Indian workers earn highest median pay in Germany

Richard Connor 

DW with dpa, epd

02/01/2026 

Indian employees have emerged as the highest earners among foreign workers in Germany, a study shows. Elevated pay levels among Indian employees are largely driven by their concentration in technical and academic roles.

German workers earned a median gross income of €4,177 ($4,900) a study published on Friday showed — more than €1,200 less than Indian employees.

The high pay levels among Indian workers were largely driven by their prominence in technical and academic roles, according to the authors.

How do the numbers stack up?

The employer-linked Institute of the German Economy (IW) said foreign workers overall earned €3,204.

Its survey showed the median gross monthly wage for Indian workers reached €5,393 in 2024, ahead of Austrians at €5,322, US nationals at €5,307, and Irish nationals at €5,233.

The number of Indians working in MINT professions — mathematics, IT, natural sciences, and technology including engineering — has risen by nearly ninefold since 2012 to more than 32,800, the study found. About one-third of full-time Indian workers aged 25 to 44 are employed in MINT occupations.

The trend has also been fueled by a sharp rise in Indian students in Germany.

Many completed their studies, stayed on, and contributed to research and innovation, with patent applications involving inventors of Indian origin increasing twelvefold between 2000 and 2022.

How much does Germany need Indian workers?

"Without skilled immigration, growth in the German economy would hardly be possible today – especially in the STEM professions and in terms of innovative strength," says IW expert Axel Plünnecke. Skilled immigration from India is "a particular success story," he added.

Since 2012, the German government has actively recruited skilled workers from non-EU countries, focusing on academic and technical professions. In 2024, then German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government passed a raft of measures designed to foster immigration from India.

The institute noted that high wages among workers from Austria and the United States reflected their employment in economically strong urban regions with higher pay levels.

The analysis covered nationalities with more than 5,000 full-time employees in Germany and was based on data from the Federal Employment Agency.

Edited by: Kieran Burke

Richard Connor Reporting on stories from around the world, with a particular focus on Europe — especially Germany.