How much does an Assistenzarzt earn in Germany in 2026?
The collective pay tables for resident doctors at municipal and university hospitals, year by year, as of November 2026.
Ahmed Quteishat, Assistenzarzt, Innere Medizin (Berlin) · Founder of Klaro
Updated:
In short
An Assistenzarzt in Germany earns 5,722.05 euros gross a month in the first year at a municipal hospital (TV-Ärzte/VKA, from 1 June 2026) and 5,792.90 euros at a university hospital (TV-Ärzte/TdL, from 1 April 2026), for a 40 hour week. Pay rises with each year of work as a doctor, to 7,355.29 and 7,436.05 euros from the sixth year. On-call duty is paid on top.
Pay table 2026, year by year
| Year | VKA | TdL |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5,722.05 € | 5,792.90 € |
| 2 | 6,046.42 € | 6,121.26 € |
| 3 | 6,278.07 € | 6,355.79 € |
| 4 | 6,679.58 € | 6,762.34 € |
| 5 | 7,158.37 € | 7,247.00 € |
| 6+ | 7,355.29 € | 7,436.05 € |
The year counts your time working as a doctor, not your age. If you have worked as a doctor before, ask the hospital in writing which year (Stufe) it places you in before you sign.
Which table applies to you
- TV-Ärzte/VKA: doctors at municipal hospitals (kommunale Krankenhäuser) run by towns and districts.
- TV-Ärzte/TdL: doctors at the university hospitals that apply the agreement of the federal states.
- Private hospital groups and church hospitals pay under their own agreements. The advert or the contract names the one that applies.
On 3 November 2026, 4,469 of the 13,580 doctor adverts on Klaro (32.9%) named a pay scale (Tarif). Source: Klaro's monthly report on doctor jobs.
After the Facharzt
| Pay group | VKA | TdL |
|---|---|---|
| Facharzt (Ä2) | 7,552.19 € | 7,645.72 € |
| Oberarzt (Ä3) | 9,459.56 € | 9,576.69 € |
What comes on top, and what changes next
- On-call duty (Bereitschaftsdienst) is paid per hour on top of the monthly pay, at rates set in the same agreements.
- All amounts are gross, before income tax and social insurance.
- The VKA table runs until 31 December 2026.
- The TdL table rises by 2.45% on 1 September 2027: year 1 then pays 5,934.83 euros.
Find a resident job
On 3 November 2026 Klaro listed 3,140 open resident (Assistenzarzt) jobs. See them by federal state or filter the job search by career level.
Questions
How much does an Assistenzarzt earn per year in Germany?
In the first year at a municipal hospital, twelve monthly payments of 5,722.05 euros come to 68,664.60 euros gross, before on-call pay. At a university hospital, twelve payments of 5,792.90 euros come to 69,514.80 euros.
Do foreign doctors get the same salary?
Yes. The pay tables do not depend on where you studied. What matters is the agreement your hospital applies and the year (Stufe) it places you in, so ask for both in writing.
What is the difference between TV-Ärzte/VKA and TV-Ärzte/TdL?
VKA covers municipal hospitals, TdL the university hospitals of the federal states. Both have six steps for an Assistenzarzt; the TdL amounts are slightly higher in 2026.
Is the salary gross or net?
Gross. Income tax and social insurance come off it, and how much depends on your tax class and situation.
How much does a Facharzt earn in Germany in 2026?
In the first year as Facharzt, 7,552.19 euros gross a month at a municipal hospital and 7,645.72 euros at a university hospital, for a 40 hour week.
Sources
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