German wages rise 5.1% in 2025, median pay shows strong regional and sector gaps

The Federal Employment Agency reported that the median gross monthly salary of full‑time employees subject to social insurance reached €4,217 in 2025, a 5.1% increase over 2024. The rise continues a multi‑year trend, with the median climbing from €4,013 in 2024 to €3,796 in 2023 and €3,646 in 2022.

Pay levels differ sharply across the country: Hamburg tops the list at €4,768, while Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern is at €3,497, a gap of more than €1,200. Earnings also vary by qualification – workers without a vocational certificate earn a median €3,133, those with a recognized certificate €4,069, and academics €6,146. Age influences pay as well, with workers under 25 earning €3,202 compared with €4,362 for those aged 55 and older.

In the insurance and banking sectors, median wages are higher than the overall economy, although their annual growth was slightly below the national average and the gender‑pay gap is larger. The data underline persistent disparities despite overall wage growth.