Türkiye
+70%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Graduate jobs and salaries in Germany
Updated Data years: 2022, 2024, 2025 How we use data
Quick answer
In Germany, employees with tertiary education earned a median of €5,358 a month in 2022 (PPP$ 7,449) — +42% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 2.9%, against 3.4% for all adults aged 25 and over (2025).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO) · OECD
- +42%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2022)
- €5,358median monthly pay with tertiary education (2022)
- 2.9%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 3.4%, 2025)
- 5.8%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2025)
Do graduates earn more in Germany?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic education | €2,255 | 3,135 | -40% |
| Intermediate education | €3,434 | 4,774 | -9% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | €5,358 | 7,449 | +42% |
| All levels | €3,774 | 5,248 | — |
The degree premium ranks 74 of 128 countries with data. That is above the Europe and Central Asia median of +25%.
Earnings over time (PPP$ a month)
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
PPP$ values are in current international dollars, so part of the rise reflects inflation.
Earnings compared with upper secondary education (OECD)
The OECD compares the earnings of adults aged 25–64 with each level of education to those who finished upper secondary school (= 100). Latest year: 2024.
| Education level | Index (upper secondary = 100) |
|---|---|
| Short-cycle tertiary | 117 |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | 148 |
| Master's, doctoral or equivalent | 175 |
| All tertiary | 153 |
| Below upper secondary | 80 |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Full-time, full-year earners.
Which occupations pay the most in Germany?
Median monthly earnings by occupation group in 2022, from highest to lowest. Examples link to our career profiles.
| Occupation group | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers Construction manager, Marketing manager, Project manager, Supply chain manager | €6,834 | 9,501 | +81% |
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | €5,315 | 7,389 | +41% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | €4,063 | 5,649 | +8% |
| Craft and related trades workers | €3,688 | 5,127 | -2% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | €3,561 | 4,951 | -6% |
| Clerical support workers | €3,432 | 4,771 | -9% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | €2,810 | 3,907 | -26% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | €2,380 | 3,309 | -37% |
| Elementary occupations | €2,084 | 2,897 | -45% |
| All occupations | €3,774 | 5,248 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Germany?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic education | 7.7% | 11.2% |
| Intermediate education | 2.9% | 4.6% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 2.9% | 5.8% |
| All levels | 3.4% | 7.1% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 37 lowest of 130 countries with data. The Europe and Central Asia median is 3.6%.
Unemployment over time, adults 25+
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
Graduate employment by field of study in Germany
Employment rate of adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education, by field of study (OECD, 2024).
| Field of study | Employment rate |
|---|---|
| Information and communication technologies Computer science | 91.4% |
| Engineering, manufacturing and construction Aerospace engineering, Architecture, Chemical engineering, Civil engineering | 90.2% |
| Medicine and dentistry Dentistry, Medicine | 89.5% |
| Business, administration and law Accounting and finance, Business management, Law, Marketing | 89.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary Agriculture, Veterinary science | 89.3% |
| Health and welfare Biomedical science, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing | 88.8% |
| Education Education | 88.4% |
| Business and administration Accounting and finance, Business management, Marketing | 88.3% |
| Law Law | 87.8% |
| Services Hospitality and tourism, Sports science | 87.2% |
| Humanities (except languages) History, Philosophy | 87.1% |
| Nursing and associate health fields Biomedical science, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy | 86.8% |
| Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics Biology, Chemistry, Data science, Environmental science | 86.1% |
| Arts Design, Music | 85.6% |
| Social sciences, journalism and information Criminology, Economics, Geography, International relations | 85.1% |
| Arts and humanities Design, English literature, History, Modern languages | 84.9% |
| Generic programmes and qualifications | 84.4% |
| All fields | 88.7% |
Studying and working in Germany
Rules on student visas, work after graduation and recognition of qualifications change often. Use the official sources below and check the date on any advice you read.
- Official study portal
- Student visa and residence information
- Public job portal
- Recognition of foreign qualifications
Germany is in the European Union: EU citizens can study and work there without a visa. EURES lists jobs across Europe and the ENIC-NARIC network advises on qualification recognition. EURES · ENIC-NARIC
Guide: how to choose a country to study in · Guide: getting your degree recognised abroad
Country context
- Population
- 83.5M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $75,407 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 76.7% (2024)
Questions about graduate jobs in Germany
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Germany?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Germany with tertiary education earned a median of €5,358 a month in 2022, compared with €3,774 for all employees — +42%. The degree premium ranks 74 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Germany?
In 2025, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Germany was 2.9%, compared with 3.4% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 5.8%.
Which jobs pay the most in Germany?
The best-paid occupation group in Germany in 2022 was “Managers”, with median monthly earnings of €6,834 (PPP$ 9,501). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of €5,315.
Where can I find official information about studying in Germany?
Start with the official study portal and immigration pages linked on this page. They set out entry requirements, student visas and any rights to work after graduating, which change more often than most guides are updated.
Compare with other countries in Europe and Central Asia
-
-
United Kingdom
+20%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
France
+25%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Italy
+21%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Spain
+29%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Poland
+19%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — HIES - EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, 2022
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — HIES - EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, 2022
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - EU Labour Force Survey, 2025
- OECD — Education at a Glance, labour-market outcomes — Relative earnings and employment by field of study
- World Bank — World Development Indicators — Population, GDP per person (PPP) and tertiary enrolment
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). Germany: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/germany/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
Notes from the data source
- Age coverage - minimum age: 16 years old
- Repository: Eurostat special tabulation