Your pay as a doctoral candidate in Germany depends mainly on whether your position follows the collective agreement for the German federal states (Tarifvertrag der Länder, TV-L) and which pay grade (Entgeltgruppe) it is placed in. Universities often use pay grade 13. This guide shows the 2026 monthly amounts, how part-time pay is calculated and what to check in your contract.
Short answer: A doctoral position in TV-L pay grade E 13 starts at step 1 with 4,759 euros gross per month for a full-time post. The table is valid from 1 April 2026 to 28 February 2027. At a 65 percent post, step 1 pays about 3,093 euros gross. Pay rises step by step with time in the job.
The most important points at a glance
- Many doctoral posts at universities are paid under pay grade 13 of the TV-L. What counts is what your contract says.
- Full-time pay starts at 4,759 euros gross at step 1 and reaches 6,765 euros gross at step 6 (April 2026 figures).
- Part-time pay is paid pro rata. At 65 percent, step 1 gives about 3,093 euros gross.
- Fixed-term rules come from the Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (WissZeitVG): up to six years before the doctorate, and up to six years after it, or nine years in medicine.
- From step 5 onwards, full-time annual pay can exceed the compulsory insurance threshold, which affects your health insurance.
Which pay grade applies to doctoral posts?
The pay grade is stated in the job advert and in your employment contract. Many academic posts for doctoral candidates are placed in grade 13, but not every doctoral post is E 13. Before you sign, check the pay grade, the working-time share and the contract term.
It also matters whether you hold a post or a scholarship. A scholarship is not salary under the collective agreement and has different consequences for social insurance, pension and unemployment benefit. A comparison with a worked example is in the guide Promotionsstelle oder Stipendium: Netto-Vergleich mit Rechenbeispiel (in German).
The 2026 steps at a glance
The table shows monthly gross amounts for grade E 13 on a full-time basis. For comparison, it also shows two part-time models with assumed working-time shares of 65 and 50 percent.
| Step | Condition | Full time (100%) | Assumed 65% | Assumed 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | New hire | 4,759.00 euros | 3,093.35 euros | 2,379.50 euros |
| Step 2 | after 1 year in step 1 | 5,106.00 euros | 3,318.90 euros | 2,553.00 euros |
| Step 3 | after 2 years in step 2 | 5,367.00 euros | 3,488.55 euros | 2,683.50 euros |
| Step 4 | after 3 years in step 3 | 5,874.00 euros | 3,818.10 euros | 2,937.00 euros |
| Step 5 | after 4 years in step 4 | 6,574.00 euros | 4,273.10 euros | 3,287.00 euros |
| Step 6 | after 5 years in step 5 | 6,765.00 euros | 4,397.25 euros | 3,382.50 euros |
Source of the full-time figures: TV-L pay table valid from 1 April 2026 to 28 February 2027, accessed via kommunalforum.de. This reproduces the published pay table. Before you sign, compare the figures with your contract and with the current table of the Tarifgemeinschaft deutscher Länder (TdL). After 28 February 2027, the figures of a follow-up agreement apply.
Part-time calculation: how to get your amount
Part-time work is paid pro rata in the public sector. You do not need a new table. Apply your working-time share to the full-time amount of your step.
- Take the full-time amount of your step, for example step 1 with 4,759 euros.
- Multiply it by your working-time share. Assumption: 65 percent, so the factor is 0.65.
- The result is your gross pay: 4,759 × 0.65 = 3,093.35 euros.
- Deduct taxes and social insurance to get net pay. Income tax depends on your tax class and family status, so for net examples use the tax calculator of the German Federal Ministry of Finance (bmf-steuerrechner.de).
Special payments such as an annual bonus (Jahressonderzahlung) follow the collective agreement and your contract. They are not in the monthly table, so ask for the exact amount before comparing offers.
How do you move up the steps?
Steps are reached after a set period in the job. After one year in step 1 you move to step 2, after two years in step 2 to step 3, and so on, up to step 6 after five years in step 5. General pay rises come on top and appear in new tables.
Breaks such as parental leave or long illness can affect the period. Ask the HR office how the rule applies to your case before you plan a break.
Fixed terms: how long the post runs
Doctoral posts are usually fixed-term. Under the Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (WissZeitVG), a fixed term of up to six years is permitted before the doctorate if the post serves your own academic qualification. After the doctorate, a fixed term of up to six years is permitted, or up to nine years in medicine.
For your planning, compare the contract term with your doctoral timetable. An extension is not automatic and depends on the contract and the law. If something is unclear, the HR office of your university can help, and in many cases the staff council as well.
Annual pay and the compulsory insurance threshold
For health insurance, annual pay matters. In 2026 the compulsory insurance threshold is 6,450 euros per month or 77,400 euros per year (source: GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on 2026 reference values).
Worked example (assumption: full time, twelve monthly salaries, no special payment): step 4 gives 70,488 euros per year and stays below the threshold. Step 5 with 78,888 euros and step 6 with 81,180 euros are above it. Special payments increase the annual figure further. Whether you then become exempt from compulsory insurance is decided by your health insurer in each case. The alternatives are voluntary statutory or private health insurance.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a doctoral candidate earn at E 13, step 1?
For a full-time post it is 4,759 euros gross per month (April 2026 figures). Part-time pay is calculated pro rata. A 65 percent post gives about 3,093 euros gross. Your employment contract is always the decisive document, not the table alone.
Does the table apply in every federal state?
The TV-L applies in most German states. Hesse and Berlin have their own collective agreements, and their amounts can differ. Check which agreement your contract refers to.
Will I receive an annual bonus?
Many public-sector employees receive an annual special payment. Whether it applies to your post, and how much it is, is set in the collective agreement and your contract. The monthly table does not include it.
Does my salary rise automatically?
Steps follow the periods in the table. An individual pay increase is separate and must be agreed on its own.
Is a 50 percent post worth it?
That depends on your timetable and fixed costs. A half post pays about 2,380 euros gross at step 1 and leaves more time for your dissertation. Check in advance whether rent, insurance and living costs are covered by the net amount.
What to do now
- Check the job advert and your contract for pay grade, step, working-time share and term.
- Add up the full-time amount and your working-time share before you accept, and clarify the special payment in writing.
- Calculate your net pay with the tax calculator of the German Federal Ministry of Finance.
- Note your step periods and the end of the fixed term in your calendar and check them with HR.
Related guides
- PhD in Germany: routes, titles and requirements
- Promotion finanzieren: Stelle, Stipendium oder Eigenmittel im Vergleich (in German)
- Promotionsstelle oder Stipendium: Netto-Vergleich mit Rechenbeispiel
- Health Insurance for PhD Students in Germany
Sources: TV-L pay table valid 1 April 2026 to 28 February 2027, accessed via kommunalforum.de (October 2026); Section 2(1) WissZeitVG, Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (accessed October 2026); GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on 2026 reference values (as of 1 January 2026); Tax calculator of the German Federal Ministry of Finance.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
