Nurse Salary in Germany: What a Pflegefachkraft Earns (October 2026)
A full-time qualified hospital nurse in Germany earned a median of 4,329 euros gross per month at the end of 2024, according to the research institute of the Federal Employment Agency (IAB). In elderly care the median was 4,153 euros. Pay is higher in the west than in the east and varies by employer, collective agreement and state, so your offer can sit well above or below these medians.
Figures are gross, before tax and social contributions. Sources opened in October 2026: IAB “Entgelte von Pflegekräften 2024” (Federal Employment Agency), the Federal Employment Agency’s May 2026 report on nursing occupations, the Bund/VKA pay agreement 2025 circular, the Federal Ministry of Health, and a published public-service pay table for 1 May 2026. Every number below comes from one of these sources, and the collective-agreement table is a published copy rather than the agreement text itself.
The median: what the official data says
The IAB report uses the reference date 31 December 2024. A median means half of full-time nurses earned more and half earned less. It counts regular gross monthly pay of employees who pay social-insurance contributions, working full-time, excluding trainees.
| Group | Median gross per month (31 Dec 2024) |
|---|---|
| Skilled nurses, hospital nursing (Fachkräfte Krankenpflege) | 4,329 euros |
| Skilled nurses, elderly care (Fachkräfte Altenpflege) | 4,153 euros |
| Nursing helpers, hospital nursing | 3,363 euros |
| Nursing helpers, elderly care | 3,098 euros |
Skilled nurse pay in hospital nursing rose from 2,958 euros in 2012 to 4,329 euros in 2024. The IAB notes that this is +46 percent in nominal terms and about +12 percent after inflation, which was around 30 percent over the period.
West, east and the states
| Skilled nurses, hospital nursing | Median gross per month |
|---|---|
| Western Germany | 4,380 euros |
| Eastern Germany | 4,115 euros (about 6 percent lower) |
| Baden-Württemberg (highest state) | 4,520 euros |
| Sachsen (lowest state) | 4,017 euros |
For elderly care the gap is smaller: 4,189 euros in the west and 4,024 euros in the east, with 4,325 euros in Baden-Württemberg and 3,891 euros in Sachsen at the two ends.
So the difference between the best and worst state for a hospital nurse is about 500 euros a month at the median. Compare the cost of living in each place too, not only the wage.
Collective agreements: what the TVöD pay table looks like
Many hospitals and care employers pay according to a collective agreement rather than an individual salary. In the public sector the nursing pay scale is called TVöD-P (the “P” table for Pflege). The federal pay agreement of 2025 raised pay by 3.0 percent, at least 110 euros a month, from 1 April 2025 and by 2.8 percent from 1 May 2026. It also sets a monthly nursing allowance (Pflegezulage) of 137.96 euros from April 2025, rising to 141.82 euros from May 2026, according to the Bund/VKA circular.
A published table for 1 May 2026 shows these monthly gross amounts for pay groups P 7 and P 8, the rows commonly quoted for qualified nursing staff:
| Pay group | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 | Stage 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P 7 | 3,510.30 | 3,701.21 | 3,998.33 | 4,149.59 | 4,305.40 |
| P 8 | 3,701.21 | 3,862.80 | 4,075.58 | 4,247.92 | 4,488.98 |
These are monthly basic amounts before allowances, night shift and weekend supplements and the annual special payment. The stage (Stufe) rises with experience, and employers decide the pay group from your job description. Do not assume the table above is yours: private clinics, church employers and many care homes use their own agreements. Ask the employer which table and which group will apply to you, and whether your foreign experience counts toward the stage.
Minimum wage in elderly care
Where the special care minimum wage applies, which means elderly care facilities and not hospitals, there is a floor by qualification. According to the Federal Ministry of Health in November 2025, skilled nurses had 20.50 euros per hour, with 21.03 euros set for 1 July 2026 and 21.58 euros for 1 July 2027, subject to the regulation being in force. Helper levels are lower. The floor is a legal minimum, not a typical salary: the median pay in the table above sits well above what the hourly minimum would give over a standard month.
