Academic salaries in Germany
How much do academics earn?
The salaries of academics in Germany are dictated by collective agreements. © Lacheev / iStock.com
The tariff structure for academic salaries is extremely transparent in Germany – a refreshing approach given the many different payment models in academia. Here, we provide an overview of the scales commonly seen in Germany.
Published: 2024-01-31
By: Anke Wilde
TV-L or TVoeD for employees (postdocs)
Postdocs are generally employed as research assistants. Their salaries are therefore subject to the applicable employee rate.
- At universities managed by state governments, this is the collective agreement for the civil service of the federal states (TVL).
- Federal and non-university research institutions are subject to the collective agreement for the civil service (TVöD).
Postdocs are usually grouped into the lowest earning level for academics (E13), although some positions with greater responsibility can be grouped into the E14 level. In very rare cases, E15 is also possible.
The basic monthly salary for postdocs at universities in pay grade E13, experience level three, is around €5,000 gross per month in 2024, according to the TV-L.
Civil service employment positions are also available at universities. Non-professorial teaching staff („akademischer Mittelbau“) positions are usually, if at all, filled by academics councilors, albeit generally for a limited period of time. These civil servant positions are paid according to A13, with salaries comparable to that of the E13 grade and run from between €5,000 to €6,400 gross per month from march 2024 on, depending on experience level.
W salary for professors
The majority of civil servants in academia are professors, and they are paid according to the W pay scale. Junior professors are paid according to the W1 level, professors at universities of applied sciences generally receive W2 salaries, and university professors receive either W2 or W3 salaries. Depending on the federal state in which they are employed, W3 professors can earn a basic monthly salary of up to €8,000 gross (plus bonuses). More information on professor salaries can be found in the article “Professor salaries – what does a professor earn in Germany?”
Teaching assignments are freelance
Teaching assignments, by contrast, are performed on a freelance basis. While some teaching assignments are unpaid, those that are compensated are paid at a level agreed to in advance in accordance with the teaching assignment remuneration regulations (Lehrauftragsvergütungsverordnungen). Teachers are paid per lesson according to an hourly rate set by the university, which can run from €15 to €50, but is usually set at between €20 and €30.
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