The doctorate statistics show how many doctorates are completed in Germany and how they are distributed across subjects and gender. The total figures for 2025 are published, while the detailed breakdown is in the tables of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). This guide explains which figures are reliable, where to find the tables and which reading errors happen often.
Short answer: In the 2025 examination year, 28,800 doctorates were completed in Germany, 700 more than the year before (Destatis, release of 2 October 2026). Destatis publishes the breakdown by subject and gender in its tables. This guide only gives the total figures we have checked. Last updated: October 2026.
The most important points
- In the 2025 examination year, 28,800 doctorates were completed (Destatis, last updated October 2026).
- Completed doctorates and doctoral candidates in stock are two different statistics.
- The breakdown by subject and gender is in the Destatis tables, not in the press releases.
- Comparisons between subjects only make sense if subject groups and reference years are defined the same way.
- For citations, the examination year and the publication date matter.
The most important total figures
The total figures form the basis of any analysis by subject and gender. They set the frame in which the subgroups move.
| Figure | Value | Reference | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completed doctorates | 28,800 | Examination year 2025 | Destatis, release of 2 October 2026 |
| Change on the previous year | +700 or +2.4 percent | Examination year 2025 | Destatis, release of 2 October 2026 |
| Doctoral candidates (stock) | 216,200 | Year 2025 | Destatis, release of 26 August 2026 |
| Degrees from universities in total | 527,600 (+3 percent) | Examination year 2025 | Destatis, release of 2 October 2026 |
Doctoral candidates are not a subset of completed doctorates. The first figure describes people in ongoing procedures, the second counts completions. The guide Wie viele Menschen haben einen Doktortitel? Zahlen 2026 (in German) explains the difference in more detail.
Where to find the breakdown by subject and gender
Destatis publishes results of examinations and doctoral candidates in tables that are broken down by subject groups and often by gender. The database GENESIS-Online is publicly available (www-genesis.destatis.de, in German). Which characteristics a table contains is shown in the table description for the respective year, so check it before every analysis.
| Characteristic | Where to find it | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Subject groups | Destatis, GENESIS-Online, examination statistics | Compare subject groups across years only if the definition is the same |
| Gender | Destatis, GENESIS-Online, examination or doctoral candidate tables | Always read shares together with the absolute numbers |
| Nationality | Destatis release on doctoral candidates 2025 | Given for doctoral candidates, check separately for completions |
Why subject and gender change the reading
A number without a reference base says little. A female share of doctorates describes something only when you read it together with the total. The same applies to subject groups: if a group grows in one year, the cause may be a changed assignment and not more doctorates.
For subject comparisons, keep the funding in mind as well. Whether a doctorate runs on a post, a scholarship or private funds cannot be seen in completion figures. The options are explained in Promotion finanzieren: Stelle, Stipendium oder Eigenmittel im Vergleich (in German).
How to read a Destatis table correctly
- Read the title first: does it refer to completions or to the stock of doctoral candidates?
- Check the reference year and whether the table shows an examination year or a calendar year.
- Compare subject groups only within the same table version.
- Recalculate shares: divide the subgroup by the total and compare the result with the table.
- Note the status and source for every citation.
Worked example (assumption): in one subject group, 3,600 of the 28,800 doctorates were completed. The share is 3,600 divided by 28,800, that is 12.5 percent. This is an illustration of the calculation, not a Destatis figure.
Typical reading errors
Most mistakes come not from the arithmetic but from assigning the numbers. Four errors are especially common:
- Stock and completions are treated as the same, although they measure different things.
- Percentages are taken over without their reference base, for example a share whose denominator is unknown.
- Different examination years or subject groups are mixed, although their definitions may have changed.
- Preliminary values are cited as final without giving the date of the release.
If you check these four points before every citation, you avoid the most common errors. The total figures above are reliable in this sense, because they come from the press releases and carry their dates.
Frequently asked questions
Are there more doctorates in medicine than in other subjects?
We do not answer this with numbers here, because we did not take over the subject breakdown. The answer is in the Destatis tables for the examination year you need. Make sure medicine is shown as its own subject group there, otherwise the comparison becomes unclear.
What is the female share of doctorates?
We do not name this share here either. The Destatis tables show gender. Check the value for the year you want to cite and state its status.
Who may complete a doctorate at all?
In Germany the right to award doctorates usually lies with universities. Admission and requirements are set by the doctoral regulations of the respective university. The statistic counts completed procedures, not the admission requirements.
Why are the figures for doctoral candidates and doctorates so different?
Doctoral candidates are a stock on a reference date, doctorates are completed procedures within one year. The explanation with examples is in Wie viele Menschen haben einen Doktortitel? Zahlen 2026 (in German).
How often does Destatis update the figures?
Destatis publishes press releases and tables on fixed dates announced on its website. Check the current date and the latest table version before every publication.
Can I process the tables further?
GENESIS-Online often also offers tables for download. When you take over a figure, keep the table name, reference year and status so that later analyses remain traceable.
What to do now
- Choose the figure that fits your question: stock or completions.
- Open the matching table in GENESIS-Online for the examination year you need.
- Take over subject groups and gender only with the date of the status.
- Compare the result with the total figures before you cite it.
Related reading
- Promotion in Deutschland: Wege, Dauer, Finanzierung und Doktortitel (in German)
- Wie viele Doktoranden gibt es in Deutschland? Zahlen nach Fach und Geschlecht (in German)
- Wie viele Menschen haben einen Doktortitel? Zahlen 2026
- Promotionsstelle oder Stipendium: Netto-Vergleich mit Rechenbeispiel
- Promotion finanzieren: Stelle, Stipendium oder Eigenmittel im Vergleich (in German)
Sources: Destatis, release of 2 October 2026 (completed doctorates 2025, in German); Destatis, release of 26 August 2026 (doctoral candidates 2025, in German); Destatis, GENESIS-Online (tables on examinations and doctoral candidates, in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