Gross versus net
All of the figures above are gross. Your take-home pay depends on tax class, church tax, health and long-term care insurance contributions, children and your state. Take-home pay is therefore a calculation, not a percentage you can read off. Use a gross-to-net calculator with your own tax class, and check the numbers on your first payslip.
Why pay differs so much between offers
- Employer type: public, church, private or non-profit employers use different pay scales.
- Setting: hospital vs elderly care vs outpatient service. The IAB shows a gap of about 180 euros between the two medians.
- Region: the table above, plus the cost of rent.
- Shifts and allowances: night, Sunday and holiday work add to basic pay.
- Experience level: the stage in a collective pay table rises with years of service.
- Weekly hours: a part-time contract pays proportionally less. From 1 January 2026 the public-service agreement allows agreed weekly hours of up to 42.
Practise your German out loud with SipLingo, free to try on iPhone and Android:
Are nurses in Germany paid well?
Pay has moved up. The IAB reports that nurse pay grew faster than inflation over twelve years, and the Federal Employment Agency’s 2026 report describes a continuing severe shortage, with 57 unemployed people per 100 reported vacancies for examined nursing professionals in 2025. A shortage gives you negotiating room, but wages for qualified nurses remain a matter for collective bargaining and individual employers. Whether the pay feels good depends on your housing costs, your shift plan and your family situation.
What to ask before you sign
- Which collective agreement or pay scale applies, and what is my pay group and stage?
- Is my foreign experience counted in the stage?
- What are the allowances for nights, weekends and holidays, and is the nursing allowance included?
- How many weekly hours does this contract cover, and what do I earn before recognition is complete?
- Is there a moving or housing allowance, language-course support or a recognition-fee contribution? The federal portal notes that financial support for recognition exists through various institutions.
For the steps that come before pay, see nurse recognition in Germany and how to become a nurse in Germany.
Where SipLingo fits
Job interviews and contract talks are spoken situations, and the pay question is one you should be able to ask clearly in German. In SipLingo (our app) you can rehearse a job-offer or workplace conversation by voice, hear what you got wrong, and get the corrected sentence in your own language. It practises speaking only; it does not replace a B2 course or official exam materials. Try it with the free trial and prepare questions like “Welcher Tarifvertrag gilt für mich?”
German you need for the salary conversation
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Welcher Tarifvertrag gilt für diese Stelle? | Which collective agreement applies to this job? |
| In welche Entgeltgruppe werde ich eingruppiert? | Which pay group will I be placed in? |
| Wird meine Berufserfahrung angerechnet? | Will my work experience be counted? |
| Wie hoch sind die Zuschläge für Nachtdienst? | How high are the night-shift supplements? |
| Ist das Brutto oder Netto? | Is that gross or net? |
More ward language: German phrases for nurses and German level for nurses.
Official sources
For the official details and the latest updates, see:
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Entgeltatlas: how the official salary tool works (German) – How to read median gross salaries by job, region and skill level
Frequently asked questions
What is the salary of a German nurse?
For full-time skilled hospital nurses the median was 4,329 euros gross per month at the end of 2024, and 4,153 euros in elderly care, according to IAB data. Individual pay can be higher or lower depending on employer, state and pay scale.
What is the average salary for a Pflegefachkraft in Germany?
The official data gives medians, not averages: 4,329 euros gross a month in hospital nursing and 4,153 euros in elderly care, at the reference date 31 December 2024. A median is the midpoint, so half of nurses earn more.
How much are nurses paid in Germany?
A published public-service table for 1 May 2026 shows monthly basic amounts of 3,510 to 4,305 euros in pay group P 7 and 3,701 to 4,489 euros in P 8, before supplements. Private and church employers use their own tables.
What is the minimum salary of a nurse in Germany?
In elderly care facilities the nursing minimum wage for skilled nurses was 20.50 euros per hour in late 2025, with 21.03 euros announced for 1 July 2026. Hospitals are not covered by that special minimum wage; collective agreements and individual contracts apply.
Are nurses in Germany paid well?
They earn above the helper levels by about 1,000 euros a month at the median, and pay has grown faster than inflation since 2012. How well it works for you depends on region, rent and shifts.
Learn to ask about your pay, your shifts and your contract in German, out loud, before the interview.
