Nurse salary Germany .. Everything you need to know 2023
In this article, we will cover Nurse salary Germany, How much a nurse in training can earn in Germany? Nurse salary in private and government hospitals and a lot more.
The salary as a nurse and in other nursing professions is always the subject of public discussion. A nurse takes on a lot of responsibility in the care of patients and under high time pressure, work pace and workload.
Nurse salary in training
Nursing school usually lasts three years and must be done at a vocational nursing school that is approved by the state. People who want to become nurses need to have a middle-school or secondary-school diploma, as well as two years of professional experience, like working in a hospital.
Since January 1, 2020, the previous training courses in nursing for the elderly, the sick and children have been combined into one general nursing training course. In concrete terms, this means:
In the first two years, a joint training course aimed at all areas of care is completed.
In the last year, a focus is set in one of the three areas and completed with the state final examination.
Training salaries, like beginning salaries, might vary based on the institution, collective bargaining agreement, and federal state.
There are private organizations that determine trainee pay on their own.
Institutions subject to collective agreements are governed by public service rules (TVöD-P), which implies that trainee compensation is likewise governed by collective agreements.
Church organizations and institutions also have training pay, which are normally governed by collective agreements based on the standards for employees’ contracts (AVR).
More exact information on tariff levels will be provided later.
The table below provides an overview of the average gross salary per month for nurse in Germany:
| Year of training | From | Until |
| 1 year | €975 | €1,165 |
| 2 years | €1,025 | €1,225 |
| 3rd year | €1,125 | €1,325 |
It is important to note that these values are always average values, which means that the actual individual salary, especially in private institutions, can always be lower or higher.
Factors Influencing Nurse Salaries in Germany
Education and Training
Nursing education and training play a vital role in determining a nurse’s salary. Germany offers various nursing degrees, such as:
- Gesundheits- und Krankenpfleger (Registered Nurse)
- Kinderkrankenpfleger (Pediatric Nurse)
- Altenpfleger (Geriatric Nurse)
Continuing education, including specialization courses and advanced degrees, can also impact earnings, as specialized nurses often command higher salaries.
Experience
Just like any profession, experience matters in nursing. Entry-level nurses typically earn less than their experienced counterparts. As nurses progress in their careers, they can expect salary increases and promotions, reflecting their growing expertise.
Geographic Location
Geographic location can significantly impact nurse salaries. Nurses working in urban areas often earn more than their rural counterparts, and regional differences within Germany can also affect earnings.
Specialization
Nursing specialization is another critical factor in determining salary. Specialized nurses, such as those in intensive care, neonatology, or oncology, tend to earn more than general nurses. The demand for specific specialties can also play a role in salary fluctuations.
Nurse Salary Comparison: Germany vs. Other Countries
Germany’s nursing salaries are competitive compared to neighboring European countries, such as France and the United Kingdom. However, when comparing salaries with the United States, German nurses typically earn less, partly due to differences in healthcare systems and living costs.
| Country | Average Monthly Salary for Nurse (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Germany | 2,900 |
| USA | 4,600 |
| UK | 2,500 |
| Canada | 4,200 |
| France | 2,300 |
Average Nurse Salaries in Germany
National Average Salary
According to data from 2021, the national average salary for a nurse in Germany is approximately €36,000 per year. However, salaries can vary significantly based on factors discussed earlier.
Salary Ranges
- Entry-level nurse salary: Entry-level nurses can expect to earn between €28,000 and €32,000 per year.
- Experienced nurse salary: Nurses with several years of experience can earn between €40,000 and €50,000 per year, depending on their specialization and location.
Salary Breakdown by Specialization and Region
| Specialization | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Intensive Care Nurse | €40,000 – €55,000 |
| Neonatal Nurse | €38,000 – €52,000 |
| Oncology Nurse | €37,000 – €50,000 |
The table above represents average annual salaries for selected nursing specializations in Germany.
| Region | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Berlin | €38,000 – €42,000 |
| Munich | €42,000 – €47,000 |
| Hamburg | €39,000 – €44,000 |
The table above represents average annual salaries for nurses in selected German cities.
Benefits and Allowances
Apart from their base salary, nurses in Germany enjoy various benefits and allowances, such as:
- Health insurance
- Pension contributions
- Vacation time (typically 30 days per year)
Additionally, nurses may receive allowances for working shifts, overtime, and being on-call.
Nursing Shortage in Germany
Germany is currently facing a nursing shortage, which poses challenges for healthcare professionals and institutions. The shortage is due to factors such as an aging population, increased demand for healthcare services, and insufficient numbers of nursing graduates. This shortage has led to increased workloads for nurses and, in some cases, higher salaries to attract and retain talent.
Nurse Salary in Germany for Entry Level
The starting salary for a nurse in Germany varies per institution and is between EUR 2,400 and EUR 2,900 gross per month.
