The Comprehensive Guide to IT Salaries in Germany
In Germany, there are over 100,000 companies in the tech sector. These companies have created more than 1 million jobs and generated revenues exceeding 230 billion Euros. This accounts for nearly 7% of the total German economic output.
Germany is the second-largest tech hub in Europe (after the UK) and is fast becoming a tech leader on the world stage. The German ITC market (second-largest market after manufacturing) is projected to grow 6% from 2021 to 2026. This means more jobs and, hopefully, higher salaries.
In this article, we’ll explore a range of the most popular IT positions in Germany and how much they pay. We’ll also discuss a few factors that can affect your take home pay.
What is the average IT salary in Germany?
It doesn’t make sense to condense all the IT roles into an average. What we can do is look at the minimum annual salary requirements for an EU Blue Card. According to the Federal Foreign Office, Blue Card applicants are required to earn a minimum of €45,552 per year.
How much can you earn?
Let’s take a closer look at each IT role and what the median reported salaries are. This data is from IT professionals in Germany who responded to the StackOverflow survey in 2022. We’ve created two columns, one which shows annual salaries (before taxes) in USD and one in EUR. Find your role and see how you compare.
Median salaries:
| IT Role | USD | EUR |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Executive (C-Suite, VP, etc.) | $97,000 | €90,000 |
| Engineering Manager | $96,000 | €89,000 |
| Engineer, Site Reliability | $83,000 | €77,000 |
| Blockchain | $80,000 | €74,000 |
| Cloud Infrastructure Engineer | $77,000 | €71,000 |
| Engineer, Data | $77,000 | €71,000 |
| Data Scientist or Machine Learning Specialist | $75,000 | €69,000 |
| Product Manager | $75,000 | €69,000 |
| DevOps Specialist | $73,000 | €67,000 |
| Data or Business Analyst | $72,000 | €66,000 |
| Security Professional | $70,000 | €65,000 |
| Developer, Back-end | $70,000 | €65,000 |
| Project Manager | $70,000 | €65,000 |
| Database Administrator | $69,000 | €64,000 |
| Developer, Desktop or Enterprise Applications | $69,000 | €64,000 |
| Educator | $69,000 | €64,000 |
| Developer, Embedded Applications or Devices | $68,000 | €63,000 |
| Developer, Mobile | $67,000 | €62,000 |
| Developer, Full-stack | $67,000 | €62,000 |
| Developer, QA or Test | $67,000 | €62,000 |
| Developer, Front-end | $64,000 | €59,000 |
| Scientist | $64,000 | €59,000 |
| System Administrator | $64,000 | €59,000 |
| Academic Researcher | $61,000 | €56,000 |
| Marketing or Sales Professional | $59,000 | €55,000 |
| Developer, Game or Graphics | $59,000 | €54,000 |
| Designer | $59,000 | €54,000 |
| Student | $27,000 | €25,000 |
Source: StackOverflow Survey 2022 [Germany]
Understanding the landscape of IT salaries in Germany
The first thing you’ve probably noticed is the difference in median salary between Germany and the United States (median US IT salaries for comparison). In some cases, the salaries in the US can be double or even triple salaries in the EU. Despite this enormous pay difference, salaries in Germany are still considered on the higher end when compared globally. Plus, it really depends on your experience as an IT professional. We’ve seen plenty of incredibly high salaries reported from senior developers working in Big Tech. Let’s break down what the expected IT salary based on experience.
Junior IT Roles
Starting off, junior IT roles often serve as the gateway to a fruitful career in the tech sector. In Germany, a junior IT professional's average salary typically ranges between €30,000 and €45,000 annually, depending on the role's complexity and the professional's qualifications. Startups and scaleups generally keep junior developers and data professionals below the EU Blue Card minimum. A junior working at a large international tech company might potentially earn more than this range.
Mid-Level IT Roles
As professionals gain more experience and expertise, they often transition into mid-level IT roles. These roles generally involve managing projects or teams and require a more in-depth understanding of technology and leadership skills. Mid-level IT professionals in Germany can expect salaries ranging from €45,000 to €65,000 annually.
Senior IT Roles
At the top of the hierarchy are senior IT roles. These positions require a high level of expertise and often involve strategic decision-making responsibilities. Senior IT professionals in Germany earn between €65,000 and €80,000 a year, although this can be significantly higher for leadership roles at large companies. I recommend having a scroll through TechPays (from Gergely Orosz) and reading actual salaries that have been reported — it’ll give you a much better idea of what specific companies are paying.
Factors Influencing IT Salaries in Germany
Several factors impact the salary an IT professional can expect in Germany, including the individual's qualifications, the city of employment, and the specific industry or sector they work in.
The Role of Qualifications
IT professionals who hold relevant certifications or advanced degrees often command higher salaries. These qualifications demonstrate a high level of competency and specialisation, making the professional more valuable to employers. It is also a requirement set by the government that foreigners must have these qualifications to work in the IT field in their country. This is because the government wants to ensure that only qualified and competent individuals are working in this field, as it is a critical part of the economy.
A Guide to Visas and Permits →
Impact of City of Employment
The city of employment also plays a significant role in determining an IT professional's salary in Germany. For instance, cities like Munich, Berlin, and Frankfurt, which host many tech companies, generally offer higher salaries compared to smaller cities. This is because the cost of living in these cities is higher, and there is more competition for IT talent. Additionally, these cities offer a wider range of job opportunities and a more cosmopolitan lifestyle. As a result, IT professionals who are willing to relocate to these cities can expect to earn a higher salary. Read more about the best German cities below.
Best Cities to Live in Germany For English Speakers →
Influence of Industry or Sector
The specific industry or sector in which an IT professional works can also impact their salary. When we look at the companies in Berlin’s ecosystem, we can see that fintech, ecommerce, and food (delivery) are the biggest employers and biggest companies with huge budgets to hire the best talent. So if you land a job in a fintech company, you’re probably in line to earn more than say a developer working in EdTech or real estate. For more information regarding job growth in tech, you can read Dealroom’s Employment Report or check out the additional resources below.
The Best Tech Companies in Berlin 2023 →
The Future of IT Salaries in Germany
The future of IT salaries in Germany looks promising. As the country continues to foster its technology sector, the demand for skilled IT professionals is expected to increase, likely leading to an upward trend in salaries. If you’re already working in Germany at a great company, please leave a salary review on our platform so that other IT professionals can benefit from pay transparency. You can also leave a product & technology review, a culture review, and an interview review. Thanks ✌️
