Teacher Salary in Germany 2026: Average Gross and Net Salaries, Trends
Teacher salaries in Germany in 2026 and how they have changed over the years: how much teachers earn, gross and net income levels, differences between men and women, by work experience and qualifications. What is the minimum, average, median, and maximum salary for teachers, lecturers, educators, trainers, and childcare workers in Germany?
Teaching as a Profession in Germany (Lehrende und ausbildende Berufe, Lehrtätigkeit)
The teaching profession in Germany is considered a skilled and socially important job that involves both teaching and helping students develop. This group includes school teachers (Lehrtätigkeit an allgemeinbildenden Schulen), teachers at vocational colleges, university lecturers, and specialists in further and extracurricular education.
Teachers are needed in many parts of Germany, especially for certain subjects and in schools where there aren’t enough staff. This area also includes vocational trainers, instructors, and professionals who work in adult education and additional learning programmes.
Overall, teaching jobs are seen as stable and respected, with a clear career path. How much you earn depends on the type of institution (school, university, courses), your employment status (civil servant or employee), and your experience.
If you are a foreigner who wants to work as a teacher in Germany, it is important to know that you usually need your qualifications to be recognised and to meet German education standards. You also need a high level of German language skills, as the job is closely linked to teaching and communicating with others.
Teacher Salary in Germany: median and average
The following table presents official data from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany on employee earnings by occupational groups 1, providing an overview of the salary level of teacher. The data is based on the latest available statistics and also includes an estimate for April 2026, calculated taking into account changes in the nominal wage index.
- Average salary
- Median salary
Average monthly gross salary by occupational groups 2
| Occupational group | April 2025 | April 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Metal Production Metallerzeugung | 4,163.00 | 4,337.85 |
| Metal Processing Metallbearbeitung | 3,793.00 | 3,952.31 |
| Metal Surface Treatment Metalloberflächenbehandlung | 3,816.00 | 3,976.27 |
| Precision Engineering and Tool Technology Feinwerk- und Werkzeugtechnik | 4,238.00 | 4,416.00 |
| Teaching and Training Professions Lehrende und ausbildende Berufe | 5,778.00 | 6,020.68 |
| Teaching at General Education Schools Lehrtätigkeit an allgemeinbildenden Schulen | 5,410.00 | 5,637.22 |
| Teaching Professional Subjects, Vocational Training, Corporate Pedagogy Lehrtät. berufsbild.Fächer,betr.Ausb.,Betriebspäd. | 5,066.00 | 5,278.77 |
| Teaching and Research at Universities Lehr- und Forschungstätigkeit an Hochschulen | 6,620.00 | 6,898.04 |
| Teaching at Extracurricular Educational Institutions Lehrtätigkeit an außerschul. Bildungseinrichtungen | 4,766.00 | 4,966.17 |
| Driving, Sports Instruction at Extracurricular Educational Institutions Fahr-, Sportunterricht an außerschul.Bildungseinr. | 4,171.00 | 4,346.18 |
Median monthly gross salary by occupational groups 2
| Occupational group | April 2025 | April 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Metal Production Metallerzeugung | 4,086.00 | 4,257.61 |
| Metal Processing Metallbearbeitung | 3,644.00 | 3,797.05 |
| Metal Surface Treatment Metalloberflächenbehandlung | 3,578.00 | 3,728.28 |
| Precision Engineering and Tool Technology Feinwerk- und Werkzeugtechnik | 4,056.00 | 4,226.35 |
| Teaching and Training Professions Lehrende und ausbildende Berufe | 5,354.00 | 5,578.87 |
| Teaching at General Education Schools Lehrtätigkeit an allgemeinbildenden Schulen | 5,337.00 | 5,561.15 |
| Teaching Professional Subjects, Vocational Training, Corporate Pedagogy Lehrtät. berufsbild.Fächer,betr.Ausb.,Betriebspäd. | 4,780.00 | 4,980.76 |
| Teaching and Research at Universities Lehr- und Forschungstätigkeit an Hochschulen | 6,142.00 | 6,399.96 |
| Teaching at Extracurricular Educational Institutions Lehrtätigkeit an außerschul. Bildungseinrichtungen | 4,315.00 | 4,496.23 |
| Driving, Sports Instruction at Extracurricular Educational Institutions Fahr-, Sportunterricht an außerschul.Bildungseinr. | 3,780.00 | 3,938.76 |
Salary Levels by Qualification and Specialisation
The following table shows official data from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany about the earnings of workers by job category, qualification, and specialisation. This gives an idea of the salary level for teacher. The data is based on the latest available statistics, taking into account changes in the nominal wage index as of April 2026.
