Gross monthly salary
Median gross monthly wage of full-time employees, by place of work, 31.12.2025
A full-time employee in the West earned a median €4,315 a month at the end of 2025; in the East (incl. Berlin) it was €3,761, or 87.2% of the western level. In 2014, before the minimum wage, it was 75.2%. 61 of the 100 lowest-paying districts are in the East.
Inner-German border 1949–1990 ·401 districts · 31.12.2025
Former West
€4,315
excl. Berlin
Former East
€3,761
incl. Berlin
Berlin
€4,459
Germany
€4,217
The East stands at 87% of the West's level (31.12.2025).
By state
- Hamburg€4,768
- Baden-Württemberg€4,546
- Hessen€4,530
- Berlin€4,459
- Bremen€4,392
- Bayern€4,363
- Nordrhein-Westfalen€4,231
- Saarland€4,149
- Rheinland-Pfalz€4,124
- Niedersachsen€4,029
- Schleswig-Holstein€3,935
- Brandenburg€3,613
- Sachsen€3,588
- Sachsen-Anhalt€3,563
- Thüringen€3,508
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern€3,497
31.12.2025
Then and now
Drag across the map to compare 31.12.2014 with 31.12.2025. Both maps share one colour key.
Former West
€3,160
excl. Berlin
Former East
€2,377
incl. Berlin
Berlin
€2,905
Germany
€3,024
The East stands at 75% of the West's level (31.12.2014).
Notes & caveats
- The Federal Employment Agency counts Berlin as part of the East. Medians cannot be recombined, so the East figure here includes Berlin; the five eastern states are shown individually in the state ranking.
- Full-time employees subject to social insurance only, excluding apprentices; gross pay including bonuses. Values above the contribution ceiling are estimated by the BA.
- Districts merged since 2014 (Göttingen/Osterode am Harz 2016, Eisenach/Wartburgkreis 2021) have no 2014 value on today's map.
Show the table
| State | Side | 31.12.2025 | 31.12.2014 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saarland | west | €4,149 | €3,140 |
| Berlin | berlin | €4,459 | €2,905 |
| Brandenburg | east | €3,613 | €2,286 |
| Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | east | €3,497 | €2,188 |
| Sachsen | east | €3,588 | €2,251 |
| Sachsen-Anhalt | east | €3,563 | €2,282 |
| Thüringen | east | €3,508 | €2,234 |
| Schleswig-Holstein | west | €3,935 | €2,796 |
| Hamburg | west | €4,768 | €3,444 |
| Niedersachsen | west | €4,029 | €2,928 |
| Bremen | west | €4,392 | €3,276 |
| Nordrhein-Westfalen | west | €4,231 | €3,146 |
| Hessen | west | €4,530 | €3,311 |
| Rheinland-Pfalz | west | €4,124 | €3,011 |
| Baden-Württemberg | west | €4,546 | €3,344 |
| Bayern | west | €4,363 | €3,150 |