Teacher Salary: What Do Teachers Earn?

Teacher salary: 3 important facts

  • Monthly starting salary: approx. 3,500 euros gross salary
  • Average salary in the year: approx. 51,600 euros gross salary
  • Qualification for the job: Education

Teacher Salary: What do I need for the job?

Especially in this day and age, where authority is not automatically conferred on a job title, you need one as a teacher strong personality, In addition to the technical knowledge play educational skills a major role.

For example, you need the following qualifications in the teaching profession:



  • Didactics basics
  • Design of the lesson
  • Comprehensive competences
  • Educational professionalism
  • Educational Science Modules
  • Expertise in two chosen subjects

Teacher Salary: These factors decide!

Compared to many other occupations, such as nurses or hairdressers, teachers are not considered underpaid. Even Heinz-Peter Meidinger, president of the German Teachers' Association, admits: "German teachers are in international comparison pretty well paid?.

The teacher salary depends on many factors and can be assessed flat rate very bad. The following criteria play an important role:



  • Type of school: High schools and vocational schools are more lucrative than elementary schools
  • State: In Baden-Württemberg or Bavaria more than in Saxony
  • Status: Verbeamtung better than employment
  • Experience: Qualified professionals better than newcomers

Loud "Statista? is that Average salary as a teacher at secondary level I at approx 52,000 euros (Gross content). These include teachers at grammar schools, primary and secondary schools as well as special and comprehensive schools.

If you compare this gross salary with the average gross salary 2014 in Germany (41,292 euros according to the Federal Statistical Office), teachers really seem to earn well.

Teacher Salary: Little work and a lot of free time?

The Working hours of teachers can not be calculated flat-rate. The obligatory lessons at school are often included about 25, in addition there is preparation and follow-up of the lessons. This varies according to subject, professional experience and personality.



Add to that 74 days of vacation in the year, where some work is also done. It is very difficult to give teachers an hourly wage.

The tenure is handled differently from state to state. Saxony and Berlin have completely changed over to the employee form. As a civil servant, you have the benefit of not contributing to unemployment and pension insurance benefits alone and thus receiving a higher net salary.

Teacher salary: full-time teachers in grade A 12 or A 13

The career entry with civil servants takes place mostly in the Grade 12 in level 1. As a high school or vocational teacher you will usually in the Grade 13 classified.

The following tables give you a comparison of high school teachers in different federal states and their career opportunities (sources: "Salary and pay tables of the Länder" and "Academics.de").

Salary of secondary school teachers (excerpt 6 countries):

EuroStartedAfter 20 years
Baden-Wurttemberg4.0644.661
Bavaria3.9454.640
Hamburg3.8904.456
Saxony-Anhalt3.7684.867
Thuringia3.7944.551

Salary levels by position in North Rhine-Westphalia  

locationgradegross salary
StudienratA134,038 euros
senior teacherA144,288 euros
Director of studiesA154,954 euros
HeadmasterA165,459 euros

Teacher Salary: Differences to men

Women are strongly represented in teaching professions. According to an OECD study of 2017, over 85 percent of all primary school teachers women and at comprehensive schools and high schools still 66 percent. But how does that affect the salary?

We have no statistics on salary comparisons between men and women among teachers. Since women, however, in the lower-paid primary school jobs are disproportionately strongly represented, one can assume that a teacher earns on average a little less than a teacher.

Teacher Salary: What do I get in education?

Since teachers are trained teachers, you can also study during your studies no salary to earn. Of course you have the possibility to apply for financial support (BAföG).

The study lasts first six semesters and then builds with one four-semester Master including state examination on it. In doing so, you keep your chosen combination of subjects from start to finish. In order to be able to teach at a public school later on, you go through at the end 18-month traineeship.  

You ask yourself: How do I find the right job? We show you highest paid jobs.Or are you satisfied with your job, but would you like to earn more? Here's how you go about salary negotiation.

If you want to share your career with others, check out our ChroniquesDuVasteMonde community.

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