Ausbildung salary in Germany: what you earn and what you can live on

The legal minimum training pay

Every trainee in Germany is entitled to appropriate pay. Since 2020 there has also been a legal minimum. For an Ausbildung that begins in 2026, the BIBB gives these figures:

The minimum applies to companies that are not bound by a collective agreement. It is the floor, not the typical amount.

What companies really pay

Most larger companies pay according to collective agreements (Tarifverträge). According to the BIBB evaluation for 2025, trainees under collective agreements received on average:

• 1,209 euros gross a month across all training years
• 1,117 euros in the first year and 1,339 euros in the fourth year
• 1,266 euros in industry and trade, 1,329 euros in the public sector

Pay also differs by region and by profession. Many industrial companies add extras such as holiday pay, a Christmas bonus or shift allowances. Ask about these in the interview; it is a normal question in Germany.

The visa threshold: why the amount matters more than you think

For the visa for vocational training, the embassy checks whether you can live on your pay. According to Make it in Germany, this is the case in 2026 if your training pay is at least 1,048 euros gross or 822 euros net a month.

If your contract pays less, the difference has to be covered, for example with money in a blocked account or a declaration of commitment from someone in Germany. With the legal minimum of 724 euros, the gap is more than 300 euros a month. Over a full year, that is a considerable amount of money you would need to show. Knowing this before you sign helps you compare offers properly.

From gross to net

From your gross pay, social insurance contributions are deducted automatically: health insurance, long-term care insurance, pension insurance and unemployment insurance. Together, your share is roughly 20 to 21 percent of your gross pay, depending on your health insurance fund and whether you have children. At typical training pay, income tax is usually low or zero.

As a rough example, a gross training pay of 1,100 euros leaves around 870 euros net. The exact figure depends on your situation, so treat it as an estimate.

A realistic monthly budget

Most of the apprentices we place live in smaller towns, where rent is lower than in Munich, Frankfurt or Hamburg. This is a typical budget for one person in a shared flat or a small apartment outside the big cities:

Health insurance does not appear in this table because it is already deducted from your pay. What the table shows honestly is this: in the first year, there is little left over. Many apprentices want to send money to their families. That becomes realistic in the later training years and especially after the Ausbildung, not in the first months.

The first two months: plan for the gap

This is the point we discuss with every candidate before departure. Your first training pay usually arrives at the end of your first month, sometimes later. Before that you have to pay:

• a rent deposit, which can be up to three months' basic rent
• the first month's rent, often before you move in
• food, a transport ticket, work shoes and basic household items
• fees for documents and appointments

Arrive with savings for this period. Some companies help with a furnished room, an advance or the deposit. Ask about it, but do not rely on it.

Earning a little more

With a residence permit for vocational training, you may take a second job of up to 20 hours a week, as long as it is separate from your training. In practice, most apprentices find that difficult: a full working week plus vocational school leaves little energy. If you consider it, talk to your company first.

Shift allowances, holiday pay and a Christmas bonus, which are common in industrial collective agreements, often make a bigger difference than a side job.

Salary after the Ausbildung

This is where the Ausbildung pays off. Once you have passed your final exam, you are paid as a skilled worker. According to the Federal Employment Agency's Entgeltatlas, the median gross pay of full-time skilled workers is above 3,000 euros a month in many industrial professions. Starting salaries right after the exam are below this median, but they are usually still more than twice the training pay.

With a skilled job, your residence permit changes too. After completing your Ausbildung in Germany and working here for two years, you can apply for a settlement permit if you meet the other conditions.

Questions about pay

Sources: Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), Make it in Germany, Federal Employment Agency (Entgeltatlas). Figures as of September 2026. The net pay example and the budget are estimates for orientation, not tax advice.