Cardiac surgeon salary: What does a cardiac surgeon earn in Germany?

As a cardiac surgeon in Germany, you have the opportunity to earn an attractive salary. Your earnings depend on various elements, such as your professional experience, where you work and whether you are employed in a hospital or run your own practice. On average, you can expect an annual salary of around €84,000, which corresponds to a monthly salary of around €7,000. Depending on your individual situation, the salary range is between €69,800 and €92,700 per year.

Average salary of cardiac surgeons

According to statistics, the average gross salary in this demanding profession is around 88,400 euros per year. This ranges from a minimum salary of 74,100 euros to a maximum salary of 97,700 euros. After deducting taxes and duties, the net salary is between 42,432 euros and 57,460 euros per year, which corresponds to between 48% and 65% of the gross salary. There is no particular difference in the salaries of male and female cardiac surgeons.

Income according to position and professional experience

Your salary as a cardiac surgeon depends largely on your position and your professional experience. At the beginning of your career as a junior doctor after medical school, you can expect an annual salary of between 61,000 and 78,000 euros. Your salary will increase as you gain more experience and responsibility:

Salary differences between employment and self-employment

As a cardiac surgeon, you have the opportunity to accept job offers in a clinic or run your own practice. Independent specialists for Cardiac surgery generally earn a higher income than employed colleagues. However, your earnings as a self-employed surgeon vary greatly and depend on factors such as the number of patients, organisation structure and location. The salary of cardiac surgeons in private practice is based on the standard pay scale, without specific differentiation by surgical speciality.

Cardiac surgeon salary in clinics: Which collective agreements apply?

The collective agreements differ depending on the hospital's organisation. In Germany, many universities operate their own university hospital, where the salary of all doctors is determined by the TV-Ärzte TdL. Municipal hospitals and clinics run by private organisations such as Asklepios, Helios, KMG and Sana also have corresponding collective agreements that regulate the remuneration of cardiac surgeons working there.

Collective agreement TV-Ärzte TdL for university hospitals

The TV-Ärzte TdL collective agreement applies to doctors in German university hospitals. Earnings as a cardiac surgeon in a university hospital also depend on the position and professional experience. The following table shows the average salaries in tariff groups P7 to P9 at the Charité in Berlin:

Collective agreement TV-Ärzte VKA for municipal hospitals

Positive results were achieved for the salaried doctors during the last collective bargaining negotiations for the contracts of the municipal hospitals. According to the TV-Ärzte VKA, salaries in municipal hospitals are currently even slightly higher than in university hospitals:

Collective agreements of private clinics

In private hospitals, cardiac surgeons are also paid according to the provisions of a collective labour agreement. The exact salaries can vary from hospital to hospital, but are often at a similar level to those in public hospitals. Non-tariff remuneration for doctors in higher positions also enables potentially higher incomes.

Cardiac surgeon salary: What you earn as a cardiac surgeon with your own practice

As a cardiac surgeon with your own practice, you have the opportunity to determine your own salary. However, practices specialising in cardiac surgery are rare in Germany. There are currently only six cardiac surgeons in private practice nationwide. Most specialists work in public or private clinics, as complex heart operations require large teams, specialised instruments and expensive equipment.

Nevertheless, as a cardiac surgeon you can run your own practice for consultations, preliminary examinations and follow-up care for patients with heart disease. Your earnings will then depend on the number of patients treated and the services billed. With a well-run practice, annual salaries of over 100,000 euros are possible.

In your practice, you will treat patients with various heart diseases, such as congenital heart defects, valve diseases or atrial fibrillation. Aftercare following heart transplants or other cardiological operations may also be part of your remit. By providing individualised care and treatment, you will help to improve the quality of life of people with heart disease.

The salary of cardiac surgeons compared to other fields of work

Compared to other surgical specialities in medicine, the salary of a cardiac surgeon is in the middle range. As the table shows, neurosurgeons, surgeons and trauma surgeons earn more on average. However, the earning potential in cardiac surgery is higher than in plastic surgery.

Cardiac surgeon salary: How you can increase your earnings

As a cardiac surgeon, you have the opportunity to increase your basic salary with bonuses for working weekends, public holidays or at night. These bonuses are often stipulated in your collective labour agreement or employment contract and can be an attractive option to supplement your salary. According to statistics, many cardiac surgeons choose to take on additional shifts in order to increase their income. On average, considerable salary increases can be achieved in this way.

In addition to the financial benefits of bonuses, some employers also offer additional benefits that can indirectly boost your salary. These include, for example, childcare programmes that make it easier for you to combine work and family life. A company pension scheme can also help to improve your financial situation in the long term. When choosing your employer, it is worth paying attention to such additional benefits, as they can make a noticeable difference.

Another way to increase your salary as a cardiac surgeon is through further training and education. By continuously working on your professional development and acquiring additional qualifications, you can strengthen your negotiating position with employers. Statistics show that cardiac surgeons who regularly take part in further training can often achieve a higher salary. In addition, specialisations open up new career opportunities, which can also be accompanied by higher remuneration.