There are sometimes significant differences in pay between different professional groups. The following ranking presents the ten professional groups in which the highest salaries can be achieved.
When choosing a career, future salary prospects often play an important role, although the salaries of different professions are influenced by many factors. In its 2025 salary report, the career portal StepStone has determined which professional groups have the highest salaries.
Editorial team finanzen.net
11th place: The ranking
There are sometimes significant differences in earnings between the different professional sectors. School graduates often make their study decisions based on future salary prospects. The career portal StepStone has determined which industries pay the highest salaries. The following ranking presents these. The status is January 8, 2025.
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10th place: Health and social services
The health and social services sector tops the rankings with a gross median income of 41,750 euros. Those who have completed a university degree earn slightly more at 48,500 euros per year than those without a university degree, whose salary is 41,000 euros. There are also differences between the genders: While men earn 44,750 euros, women’s salary is 40,500 euros.
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9th place: skilled trades
The skilled trades are in ninth place in the ranking with a gross median salary of 42,750 euros per year. A university degree doesn’t make a huge difference in earnings: while university graduates earn 46,500 euros a year, employees without a university degree earn 42,750 euros a year.
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8th place: Sales and Distribution
Good salaries can also be earned in logistics. According to the StepStone salary report, the gross median salary is 48,500 euros per year, and the gross average salary is even 52,250 euros. The highest salaries can be earned in Hamburg and Bavaria.
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7th place: Human resources
With an annual gross median wage of 50,750 euros, employees in the area of human resources are also represented in the top 10 best-paid industries. While an employee with personnel responsibility earns an impressive 59,250 euros, employees without personnel responsibility earn 47,250 euros.
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6th place: Marketing and PR
With a gross median salary of 53,500 euros per year, employees in marketing and PR are in sixth place in the ranking. There is a significant pay gap of 16.8 percent between the genders: while men earn a salary of 58,750 euros, women earn 49,000 euros per year. With personnel responsibility, higher salaries of 67,000 euros can be earned.
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5th place: Information technology (IT)
Those with IT degrees are also likely to earn high salaries. According to StepStone, salaries in the IT industry have a median gross wage of 58,000 per year. The highest salaries can be achieved in Hamburg. With personnel responsibility you can even earn 72,500 euros.
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4th place: Consulting
With a gross median salary of 58,250 euros per year, employees in the consulting sector are in fourth place. There are differences in pay depending on gender and education: while men earn 60,250 euros, women earn 53,750 euros. Those with a university degree earn 64,250 euros, while those without a university degree earn 53,500 euros.
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3rd place: Engineering
Engineers are also among the top earners in Germany with a gross median salary of 58,500 euros per year. According to the StepStone report, the highest salaries can be earned in this industry in Baden-Württemberg. Here, too, there is a big divergence between university graduates and those who do not have a university education: while employees with a university degree earn 66,250 euros, those without a university degree earn 53,000 euros.
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2nd place: banking, finance and insurance
High salaries can also be achieved in the banking, finance and insurance sectors. According to the StepStone salary report, the annual gross median wage here is 59,500 euros. According to the report, you can earn the most in this area in Hamburg. Salary differences also depend on education – while employees with a university degree earn 72,750 euros, employees without a university degree earn 54,000 euros.
Source: stepstone.de, Image: Rudy Balasko / istockphoto
1st place: doctors
With a gross median salary of 98,750 euros per year, doctors are in first place in the ranking. The gross average salary is even 109,500 euros per year. While men earn 112,000 euros a year, women receive 81,750 euros annually. Senior doctors receive the highest wages in the profession, with an annual gross wage of 130,750 euros.
Source: stepstone.de, Image: Clover / Shutterstock.com