.990 euros (61.670 euros)
Corporate consulting – 56.380 euros (60.670 euros)
Human resources – 47.840 euros (54.420 euros)
Marketing & PR – 45.760 euros (52.560 euros)
Finance – 45.550 euros (52.010 euros)
Crafts and technical jobs – 44.800 euros (49.790 euros)
Sales – 42.850 euros (50.520 euros)
Health and social services – 37.780 euros (43.520 euros)
Purchasing, materials management, logistics – 37.670 euros (43.570 euros)
Sources: iamexpat, academics
