6.3 million Germans earn low wages

In Germany, approximately 6.3 million employees earned low wages in the latest calculation, with a maximum hourly rate of 14.32 ($16.69), according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Friday. The data reflects salaries recorded in April 2025, when the agency calculates average earnings.

This figure represents 16% of all jobs, maintaining the same proportion as in 2024. For comparison, in April 2014, the share of low-wage employment was higher, at 21%. The number of workers in low-paid positions has gradually declined since then, notably during 2022 and 2023.

Defining the Low-Wage Sector

The threshold for low-wage work in Germany is set at two-thirds of the median gross hourly wage, excluding apprentices. In April 2025, this amounted to 14.32, up from 13.79 in April 2024. This benchmark is separate from the statutory minimum wage, which is 12.82 in 2025 and is scheduled to rise to 13.90 at the beginning of 2026.

Experts attribute the long-term reduction in low-wage employment largely to the introduction of the minimum wage. Dorothee Spannagel from the Economic and Social Science Institute (WSI) at the Hans Bckler Foundation explained that the minimum wage has increased earnings for many workers and helped narrow wage disparities.

Author: Olivia Parker