Median wage in Germany rises significantly to 4,217 euros in 2025

Collective bargaining agreements as the driver

The significant increase is explained in particular by wage increases following higher collective bargaining agreements, as the Federal Employment Agency explained. The collective agreements negotiated in recent years are thus having a direct impact on employees' earnings.

Differences by qualification and region

Looking at incomes by educational attainment, a continuing large gap becomes apparent: Academics earned the most, with an average of 6,146 euros. People without a vocational qualification earned an average of 3,133 euros last year, according to the data. The gap between qualification levels thus remains considerable.

There are also significant regional differences: At the top was – according to the available data – Hamburg, followed by Baden-Württemberg (4,546 euros). At the bottom of the scale is Saxony-Anhalt (3,563 euros). The spread between the highest and lowest median wage in the state comparison is thus more than 1,000 euros.

Wage gap between women and men

Another aspect of the publication concerns the earnings differences between women and men. The difference between the sexes in 2025 was still 309 euros. It thus shrank by 37 euros compared to 2024. The reason for the still existing differences, according to the Federal Employment Agency, is primarily different focus occupational fields of women and men and career breaks due to family developments, which mainly affect women and later hinder career advancement opportunities.

At the same time, the Federal Employment Agency pointed out the methodological limitations of its statistics: Only wages and salaries up to the contribution assessment ceiling for pension insurance of 8,050 euros are reported to it. Income above this – for example, for very highly paid executives – is not included in the calculation. The BA explained that it did not have the necessary data to calculate the average wage.

Methodological classification

The figures now presented are based on reports from employers to the social security institutions and are considered one of the most reliable indicators of income development in Germany. The Employment Agency evaluates the data annually and publishes it as median wages.

Overall, the new data paint a picture of a noticeable wage increase that exceeds the rate of price increases in 2025. For many employees, this means real income gains, even if differences by qualification, region, and gender persist. The Federal Employment Agency sees the higher collective bargaining agreements as the essential driver of this development.

The release was originally distributed by the news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP). (AFP)