With increased professional experience, the income rises with time, and after ten years, a gross salary of 3,654 euros may be anticipated.
If you assume a public collective agreement, you can expect a higher starting salary than in private institutions. In the case of the TVöD-P, for example, a nurse who is just beginning her career after completing her training is usually assigned to pay group 7 in level 2.
This corresponds to a gross salary of 2,932 euros per month.
In the case of the employment contract guidelines used by church institutions, the classification also takes place in pay group 7 at level 1.
This equates to a gross monthly starting pay of EUR 3,187.
As the experience increases, so does the salary. In the case of collective agreements, for example, you will move up the salary scale with the number of years of service you have completed.
Furthermore, further education and training also play a role, which can bring in a correspondingly higher salary through a higher qualification. Surcharges for night shifts or shifts on Sundays and public holidays are additional.
Nurse Salary by Institution Type
Nurses are not just employed in clinics and hospitals. They also provide outpatient treatment, care for persons with impairments in special support facilities, and care for patients in rehabilitation institutions.
As previously said, pay vary based on the institution for which you work and whether they are governed by collective agreements or establish private compensation.
A general distinction is made between:
- Public / government bodies
- Church institutions
- Private facilities
Nurse Salary at Public/Government Institutions
The norm for public institutions is the collective agreement of the public service in the sphere of care and health (TVöD-P). P7 is the pay grade awarded to nurses. The categorization is also determined in phases based on professional experience. The compensation corresponds to level 2 at the start of your career.
As a result, the gross monthly salary for a nurse in Germany is 2,932 euros.
In the best-case scenario, a monthly income of 3,654 euros may be obtained after many years of professional experience.
The following table shows the gross salary in the respective salary groups and levels:
| Salary group | 1st stage | 2nd stage | 3rd stage | 4th stage | 5th stage | 6th stage |
| P16 | €4,490 | €4,648 | €5,156 | €5,749 | €6,010 | |
| P15 | €4,394 | €4,538 | €4,898 | €5,329 | €5,494 | |
| P14 | €4,288 | €4,428 | €4,780 | €5,257 | €5,344 | |
| P13 | €4,181 | €4,318 | €4,661 | €4,909 | €4,973 | |
| P12 | €3,969 | €4,099 | €4,424 | €4,624 | €4,717 | |
| P11 | €3,756 | €3,879 | €4,187 | €4,392 | €4,485 | |
| P10 | €3,545 | €3,660 | €3,985 | €4,142 | €4,241 | |
| P9 | €3,373 | €3,545 | €3,660 | €3,880 | €3,973 | |
| P8 | €3,108 | €3,257 | €3,448 | €3,602 | €3,818 | |
| P7 | €2,932 | €3,108 | €3,379 | €3,514 | €3,654 | |
| P6 | €2,473 | €2,634 | €2,797 | €3,142 | €3,230 | €3,392 |
| P5 | €2,376 | €2,596 | €2,661 | €2,769 | €2,851 | €3,042 |
Nurse Salary at Church Institutions
In the case of church institutions, there are collective agreements and employment contract guidelines (AVR), for example the AVR of Caritas, Diakonie and the parity welfare association.
The Diakonie is also classified in salary group EG7. At the Diakonie, the starting salary of 3,188 euros is slightly higher than at the TvöD-P. The salary in level 5 of salary group 7 is also higher at 3,763 euros.
The AVR fee table for the Diakonie (excluding Nassau, tariff area East, Bavaria and Hesse) is shown here.
| Salary group | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| First Level | €1,889 | €1,984 | |||
| Level 2 | €2,167 | €2,275 | |||
| Level 3 | €2,317 | €2,439 | €2,561 | ||
| EG 4 | €2,495 | €2,626 | €2,758 | ||
| EG 5 | €2,719 | €2,862 | €3,005 | €3,148 | |
| EG 6 | €2,823 | €2,972 | €3,120 | €3,269 | |
| EG 7 | €3,188 | €3,352 | €3,516 | €3,681 | €3,763 |
| ground floor 8 | €3,509 | €3,690 | €3,871 | €4,052 | €4,142 |
| EG 9 | €3,834 | €4,032 | €4,230 | €4,526 | |
| EG 10 | €4,358 | €4,583 | €4,808 | €5,032 | €5,145 |
| EG 11 | €4,949 | €5,204 | €5,459 | €5,714 | €5,842 |
| EG 12 | €5,214 | €5,483 | €5,752 | €6,021 | €6,155 |
| EG 13 | €5,893 | €6,196 | €6,500 | €6,804 | €6,956 |
Source: AVR Diakonie salary table, as of July 2020
Nurse Salary at Private Institutions
Private facilities, such as private clinics or nursing homes, are not subject to tariffs, hence there is no right to payment under the TVöD-P.
