• Guide to positions
  • Study in Germany
  • PhD in Germany
  • Postdoc in Germany
  • Professor in Germany
  • HAW Professorship in Germany
  • Thematic guide
  • Working in Germany
  • Working in Austria
  • Working in Switzerland
  • Higher education in Germany
  • Job profiles
  • Service range
  • Events
  • Employers
  • Graduate schools
  • Guide overview
Extended job search
Study in Germany PhD in Germany Postdoc in Germany Professor in Germany HAW Professorship in Germany
Working in Germany Working in Austria Working in Switzerland Higher education in Germany Job profiles
Events Employers Graduate schools Guide overview
Log in Bookmarks For employers
academics - Logo
From
Die ZEIT - Logo
Forschung & Lehre - Logo
Career advice My academics Log in Bookmarks (0) Bookmarks For employers

Salaries in the natural sciences Germany
Salaries in the natural sciences

Grades and a doctorate are not the only things that matter when it comes to starting salaries in research and development. Graduates of biology, chemistry or physics are in great demand on the labour market. Starting salaries are accordingly high.

What do natural scientist earn in Germany? © hasselblad15 / photocase.de
Contents

The first thing that counts is your degree: a university Diplom (approximately equivalent to a master's) in a scientific subject attracts a starting salary of approximately 48,000 euros, a master's degree 47,200 euros and a Diplom from a university of applied sciences 45,950 euros. At 42,400 euros, a bachelor's degree attracts a little less. A doctorate in natural sciences costs time and energy, but will bring in a few thousand extra euros a year, namely around 55,300 euros. 

The degree subject itself also affects salary level: the highest starting salaries are commanded by graduates of subjects relating to pharmaceuticals, followed by engineers, mathematicians, medical engineers, physicists, chemists and biologists. Computer scientists bring up the rear. Those for whom a high salary is important should seek employment in industry. Above-average starting salaries for natural scientists are paid in the precision engineering/optics, automotive and chemical industries. Research institutions on the other hand pay significantly less. 

Those who take up management responsibilities can increase their salaries further. Research takes place both at universities and at publicly funded non-university research institutions; the lion's share of research projects, however, is conducted in industry. In general, salaries at universities and research institutions are on average 30% lower than those in industry. 

Where are salaries highest, where are they lowest? Where are particularly attractive salaries on offer? And how can academics improve their salary prospects? The current salary comparison conducted by PersonalMarkt based on an evaluation of 15,857 datasets highlights the following factors as decisive for a good salary. 


The better the training, the better the salary

Different degrees already attract significantly different salaries, according to PersonalMarkt. A doctorate not only increases an applicant's chances on the labour market, it also guarantees significantly better salary prospects. While a bachelor's degree in the natural sciences is rewarded with on average 42,000 euros a year, a master's degree attracts on average 47,200 euros a year, a university Diplom almost 48,000 euros a year, and a Diplom from a university of applied sciences 46,000 euros a year. Researchers and developers with a doctorate see an additional jump in salary: natural scientists holding a doctorate can expect on average 55,266 euros a year; a quarter of natural scientists with a doctorate even earn over 63,200 euros a year. 

Discipline determines salary level

The field you study is decisive for the salary graduates can expect. Natural scientists in the fields of pharmacy and engineering are especially well paid, on average 47,700 euros a year and 46,600 euros a year respectively. Medicine and medical engineering also offer attractive starting salaries of on average 46,000 euros a year. Salaries in the chemical industry have the broadest spread - here, a quarter of career entrants earn 58,000 euros a year, while the average starting salary is just under 45,000 euros a year. 

Don't miss out on any new jobs

With our Job-Mail, you will receive suitable job ads as well as interesting content matching your search profile on a weekly basis.

Please enter an email address in a valid format.
You can stop your Job-Mail subscription at any time, e.g. by sending an email to info@academics.com. We also use your email address to send you advertisements for similar offers from the ZEIT publishing group. You can withdraw your consent to this use at any time. By registering, you declare your agreement with our terms & conditions and take note of our privacy policy.
Authors
Heike Friedrichsen
Source
academics - March 2013

Share
Current job vacancies from the fields of science and research
  • University Professor of Human Computer Interaction (m/f/d)

    2023-09-15 Technische Universität Graz Graz (Österreich)
    University Professor of Human Computer Interaction (m/f/d) - Technische Universität Graz - Logo
  • Wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in für das Institut für Physiologie

    2023-09-08 Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus - Die Dresdner. Dresden, Chemnitz
    Wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in für das Institut für Physiologie - Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus - Die Dresdner. - Logo
  • Associate Professor of European and International Tax and Business Law (salary group W2)

    2023-09-13 Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Nürnberg
    Associate Professor of European and International Tax and Business Law (salary group W2) - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg - Logo
To all job vacancies

Related articles

What mechanical engineers earn

Mechanical engineers earn above average starting salaries and can increase their salaries significantly over the course of their career - even without a doctorate.

Professional spotlight: postdoc

Postdocs should bear one thing in mind above all else: a strategy to withdraw from academia is highly advisable, for secure positions are rare.

Career advice: Guide overview

Here you will find an overview of the academics.com contents - arranged according to positions, industries and specialist areas, special topics and services.

Life science salary

The Life Sciences belong to the most prosperous industries in Germany. What earning opportunities are to be expected in the life sciences and what prospects are there? An overview.

Academics
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Legal notice
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies & Tracking
  • Partners
  • Job-Mail
  • academics.de
For Employers
  • Post a job
  • Mediapack
  • Terms and conditions
You can also visit us at
academics - Logo From Die ZEIT - Logo Forschung & Lehre - Logo Deutscher Hochschulverband
Data privacy
Please deactivate your ad-block plugins to edit your permissions regarding cookies and tracking.