Surgeon salary: What does a surgeon earn in Germany?

As a surgeon in Germany, you can expect an attractive salary. Your earnings depend on various factors, such as your professional experience, age, federal state and whether collective agreements apply. Surgeons are medical specialists for Surgerywho deal with the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of surgical diseases, injuries and deformities. On average, a full-time surgeon earns an average monthly gross salary of between €7,000 and €9,000.

Starting salary and earning potential

As a prospective surgeon, you will start your specialist training with an attractive starting salary of around 6,200 to 8,000 euros gross per month. This income corresponds to the earnings of other medical specialists who are paid according to collective agreements. However, depending on demand and negotiating skills, above-average salaries are also possible. As a surgeon, you will also receive bonuses for night shifts, weekend work and public holiday shifts, which will further increase your income.

Average salary of a surgeon

On average, surgical specialists in Germany earn 8,688 euros gross per month, which corresponds to an annual salary of 104,256 euros. But even as a career starter, you can expect a starting salary of around 74,400 euros per year. Your income will increase continuously as you gain more professional experience and qualifications.

Influence of professional experience and qualifications on salary

Your professional experience and qualifications play a decisive role in your salary as a surgeon. After your specialist training, you start as an assistant doctor and continue to specialise to become a specialist in surgery. Over the years, you will gain valuable experience and take on more responsibility, which will have a positive effect on your income. The following table shows salary development depending on professional experience and position:

The long training programme is therefore worthwhile, as surgeons are among the top earners among doctors in Germany.

Salary by type of organisation

As a salaried surgeon in Germany, you will be paid according to a collective agreement. The amount of your salary depends on the type of institution in which you work. University hospitals, municipal hospitals and private hospital groups all have their own collective agreements that regulate salaries.

University hospitals (TV-Ärzte TdL)

In university hospitals, also known as university clinics, the collective agreement for doctors of the federal states (TV-Ärzte TdL) applies. Here, surgeons in basic training can expect the following starting salaries:

Municipal hospitals (TV-Ärzte VKA)

Municipal hospitals and clinics are also governed by the collective agreement for doctors at municipal hospitals (TV-Ärzte VKA). Here the remuneration for basic further training in surgery is as follows:

Private hospital groups

Private hospital groups such as Asklepios or Helios often have their own collective agreements. As a career starter in surgery, you can expect a gross monthly salary of around €5,430.

Regardless of the type of institution, your salary as a surgeon will increase with increasing professional experience and qualifications. If you work as a medical specialist, your salary will increase in accordance with the relevant collective agreements. For example, you can expect the following earnings in specialist training in accordance with the TV-Ärzte/VKA:

Surgeon salaries: the regional differences

The salary of surgeons in Germany varies considerably depending on the federal state and region. These regional differences are due to various factors, such as the cost of living, the number of jobs available and the demand for surgical services in the respective region.

In the southern federal states, particularly in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, surgeons tend to earn more than in other parts of Germany. Here, the average gross monthly salary for assistant doctors is 5,920 euros (71,040 euros per year) and for specialists 8,031 euros (96,372 euros per year). In contrast, salaries in the eastern federal states, such as Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, are often lower. Assistant doctors here earn an average of 4,216 euros gross per month (50,592 euros per year), while specialists receive around 5,719 euros (70,920 euros per year).

The following table shows the average monthly gross salaries for surgeons in selected federal states:

It is important to note that these figures are averages and the actual salary of a surgeon can vary depending on experience, specialisation and employer. Nonetheless, these regional differences illustrate that where you work in Germany has a significant impact on your earning potential in surgery.

Surgeon salary: influence of age and gender

The income of a surgeon depends on various factors, including age and gender. Salaries develop differently over the course of a career and there may be gender-specific differences. Age plays an important role in salary development. Surgeons up to the age of 25 earn an average of 6,620 euros gross per month. Between the ages of 25 and 54, the average monthly gross salary is 7,050 euros. From the age of 55, the salary generally remains stable, provided that there is no promotion to senior consultant or chief physician.

Gender pay gap in surgery

Gender-specific salary differences, the so-called gender pay gap, can also occur in the medical sector. However, this is less pronounced in surgery than in other sectors. On average, male and female surgeons earn a gross monthly salary of 8,688 euros.

While in other countries such as Switzerland there is a gender pay gap of around 19% in the medical sector, male and female surgeons in Germany earn the same on average. Nevertheless, there can be individual differences depending on various factors such as professional experience, specialisation and negotiating skills. However, the salary prospects for both genders are good.

Comparison of the surgeon's salary with other specialities

As a surgeon, your salary is above average compared to other medical specialities. Compared to specialists in internal medicine, you often do better in terms of remuneration.

However, there are some specialisms that can be even more lucrative. Radiologists, for example, are the frontrunners with an average annual salary of around 117,000 euros gross. Ophthalmology (approx. 117,000 euros p.a.) and Dermatology (around 116,000 euros p.a.), high salaries can be achieved.

Although as a surgeon you are one of the top earners, you are in good company with other medical specialities. Ultimately, your salary depends on many factors, such as your specialisation, professional experience and employer. With the right career strategy, you can earn an excellent income in surgery or a related speciality such as trauma surgery.

The salary of a surgeon with their own practice

Surgeons who take the plunge into self-employment and open their own practice can significantly increase their income. On average, surgeons in private practice achieve a monthly net income of 27,083 euros. This means that their salary is significantly higher than that of salaried surgeons in hospitals.

However, starting your own practice also requires careful planning and preparation. In addition to professional qualifications, business knowledge and entrepreneurial skills play an important role. Setting up a practice involves considerable investment, but this can pay off in the long term.

Surgeons with their own practice fare well in comparison to other medical specialities. While radiologists, nuclear medicine specialists and radiotherapists occupy the top position with a monthly net income of 94,000 euros, orthopaedists are in third place with 28,417 euros. Surgeons follow closely behind in fourth place.

Comparison table: Salary of surgeons with their own practice

The step into self-employment is not only financially rewarding for surgeons, but also offers them the opportunity to freely shape their own working methods and specialisation. With a well-managed practice and a reliable patient base, surgeons can make optimum use of their expertise and be successful in the long term.

What is the best-paid surgeon?

As a surgeon, you have excellent prospects of earning a high salary. The best-paid surgeon is the chief physician, who earns an average of €20,703 gross per month. However, you can also earn very well as a surgeon in other positions. As a senior consultant, your salary according to the collective agreement for doctors at university hospitals (TV-Ärzte TdL) ranges from €10,323.14 at level 1 after one year to €11,648.42 at level 3 after 7 years of professional experience.

The earning potential in the field of plastic and aesthetic surgery is also particularly attractive. As a head or senior physician in a specialised clinic or as a self-employed surgeon, you can earn up to 20,700 euros gross per month. All in all, surgery offers excellent financial prospects for committed and qualified doctors.

Your qualifications, professional experience and the type of facility you work in are ultimately decisive for your salary as a surgeon. However, with the right specialisation beyond general surgery, you can always earn an above-average income and be one of the top earners in the medical field.