- Average salary
- Median salary
Average monthly gross salary by occupational categories and qualification as of April 2026 2
| Occupational category | Helfer | Fachkraft | Spezialist | Experte | Aufsicht |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal Production | |||||
| Metallerzeugung (oS) | 3,611.57 | - | - | - | - |
| Hüttentechnik | - | 4,792.16 | 6,353.07 | 8,473.54 | - |
| Metallumformung | - | 4,249.28 | - | 7,032.46 | - |
| Industrielle Gießerei | - | 4,130.49 | 6,386.42 | 8,696.53 | - |
| Handwerkliche Metall-, Glockengießerei | - | 3,680.34 | - | - | - |
| Metallerzeugung | - | - | - | - | 6,697.98 |
| Metal Processing | |||||
| Metallbearbeitung (oS) | 3,417.76 | 4,223.23 | 5,093.30 | - | - |
| Spanlose Metallbearbeitung | - | 3,768.91 | - | - | - |
| Schleifende Metallbearbeitung | - | 3,993.99 | - | - | - |
| Spanende Metallbearbeitung | - | 4,215.93 | 4,667.12 | - | - |
| Metallbearbeitung Laserstrahl | - | - | 3,799.13 | 6,286.39 | - |
| Metallbearbeitung | - | - | - | - | 6,030.05 |
| Metal Surface Treatment | |||||
| Metalloberflächenbehandlung (oS) | 3,486.53 | 4,064.84 | 6,527.09 | 6,259.29 | - |
| Metalloberflächenbehandlung (ssT) | - | 4,247.19 | - | - | - |
| Metalloberflächenbehandlung | - | - | - | - | 6,268.67 |
| Precision Engineering and Tool Technology | |||||
| Feinwerktechnik | 3,396.92 | 4,363.90 | - | 7,131.45 | - |
| Werkzeugtechnik | - | 4,354.52 | 5,077.67 | 6,436.43 | - |
| Uhrmacherhandwerk | - | 3,841.85 | - | - | - |
| Feinwerk- und Werkzeugtechnik | - | - | - | - | 5,934.19 |
Median monthly gross salary by occupational categories and qualification as of April 2026 2
| Occupational category | Helfer | Fachkraft | Spezialist | Experte | Aufsicht |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal Production | |||||
| Metallerzeugung (oS) | 3,410.47 | - | - | - | - |
| Hüttentechnik | - | 4,699.42 | 6,327.02 | 8,207.83 | - |
| Metallumformung | - | 4,265.95 | - | 6,851.15 | - |
| Industrielle Gießerei | - | 3,992.94 | 6,158.22 | 7,743.10 | - |
| Handwerkliche Metall-, Glockengießerei | - | 3,708.48 | - | - | - |
| Metallerzeugung | - | - | - | - | 6,607.32 |
| Metal Processing | |||||
| Metallbearbeitung (oS) | 3,268.75 | 4,121.11 | 4,955.75 | - | - |
| Spanlose Metallbearbeitung | - | 3,641.79 | - | - | - |
| Schleifende Metallbearbeitung | - | 3,873.11 | - | - | - |
| Spanende Metallbearbeitung | - | 4,087.77 | 4,487.89 | - | - |
| Metallbearbeitung Laserstrahl | - | - | 3,704.31 | 5,678.90 | - |
| Metallbearbeitung | - | - | - | - | 5,875.84 |
| Metal Surface Treatment | |||||
| Metalloberflächenbehandlung (oS) | 3,331.27 | 3,889.79 | 6,112.37 | 5,687.24 | - |
| Metalloberflächenbehandlung (ssT) | - | 4,114.86 | - | - | - |
| Metalloberflächenbehandlung | - | - | - | - | 6,258.25 |
| Precision Engineering and Tool Technology | |||||
| Feinwerktechnik | 3,128.08 | 4,168.00 | - | 6,705.27 | - |
| Werkzeugtechnik | - | 4,233.65 | 4,915.11 | 6,178.02 | - |
| Uhrmacherhandwerk | - | 3,751.20 | - | - | - |
| Feinwerk- und Werkzeugtechnik | - | - | - | - | 5,608.04 |
The tables above use the classification of qualification levels from official German statistics for analysing employment and wages. By clicking on a qualification level in the list below, you can see its definition:
Helfer, Fachkraft, Spezialist, Experte, Aufsicht, Führung.
