Over the past two years, Germany has recorded exceptionally strong wage growth, especially in sectors that had previously been underpaid or exposed to heavy labor market pressure.

Data from the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) show that workers earned on average between 10 and 13 percent more than in 2022, representing one of the most pronounced wage increases in the past decade.

According to expert Hermann Gartner from the renowned Institute for Employment Research (IAB), such a jump does not necessarily reflect an increase in workers' purchasing power, since wages have not kept pace with inflation. Inflation rose significantly between 2021 and 2023, occasionally reaching five percent, which (after a long period of stability) affected the real value of income, writes Fenix Magazin.

In this context, the increase in the minimum wage, which occurred several times in Germany over the past two years, represents a key factor in income growth, especially at the lower end of the pay scale. The minimum hourly wage rose from 9.60 euros in June 2021 to 12.41 euros in July 2025, directly affecting many workers whose jobs traditionally relied on this lowest legal wage.

Who are the biggest winners?

According to an exclusive analysis by the employment platform Kununu, which provided the data to BuzzFeed and includes only occupations with at least one thousand reported salaries to ensure sample representativeness, the largest income increases were recorded in occupations involving physical work, direct interaction with people, and in sectors facing chronic labor shortages.

The biggest raises were recorded in retail, care for the sick and elderly, education, and service and healthcare activities.

At the top of the list is the occupation of grocery salesperson, where the average annual salary rose from 27,715 to 31,776 euros, meaning growth of almost 15 percent in just two years. The increase in absolute terms amounts to more than four thousand euros annually.

The occupation of stylist also deserves attention, having experienced a jump of almost 15 percent, indicating growing demand for services in the personal care sector.

Pediatric and youth nurses now earn around 44,664 euros annually, an increase of more than 5,000 euros compared with 2023. Given that healthcare workers are under increasing pressure due to an aging population and chronic staff shortages, this is considered only the beginning of a trend likely to continue for years.

Train drivers, too, were not left out. Thanks to strong unions such as GDL (Gewerkschaft Deutscher Lokomotivführer), their average annual salary rose by more than 5,000 euros, and they additionally benefited through greater rights in collective bargaining agreements.

Preschool teachers, tourism managers, and care assistants continue to record above-average income growth, which is especially encouraging given the long-standing neglect of the importance of their work in society.

Top 10 occupations with the highest wage growth in the period 2023 - 2025.

• Grocery salesperson: from 27,715 to 31,776 euros annually, growth of 14.65 percent
• Stylist: from 29,630 to 33,954 euros, +14.59 percent
• Pediatric and youth nurse/technician: from 39,114 to 44,664 euros, +14.19 percent
• Public administration specialist: 48,118 to 54,429 euros, +13.12 percent
• Train driver: 43,110 to 48,561 euros, +12.64 percent
• Orthopedic technician: 33,288 to 37,495 euros, +12.64 percent
• Care assistant: 30,752 to 34,516 euros, +12.24 percent
• Tourism manager: 33,396 to 37,464 euros, +12.18 percent
• Early childhood educator: 33,920 to 37,875 euros, +11.66 percent
• Care and support assistant: 32,801 to 36,579 euros, +11.52 percent

What do experts predict?

Hermann Gartner emphasizes that it is difficult to predict precisely in which sectors wages will continue to grow strongly, because geopolitical circumstances also have a significant influence. He points to the uncertainty factor coming from foreign trade policy, especially in the context of the aggressive tariff policy announced by Donald Trump if he wins a new term as U.S. president.

However, through analysis of data and research conducted by IAB, experts have identified sectors where there is real potential for wage growth in the coming years. These primarily include IT occupations, jobs in the metalworking and chemical industries, the plastics processing sector, logistics, as well as the civil engineering and infrastructure sector, where it is becoming increasingly difficult to find qualified workers.

The healthcare sector, which is already showing signs of accelerated income growth, could become one of the most competitive in terms of earnings over the next decade, especially if the current trend of population aging and the decline in the number of trained medical staff continues.

The German labor market is experiencing an era of significant change, and this is most clearly reflected in wage growth in sectors that were previously often neglected by employers and policymakers. The new trend shows that the system is gradually adapting to new economic, social, and demographic realities. If this trend continues, it could strengthen workers' position in the long term and reduce the gap between high-paid and low-paid occupations.