Germany’s Gender Pay Gap in Full-Time Work Falls to 9%

Key Takeaways

• In 2013, full-time women earned 19.2% less than men. That is a gap of €6,060 per year. By 2024, the gap narrowed to 9%, or €4,140 per year.
• Women’s median full-time earnings rose by €1,162 between 2013 and 2024, compared with €1,002 for men.
• Minimum wage increases, labour shortages, and sector shifts supported wage growth for full-time women employees.

Full-Time Employee Median Monthly Earnings By Gender

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Learn something new about Germany every week and make informed decisions with confidence.

Across the world, many women earn less than their male counterparts in the workplace.

In 2013, the median male full-time employee in Germany earned €3,136 per month.
The median female full-time employee earned €2,631.

That is a difference of €505 per month, or 19.2%.

Over a full year, that means men are earning €6,060 more than women. This is more than two net monthly salaries for many workers at that income level.

By 2024, median earnings had risen to €4,138 for men and €3,793 for women. 

The gap is now €345 per month, or about 9%. That amounts to a €4,140 pay difference per year.

The pay gap has not disappeared. However, it has halved compared with 2013.

Between 2013 and 2024:

• Men’s median pay rose by €1,002
• Women’s median pay rose by €1,162

Women working full-time gained €160 more per month than men over the same period. That stronger increase is one of the main reasons the gap narrowed from 19% to 9%.

The change did not happen overnight. It built up steadily.

Since 2015, Germany’s minimum wage has been introduced and raised several times. Higher wage floors tend to lift pay most in lower wage brackets, where women are more strongly represented.

After 2018, labour shortages pushed wages upward across many sectors. Pay growth becomes broader when employers compete more actively for staff,

At the same time, employment expanded in healthcare, education, and professional services. These are sectors with strong female participation and structured pay systems. More women have also moved into qualified full-time and managerial roles over the past decade.

Women Hold Less Than One Third of Managerial Roles in Germany ->

Women Are Increasing in Managerial Roles Across the EU ->

Even so, the gender pay gap in Germany has not disappeared.

Across the entire labour market, women earn around 16–17% less per hour than men on average [2].

This broader figure includes all employees, including part-time workers. Women are far more likely to work part-time. That widens the overall hourly gap.

For full-time employees, the gap is smaller than it was ten years ago. However, it has not closed. Further progress will depend not only on wages but also on how working hours and career paths are structured.