As you can see from the table, salary levels can vary a lot depending on your qualification and specialisation. For example, an Experte specialist earns on average 3,681 euros more than a Fachkraft specialist in the field of Hüttentechnik. There are also differences between areas of work and if employees take on extra responsibilities such as management or supervision.
Gross and Net Salary
Salaries for teacher in Germany are usually given as gross, which means before taxes and social security contributions are taken off. However, the actual amount you receive is your net salary, which is lower because taxes and social insurance payments are deducted.
On average, about 20 to 35 % is taken from your gross salary in Germany. The exact amount depends on your tax class, family status, whether you have children, the federal state you live in, and your health insurance.
If the average salary for the profession group Metal Production is 4,163.00 euros gross per month, then the actual take-home pay is usually between 2,700 and 3,300 euros net per month.
It’s important to know that Germany has a progressive tax system: the higher your income, the higher your tax rate. This means that when your gross salary increases, your net income grows more slowly. So the difference in net salary between employees is usually smaller than it looks if you only compare gross salaries.
Salaries of Men and Women
The salary level for teacher in this profession group in Germany can be different for men and women. According to official statistics, men earn more on average than women, but the difference depends on the job, qualification level, work experience, responsibilities, and type of employment.
Average Monthly Gross Salary of Men and Women by Profession Group as of April 2026 2
| Profession Group | Women’s Salary | Men’s Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Metal Production Metallerzeugung | 3,206.23 | 4,397.24 |
| Metal Processing Metallbearbeitung | 3,161.43 | 4,044.00 |
| Metal Surface Treatment Metalloberflächenbehandlung | 3,463.61 | 4,010.66 |
| Precision Engineering and Tool Technology Feinwerk- und Werkzeugtechnik | 3,711.60 | 4,462.89 |
| Teaching and Training Professions Lehrende und ausbildende Berufe | 5,745.59 | 6,185.31 |
| Teaching at General Education Schools Lehrtätigkeit an allgemeinbildenden Schulen | 5,476.75 | 5,851.87 |
| Teaching Professional Subjects, Vocational Training, Corporate Pedagogy Lehrtät. berufsbild.Fächer,betr.Ausb.,Betriebspäd. | 5,285.02 | 5,275.65 |
| Teaching and Research at Universities Lehr- und Forschungstätigkeit an Hochschulen | 6,532.30 | 7,099.15 |
| Teaching at Extracurricular Educational Institutions Lehrtätigkeit an außerschul. Bildungseinrichtungen | 4,588.97 | 5,351.71 |
| Driving, Sports Instruction at Extracurricular Educational Institutions Fahr-, Sportunterricht an außerschul.Bildungseinr. | 3,747.03 | 4,496.23 |
Based on the data in the table, on average the pay gap between men and women is about 13.2 % 3. This means that women usually earn less than men, but the real difference can vary a lot depending on the job and working conditions.
Sources of Information and Data Explanations
- The average and median gross salaries are published by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis). These numbers show the average gross salary without extra payments (such as bonuses or holiday pay) for full-time workers by profession group.
- The salary calculation as of April 2026 is done as follows: the latest official Destatis salary for April 2025 is multiplied by the annual nominal wage index (for 2025 it changed by +4.2 % per year), taking into account how many months have passed.
- The difference between men’s and women’s salaries is calculated as a percentage of men’s salaries in each profession group. Then an average is worked out for all groups to give an approximate figure for income differences.
Author team finanz-handbuch.de
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