Resident doctor salary by federal state and hospital is searched as if every state had one fixed pay table. In practice, the collective agreement (Tarifvertrag) of your employer determines most of your salary. Once you know that, you find the right figure much faster.
Short answer: Your salary depends on your employer’s collective agreement, less on the federal state. Municipal hospitals often apply the TV-Ärzte/VKA, university hospitals of the states often the TV-Ärzte/TdL. The pay grade step depends on your years of experience. The binding figure is the pay table in your contract. Last updated: October 2026.
The most important points
- The collective agreement matters more than the federal state. Check first which agreement appears in your employment contract.
- Within an agreement, the step depends on your professional experience. Prior service may be credited.
- Allowances for night, weekend and standby duty belong to your total pay and often sit outside the basic table.
- For municipal hospitals, pay increases have been agreed in several steps, most recently on 1 June 2026.
- Net examples are best calculated with the tax calculator of the Federal Ministry of Finance.
Why does the collective agreement matter more than the federal state?
Doctors in postgraduate training are employed by one employer, and that employer determines which collective agreement applies. A municipal hospital follows different rules than a state university hospital. Two clinics in the same federal state can therefore pay differently, and a clinic in another state can pay better or worse.
| Employer | Typical agreement | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Municipal hospital | TV-Ärzte/VKA (collective agreement for doctors, municipal employers) | Pay table, steps and allowances in your employment contract |
| State university hospital | Often TV-Ärzte/TdL (collective agreement for doctors, federal states) | Whether the agreement applies is stated in the contract, not in the job advert |
| Non-profit or private hospital | In-house agreement or individual arrangement | Pay and allowances are often negotiable, so put the rules in writing |
The agreement sets the framework, and the hospital puts it into practice. When you search for a job, look for the employer and its agreement rather than the federal state.
How do you read the pay table correctly?
A pay table looks confusing at first glance. Five steps will get you to the figure that applies to you:
- Find the collective agreement named in your employment contract.
- Assign yourself to the right pay grade, for assistant doctors usually Ä1 or Ä2, depending on the contract.
- Read off the step that matches your years of experience. Check whether prior service counts.
- Calculate allowances separately: night, weekend, standby duty and shift supplements.
- Compare gross and net only at the end. For net pay, use the tax calculator of the Federal Ministry of Finance.
Pay tables are renegotiated regularly, so figures in older articles are often outdated. The binding table is always the one valid on the date of your contract.
How have collective pay rates developed?
The January 2025 agreement between the Marburger Bund and the VKA for municipal hospitals provided for increases in basic pay: 4 percent retroactively from 1 July 2024, 2 percent from 1 August 2025 and 2 percent from 1 June 2026. Standby pay and allowances were to rise accordingly. The percentages come from press coverage by the Ärzteblatt, so check the collective agreement text itself before you decide.
Example with an assumption: your starting salary is 5,000 euros gross per month (placeholder, not a benchmark). After 4 percent, it is 5,200 euros. After a further 2 percent, it is 5,304 euros, and after a third step of 2 percent, it is 5,410.08 euros on paper. Steps and allowances come on top of that.
Which allowances count toward total pay?
Many assistant doctors only look at basic pay. For a fair comparison, allowances often count as well. Typical examples are:
- Night allowances and supplements for Saturday, Sunday and public holiday work.
- Pay for standby duty (Bereitschaftsdienst) where it is separately agreed.
- On-call duty (Rufbereitschaft), which is paid under its own rules.
- Shift or rotating-shift supplements, if your roster includes them.
- Emergency service supplements, for example in the ambulance service.
Ask for a full list of allowances. Only with that overview can you compare the pay of different posts fairly.
Where do you find the current table?
The binding table is in the collective agreement. Also ask the HR department for your classification and step, preferably in writing. The Marburger Bund informs about the collective agreements for doctors, and its tables are a useful supplement to your contract. Always check the date from which a table applies.
What are classification and step?
Classification sets the pay grade for your employment. In many agreements the step within the grade depends on the length of your medical work. Both should appear in your contract or in a written notice from the clinic. If they are missing, ask before you accept an offer. A mistake in the step can affect your salary for years.
When you move to a different hospital, check how prior service is credited. Many agreements take earlier medical work into account in full or in part. The collective agreement, read together with your contract, shows whether this applies to you. Have the crediting confirmed in the contract rather than assuming it.
Frequently asked questions
Do assistant doctors earn more in one federal state than in another?
That cannot be said in general. Collective agreement, employer and step matter, not the federal state alone. Compare concrete offers with the same agreement and the same step.
Does standby duty count as working time?
Standby duty counts as working time but is paid separately under the collective agreement. The amount is set out in the pay table or in your contract, so check there.
How does part-time work affect pay?
Pay is usually paid pro rata. Still check whether allowances, step progression and leave entitlement stay the same, and ask before you agree.
Can I start saving for retirement from my salary?
Yes. Salary sacrifice is possible if your employer offers an occupational pension. The basics are in our guide to retirement planning for academics.
Does prior service count toward my step?
It depends on the collective agreement and the employer. Some agreements credit prior service fully, others partly. Ask about it before you accept a position, and have the answer confirmed in writing.
Planning your budget with net pay
A high gross figure says little about what remains at the end of the month. Taxes, social security contributions and additional health insurance contributions change the amount considerably. A simple approach: take your gross pay including regular allowances, deduct the items shown in your payslip, and use the net figure as the basis for your budget. Treat variable allowances as a buffer, not as fixed income.
The tax calculator of the Federal Ministry of Finance does not replace your payslip, but it gives a reliable orientation for comparisons. Use it with the same inputs for every offer, so the comparison stays fair.
What to do next
- Read your employment contract and find the collective agreement it names.
- Ask HR for your classification, step and allowances in writing.
- Calculate gross pay with all allowances, then net pay with the Federal Ministry of Finance calculator.
- Check the table at each collective pay increase, and compare total pay, not just basic pay, when you change jobs.
Related guides
- Medical studies: electives, practical year and health insurance (in German)
- PJ allowance: amounts by federal state (in German)
- Disability insurance during medical studies: timing, health check and special points (in German)
Sources: Ärzteblatt, report on the collective bargaining agreement between Marburger Bund and VKA (14 January 2025, in German); Federal Ministry of Finance, tax calculator (accessed October 2026, in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