Salaries at private institutions are often lower than in public or religious institutions due to stronger competitive pressures and the economic context of needing to earn a profit. This ranges between 2,100 and 3,000 euros depending on the federal state. The skill of negotiating will determine how much the wage will be. Other advantages, like as business pension plans or work tickets, may sometimes make up for a modest pay.
Nurse salary Germany by state
According to the wage atlas of the Federal Employment Agency, the median (the average monthly gross wage for full-time employees) in Germany is 3,645 euros.
Apart from the type of institution, work experience and qualifications, there are also fundamental salary differences between the states. There can therefore be a difference of up to 600 euros, depending on the federal state in which you practice the profession of nurse.
Nurses in Western Germany earn more than their counterparts in Eastern Germany. The federal states of Saarland (3,894 euros) and Baden-Württemberg (3,841 euros) are at the top.
The federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Bremen, and Bavaria are also in the top third of the pay scale.
Nurses earn an average of 3,736 euros per month in North Rhine-Westphalia, 3,733 euros in Bremen, and 3,697 euros in Bavaria.
With the exception of Berlin, the median in the East is between EUR 3,245 and EUR 3,572.
Here is an overview of the average salaries per federal state, including the average of 3,645 euros in orange.
For clarification, here is the comparison between the federal states in tabular form, in descending order.
| Federal state | Gross salary |
| Saarland | €3,894 |
| Baden-Wuerttemberg | €3,841 |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | €3,736 |
| Bremen | €3,733 |
| Bavaria | €3,697 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | €3,676 |
| Hesse | €3,653 |
| Hamburg | €3,644 |
| Schleswig Holstein | €3,642 |
| Berlin | €3,590 |
| Lower Saxony | €3,572 |
| Thuringia | €3,464 |
| Saxony-Anhalt | €3,397 |
| Saxony | €3,384 |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | €3,356 |
| Brandenburg | €3,245 |
Part-time nurse salary Germany
Because nursing is a physically and intellectually demanding job, an increasing number of nurses are contemplating lowering their working hours and working part-time.
As a result, we’ve summarized in the table below how much a part-time nurse wage varies each federal state, as compared to the average values from the Federal Employment Agency’s pay atlas, which we’ve previously mentioned.
| Federal state | 50 percent part-time (20 hours) | 75 percent part-time (30 hours) |
| Saarland | €1,947 | €2,921 |
| Baden-Wuerttemberg | €1,921 | €2,881 |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | €1,868 | €2,802 |
| Bremen | €1,867 | €2,800 |
| Bavaria | €1,849 | €2,773 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | €1,838 | €2,757 |
| Hesse | €1,827 | €2,740 |
| Hamburg | €1,822 | €2,733 |
| Schleswig Holstein | €1,821 | €2,732 |
| Berlin | €1,795 | €2,693 |
| Lower Saxony | €1,786 | €2,679 |
| Thuringia | €1,732 | €2,598 |
| Saxony-Anhalt | €1,699 | €2,548 |
| Saxony | €1,692 | €2,538 |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | €1,678 | €2,517 |
| Brandenburg | €1,623 | €2,434 |
Nurse salary Germany by age and gender
Salary levels vary with age and, as a result, with professional experience.
As a result, the median for the 55+ age group is EUR 3,998 gross.
Today, there are significant wage disparities between men and women, with women earning around 10% less than males.
The table displays the median for all genders, as well as incomes by gender and age group.
| Age group | Female | Male | Median |
| < 25 years | €3,367 | €3,356 | €3,366 |
| 25 – 54 years | €3,615 | €3,844 | €3,666 |
| 55+ years | €3,924 | €4,305 | €3,998 |
| total | €3,593 | €3,855 | €3,645 |
Nurse earnings compared to other professions
Comparing the median of the various nursing professions, nurses are in the middle range with their salary.
They earn slightly more than geriatric nurses and slightly less than midwives , as the table below shows.
You can check our article about Doctors salaries in Germany.
You can also see geriatric nurse salary in Germany in the following table:
| job | gross salary |
| Assistant doctor | €6,337 |
| Specialist nurse in the operating theatre | €4,101 |
| Midwife | €3,707 |
| Nurse | €3,645 |
| Geriatric nurse | €3,174 |
| Health and Nursing Assistant | €2,755 |
| Child Care Assistant | €2,587 |
| Medical assistant | €2,496 |
References
- Deutschland. (2018). Training as a nurse in Germany: duties and salary. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/life/training-as-a-nurse-in-germany-duties-and-salary.
- KCR Consultants. (2022). Professional Nursing and Germany Nurse Salary. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://kcrconsultants.com/germany-nurse-salary/.
- U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Germany. (n.d.). Job Opportunities. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://de.usembassy.gov/jobs/.
- Diehl, E., Rieger, S., Letzel, S., Schablon, A., Nienhaus, A., Escobar Pinzon, L. C., & Dietz, P. (2021). The relationship between workload and burnout among nurses: The buffering role of personal, social and organisational resources. PLoS One, 16(1), e0245798. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245798
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