Gehalt: Top-Verdiener in Deutschland: In diesen Berufen wird am besten bezahlt

In Germany, certain professions are known to offer the highest salaries, according to an exclusive analysis by the job platform Stepstone. The average income of the top 1% earners in the country is over €139,000 per year, which is more than double the average salary of an average employee. The top 5% earn around €101,250 annually, while the top 10% earn approximately €87,000.

Analysts from Stepstone evaluated the necessary annual salaries to be in the top 1%, 5%, or 10% of earners, based on over a million compensation data points collected between January 2022 and November 2025. The threshold for these high-earning positions is lower than many people may assume.

Jan Schulz-Gebhard, a wealth researcher at the University of Bamberg, explains that most people find themselves in the middle class, regardless of their actual wealth. There is a clear difference between self-perception and actual income data. To create reliable comparisons, Stepstone analyzed more than a million compensation figures, including bonuses, commissions, and prizes.

The highest-paying professions include top executives in DAX companies, high-profile lawyers in premium law firms, and medical professionals. A median CEO earns around €200,000 annually, while a Chief Information Security Officer earns €117,250. In comparison, an electrical engineer earns only €49,100 per year.

Regional differences also play a significant role in salary disparities. Hamburg, Hessen, Baden-Württemberg, and Bayern have the highest average salaries for top earners, due to their concentration of economic industries, international companies, finance, manufacturing, and automotive sectors. Hamburg, in particular, is a major logistics, trade, and media location with numerous major companies, such as Airbus and Hapag-Lloyd.

The urban effect also contributes to higher salaries in these regions. In large labor markets, specialized professionals often find the right positions, leading to higher productivity and income. Additionally, having job responsibility, such as managing a team of up to four employees, increases the chances of earning a six-figure salary compared to those without managerial responsibilities.

Those managing over 50 employees have an 18% chance of earning more than €100,000, while executives with more than 100 employees see a 31.6% chance of earning a six-figure income.

Highly specialized skills in fields like artificial intelligence, cloud architecture, and cybersecurity, as well as expertise in finance, pharmaceuticals, technology, and industrial transformation, are also key factors in achieving a high income. Patent lawyers and tax consultants in Germany also fall within the top 1% earners, with median salaries of €104,750 and €102,250, respectively.